Red Eve

s after she began to dream, that Hugh de Cressi and his men, safe and sound but wear

Street. "You wasted good time in a shooting bout at Windsor against my will, and now you'll waste more time in a talking match a

gh testily, "first I mu

should talk may fare further, for doubtless his spies are out. But have your way and leave me to

assed before any answer came, for Sir Andrew was walking in the garden beyond the church, in no happy mind because of certain rumours that had reached him, and the old nun Agnes,

Why is she not with you

God. I know not how she is, and she is not with me because s

gh. "You swore t

earn," and as shortly a

doubtfully, for he saw tro

that Acour and his folk never went to Lond

warrant addressed to the Mayor and all his Grace's subj

good purpose-where is my faith? Yet we must act. Hie, you there," he called to one of the men-at-arms, "go to Master de Cressi's house and bid him meet us by the market-cross mounted and armed, with all hi

ething of the tale was told while they passed on to the house of the Mayor, who, as they thought, had already been warned of their coming by messengers. But here disappointmen

not draw sword in an unknown quarrel, except upon the direct order of their chief, for there is no time to col

his clerk, which is good delivery, and away to Blythburgh Manor on the instant with any wh

of it was that the whole party of them-thirteen men in all, counting those that Master de Cressi brought, rode away a

pe of the farther hill on the crest of wh

Sir Andrew, "which shows that no attack is fear

know presently,

unt all and

emselves that the great house seemed strangely silent and deserted. Now they were in the outer court, on one side of which stood the chapel, and still there was no one to be seen. D

g yonder," he whispered,

ot be Eve whom they buried? B

ohn was sick. Co

place, which was not very large, filled with people. Of these they took no heed, for the last r

rail. One of these wore a red cloak down which her dark hair streamed. She leaned heavily against the ra

ubled air, and behind the knight were other knights and men-at-arms. In the little nave were all the people of

first just as the last word o

disturb God's house?" he

aw that it was Acour, but even then he noted that the woman at h

urned to look at them. Now Hugh and his company halted in the open sp

ur, Count de Noyon, and convey him to London, there to stand his trial on a charge of

w their swords and ringed themselves round their capta

ou harbour a foul traitor in your bosoms, one who plots to deliver you to the French. Lift no hand on his behalf, lest on you also

none liked this talk of the King's warr

t we and the burgesses of Dunwich who g

e congregation stared at each other. Then Sir John Clavering, who all thi

tell me, does the King's wri

his Grace that you were an h

ed my daughter to this knight whom you name traitor, and that I here defend h

n a hollow voice. "Not of her own will,

tar rails, slowly she raised herself to he

h that Acour swore is dead? Oh! wh

Eve. They say you are

ns blood, as blood there must be if I am wed to an

Clavering, what means this play? Yonder woman is no willing wife

r out your tongue for those words. She's married and of he

swered coldly. "Now yield you, Sir Edmun

business comes first. Acour is my daughter's husband and so shall stay till death o

aught Hugh on the skull and down he fell, his mail clattering on the stones, and lay still. With a whine of rage, Grey Dick l

d's, not ours,"

his heart, he threw them high. Then suddenly his knees gave beneath him; he sank to the floor a huddled he

o shrive them swiftly ere the last beat of life should have left their pulses. His father, brothers, and Grey Dick clustered round Hugh and lifted him. The fox-faced priest, Nicholas, whispered quick w

verset the tapers, so that the place was plunged in gloom, and through it none saw Acour and his tr

gh Manor. For did not their dead master's guilt cling to them, and would they not also be held guilty of the murder of the King's of

o search the manor, till at length they found a woman who told them that thirty minutes gone Acour and all

gs, Dick returne

raitors escape the land. Send swift messengers to all the ports; discover where Acour rides and follow him in force and if you come up with him, take him dead or living. Stop not to ta

ur was too swift for them. When at length a messenger galloped into Lynn, whither they learned that he had fled, it was to find that his s

uld have been saved for traitors' hearts! With those three hours of daylight in hand we'd have ringed the

wich, whose Mayor, although he was blameless, lost his office over the matter. Nor was there any other cho

ck raised the drawbridge. Then, all being made safe, he set a watch upon the walls and saw that there was wood in the iron cradle on the topmost tower in case it should be needful to light the beacon and bri

d whereon lay Hugh de Cressi opened and the tall Eve entered, bearing a

trange voice; then, still as any statue, awai

, by the skill I gained in Eastern lands, has stayed th

him, but leaving the skull unbroken. Biting into the neck below, it had severed the outer vein only. This he had tied with

?" asked Eve again, "seeing tha

hat which follows a heavy blow. Perhaps it may hold him fast many days,

ed to her lips. She knelt down and gave thanks as the old priest-

's voice calling. Now they tell me that I have stood at the altar with de Noyon, and that his priest read the mass of marriage over us, and-look! Oh! I nev

ever shadowed forth the thoughts which

d, few would be well baptized or wed or shriven. Moreover, although I suspect that himself he mixed the draught, yet he may not have known that you were drugged, and you stood silent, and, it would appear, consenting. The ceremony, alas! was completed; I myself heard him give the benediction. Your fathe

I owe a bond, and I'll die a hundred deaths before any other shall even touch my hand.

, if indeed he be your lord, is a foul traitor. The King of England seeks his life, and there is another who will seek it also ere very long," and he glanced at the senseless form of Hugh. "Fret not yourself overmuch, daughter. Be grateful rather that matters are no worse, and that you remain as you always were. Another hour and you migh

as is my duty. I'll pray also that I may never find

ing out her hands above him as though in bles

ly talk at all. Sir Andrew, who nursed him continually with the help of Grey Dick, who brought his master possets, bow on back and axe at

ther hurt, now discovered for the first time, which in the end gave him more trouble than did the dreadful and dangerous blow of Clavering's sword. It seemed that when he had fallen suddenly beneath that murderous stroke all his muscles relaxed as though he were dead, and his left a

waited Eve's long-promised advent. At length she came, stately, kind and beautiful, for now her grief and terror had passed by, leavin

Acour had not been ashamed to submit some shadowy claim, made "in right of his lawful wife, Dame Eve Acour, Countess de Noyon," which claim had been sent by him from France addressed to "all whom it might concern." He

lame for Acour's escape. It commanded also that if he recovered from his wound, for the giving of which Sir John Clavering should have paid sharply if he had lived, he and the archer

ed in raising forces to make war upon him. Further, that this Acour alleged himself to be the lawfully married husband of Eve Clavering, the heiress of Sir John Clavering, a

l me, are you this fellow

onsent? And can a woman whose will is foully drugged out of her give cons

erks and testified to by many witnesses, has gone forward already to his Holiness the Pope, of which statement true copies have been sent to the King and to the Bi

reased with vengeance; the law of the sword. If you are married, Eve, I swear that before very long you shall be wi

master's food and not been sent away. "Only," he added looking reproachfully at Sir And

n, since otherwise by now y

n way, and do not wish to be married, and care not the worth of a horsesh

at you are," said Sir Andrew, "I sa

so perhaps if there is need at the last, you will do as much for my soul. If not it must

ing to forgive like the rest of us. Now hearken to me, son and daughter. Wrong, grievous and dreadful, has been done to you both. Yet,

ey Dick's school," said Hugh. But whatever sh