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HAYSLOPE GRANGE
A TALE OF THE CIVIL WAR
BY EMMA LESLIE
AUTHOR OF "THE CAPTIVES," "CONSTANCIA'S HOUSEHOLD," "THE ORPHAN ANDFOUNDLING."
LONDON: Sunday School Union. 56, OLD BAILEY THOS. NELSON & SONS, 42, BLEECKER ST., NEW YORK
THE GRESHAM PRESS LONDON & CHILWORTH
UNWIN BROTHERS, PRINTERS BY WATER TOWER.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. THE DRURY FAMILY
CHAPTER II. HARRY'S ANNOUNCEMENT
CHAPTER III. TRAITOR OR HERO
CHAPTER IV. CROMWELL'S IRONSIDES
CHAPTER V. MAUD HARCOURT
CHAPTER VI. THE HAYSLOPE
CHAPTER VII. THE REVEL
CHAPTER VIII. BESSIE'S DISTRESS
CHAPTER IX. THE WOUNDED MESSENGER
CHAPTER X. "ON, CAVALIER, ON!"
CHAPTER XI. MYSTERIES
CHAPTER XII. HARRY'S RETURN
CHAPTER I.
THE DRURY FAMILY.
It was a sweet spring day, soft and balmy as summer, and any one lookingacross the green meadows and smiling uplands of Hayslope, now so full ofthe promise of early fruitfulness, would have wondered what could makethe farm-labourers appear so gloomy, and the women-folk sigh instead ofsinging at their work, if he knew nothing of what was going on a fewmiles away.
It was the year 1644, and for two long years civil war had been ragingin England, and now two rival Parliaments were sitting, the one presidedover by the King meeting at Oxford, while that in London was engagedupon the trial of Archbishop Laud, and levying war against the King, sothat it was not to be wondered at that men looked gloomy and sorrowful,for they were dark, sad times for everybody.
Hayslope was a little village on the borders of Essex, but quite out ofthe high road usually taken by travellers going from London northward,so that when a young man came riding in towards the middle of the day,everybody turned from their work to look at him. They did not make avery close inspection before they raised their hats and cheered; butthis greeting, pleasant as it was, scarcely brought a smile to his lipsas he rode on up to the principal house in the place--Hayslope Grange.This was a large, rambling, roomy building, half farm-house, halfmansion, standing in the midst of an old-fashioned garden, surrounded byfields, and enclosed with a moat. The moat was dry now, and had been forsome years, and a permanent bridge of planks had been laid across,leading to the village; Master Drury would not have it filled up. "Itmight be useful yet," he would say, when his son Harry pressed him tomake the alteration.
As the traveller reached the old moss-grown bridge he paused for aminute or two, and looked down at the broad deep trench. "God grant itnever may be wanted," he murmured; and then he threw back his long browncurls that clustered round his head, and spurred his horse on at aquicker pace. He was a fine, tall, handsome young man, about twenty-two,with a thoughtful brow that would have made him look almost stern, butfor the genial smile that played around his mouth, and the kindly eyesthat looked as ready to cry as a girl's at a tale of suffering. Beforehe was half-way across the fields he was met with the glad cry of,"Harry, Harry, I am so glad you have come home!"
That he was a general favourite at home was evident enough, for hisyounger sister and brother received him with screams of delight, and hiselder sister, Mary, forgot all her stateliness in the warmth of herwelcome. Only one of the group walking in the fields failed to runforward to meet him--a fact Harry was not slow to notice.
"So Maud would not come to greet me," he said, holding out his hand whenhe reached the spot where she was standing. He had sprung from hishorse, and left the animal to find his own way to the stable.
The young lady coloured and looked down as Harry stopped before her. "Iam very glad to see you," she said.
"But not quite so glad as my sisters here," said Harry.
"I am not your sister," said Maud, hardly knowing what to say.
"Oh, Maud," muttered little Bessie, "Harry is as much your brother as heis mine. Why, you have lived with us all your life, and if your namedoes happen to be Maud Harcourt instead of Maud Drury, it does notmatter. I'm sure you can love Harry just the same."
"Yes, so I can," said Maud, smiling, and feeling greatly relieved byBessie's little passionate outburst.
But Harry looked rather disappointed still.
"I am afraid my return is not very welcome to you, Maud," he said, as heplaced himself at her side to walk towards the house.
"Why?" she said, quickly, in a tone of pain.
"I don't know, only you don't seem glad to see me this time. You did notcome to meet me as the others did," replied Harry.
Maud looked down, but did not answer; and indeed there was noopportunity to do so, for Bertram, thinking he had been neglected longenough, pressed forward to his brother's side.
"Have you seen Prince Rupert, Harry?" he asked.
The young man's brow grew dark at the question. "Don't ask about PrinceRupert, Bertie," he said.
"Why not?" exclaimed the boy. "He's a great soldier, come to fight theKing's battles against the wicked Parliament men. Do tell me about him?"he added, coaxingly.
"Harry will tell us all by-and-by," said Mary. "You must remember, hehas not seen father yet. Let us make haste indoors," she added, turningto Harry, who still kept close to Maud.
But Bertram was determined not to miss hearing of Prince Rupert'svalorous deeds, and fearing this account would be given to his fatheralone, he took his brother's hand, resolving to keep close to him.Prince Rupert's name, however, was not mentioned, and indeed Harryseemed strangely reserved in speaking of public affairs; and, as soon ashe could get away, wandered off to a copse-like corner of the garden,where he stayed until he was summoned to prayers, late in the evening.
He looked pale and agitated as he came in. The family were allassembled--his father at the head of the table, with the Bible openbefore him, and the maid-servants and serving-men at the other end ofthe room; and Harry felt that every eye was upon him as he took hisaccustomed place.
After the chapter was read they all knelt down, and then any one mightknow how deeply and truly Master Drury loved his King, although herarely spoke of it at any other time. Now, however, the man's whole soulwas poured out before God in impassioned pleading for his royal master,while his hatred of the Parliament and those who were leading therebellion could only find expression in the words of David against hisenemies. A deep "Amen" followed, uttered by every one in the room exceptHarry,--an omission that was noticed by more than one present.
"Harry was asleep," whispered Bessie, who had had some difficulty inkeeping her own eyes open.
Maud, to whom this was confided, did not contradict the little girl, butshe knew it was not so, and she wondered why Harry had not responded towhat everybody must wish for, she thought--at least every trueEnglishman. No one saw anything of Harry after he left the room thatnight, and Maud did not see him until the following afternoon. Shethought he was offended with her, and that this was the reason he keptaway from everybody, and when she saw him leaning on the fence of thefarm-yard, she determined to go and speak to him.
"I'm very sorry, Harry, if I have offended you," she said, as she drewnear the spot.
Harry started. "Maud, Maud, what shall I do?" he said, impulsively,turning towards her and taking her hand.
Maud was only a year younger than himself, but she could not helpfeeling alarmed at his words.
"What is the matter?" she said. "Prithee, tell me all about what istroubling you."
But Har
ry shook his head, and tried to smile away her fears. "I havebeen wishing to be a chicken, and by my faith I do wish it too," hesaid.
"Marry, that is an old wish of mine," said Maud, trying to smile, butlooking down as the colour stole into her cheeks.
"You wish to be a chicken!" uttered Harry in astonishment. "By my troth,I did not think you were so foolish, Maud."
"And wherefore not, wise sir? since you would nathless enterchickenhood."
But instead of replying in the same gay, bantering tone, Harry sigheddeeply, and, still holding her hand, drew her into the field.
"It is quite true, Maud," he said. "I was actually wishing to be achicken, or anything but what I am--Harry Drury, of Hayslope Grange."
"Prithee, now tell me wherefore you wished this," said Maud.
Harry had always told her his secrets since she first came, a littledelicate girl, to live at the Grange.
"Now, marry, I can scarcely do that. But life is such a puzzle--such atangle--men seem to be put in the wrong places."
"And you think you have one of the wrong places?" said Maud.
Harry nodded. "I am beginning to feel sure of it," he said, sadly.
"Then put yourself in the right place," said Maud, quickly, without inthe least knowing to what he referred.
"By my faith, I cannot," he said, huskily.
"Cannot?" she uttered. "Cannot do right? Be truthful and just--true toyourself. Harry, you cannot mean you are afraid to do this?"
She thought she knew what was passing in his mind. He had been away fromhome for several weeks, in London and in the North, and she thought helonged to serve his King by taking up arms and joining actively in thefray. Her spirit stirred and swelled within her, as she almost wishedthat she, too, was a man, that she might follow him to the field andfight by his side.
"Harry, you will do it," she said; "you will be brave and true, and tellyour father all that is passing in your mind."
Harry looked at her astonished, almost bewildered. "By my troth, Maud,this is more wonderful than anything else," he said.
"Marry, that _I_ should tell you to be true to yourself and your ownconscience," said Maud, in a deeply injured tone.
"Nay, but I did not mean to grieve you, dearest Maud," said Harry; "butI did not think--I dared not hope--you would see matters as I do."
"But I do see, that, whatever the cost may be----"
"Maud, the cost will not be half so great as I thought it half an hoursince. I have your sympathy," interrupted Harry.
"But is your father _sure_ to oppose your wishes in this?" said Maud.
Harry looked at her in some perplexity. "Can you ask it?" he said, "whenhe----"
"Yes, I know he refuses to take any public part in----" At this momentMaud was in her turn interrupted by Bessie rushing up to them with theannouncement that a visitor had just arrived from London who desired tosee Harry.
"It is a friend to whom I have spoken of the things we have been talkingabout," he said in a lower tone, to Maud; and finding Bessie wasinclined to take his place by her side, he left them, and returned atonce to the house.
"Has Harry been telling you about Prince Rupert?" asked Bessie, whenthey were left alone.
"No, dear," answered Maud; and then she relapsed into silence, for herthoughts were busy about Harry, and she wondered why he could be soafraid of mentioning his wish to become a soldier to his father.
Bessie waited a few minutes, and then she said,--"Has Harry told youanything about Prince Rupert, to-day, Maud?"
Maud smiled. "We have so often talked about Prince Rupert, you know,Bessie, that I think we have heard all Harry can tell us about hiswinning the King's battles for him," she said.
"Marry, but we have not, though," said Bessie, earnestly. "Harry toldBertie this morning that he was a fierce, cruel man, one of the greatestrobbers that ever lived; and that he justly deserved the title theKing's enemies had given him, 'Prince of Plunderers.'"
Maud looked down at the eager upturned face, feeling somewhat puzzled,but she thought Harry might have heard something that seemed to him verycruel--something that the great Prince had been obliged to do to savethe King, perhaps, which yet had roused Harry's anger, feeling so keenlyas he did for everybody's distress. At all events, Harry was right, andPrince Rupert was right too, she had no doubt, if things could only beexplained; and in this way she contrived to silence Bessie, if she didnot convince her; and the little girl went to tell Bertie that Maud didnot think his soldier-hero a bad man after all; while Maud pursued herwalk through the fields, indulging in very happy thoughts, in spite ofthe danger she was anticipating for Harry when he should join the King'sarmy.