CHAPTER XXXII.
Richard had seated himself, and taken up a paper from the table, whichhe was perusing attentively, when Lord Fulmer entered. He laid downthe letter instantly, however, and gave the young nobleman the mostflattering reception.
"This is kind indeed, my lord," he said, extending his hand to him. "Idid not think the journey could have been performed so quickly. Itshows that you look upon the king's service as paramount indeed, whenyou can quit your lady love thus, at a moment's notice, to render himassistance."
Unwittingly the monarch touched upon a tender point, as the reader isaware, and Fulmer felt in painfully. A cloud came upon his brow; andhe replied, somewhat coldly, that he was always ready to serve theking.
"So, so," thought Richard, who was a great master of looks, and agreat observer of them, "this young man is moody. I suppose mymessenger arrived just in time. We must put a stop to this."
"I am glad to hear it is so, my lord," he said aloud, in a somewhatproud and kingly tone; "for while we can, as you know, curb with astrong hand the turbulent and the rebellious, we are ever willing toshower honours and rewards upon those who serve us zealously andfaithfully."
"The only reward I desire, your grace," replied Fulmer, "is your kindpermission to complete my marriage with the Lady Iola St. Leger asspeedily as may be. I and my family have ever been faithful servantsto the house of York. We have never changed our faction; and to yourgrace's person you know I am attached. I trust then that I may haveyour permission."
"Ay, and much more," answered Richard. "There are intentions in mybosom towards you, and my good Lord Calverly, which need not bementioned; but they will bear fruit--they will bear fruit;" and henodded his head significantly. "As soon as this expedition is over, onwhich I would have you go,--I mean into Dorsetshire, to guard thecoast there for a few days, and put down the turbulent spirit of thepeople in those parts, your marriage shall take place."
"May it not take place as I go thither, sire?" asked Fulmer, with animpatient tone. "I must have a day or two for preparation. 'Tis butthe last ceremonies of the church are wanting; and I know that I shallhave Lord Calverly's good will. I will set off immediately, when sheis my own.
"What," exclaimed Richard, "has not my Lord Calverly told you that wepropose to be present ourselves? He concealed it from you, to make ita pleasant surprise. No, no, this business admits of no delay. Theseturbulent peasants must be put down, before their discontent becomesdangerous; and you must away at once."
"May I speak plainly to your grace?" demanded Fulmer.
Richard bowed his head gravely; and the other went on, in a somewhatmortified tone.
"In quitting Chidlow castle now, for your grace's service," he said,"I leave a somewhat dangerous rival with my promised bride."
"A rival!" said Richard. "Who may that be? I thought she wascontracted to you."
"It is so, sire," answered Fulmer; "but we all know that no contractsare held very valid, by some men, against the power of love."
"My brother Edward thought so," answered Richard, with a sarcasticturn of the lip. "Who may this rival be, I say?"
"No other than the Lord Chartley," answered Fulmer, "whom your gracehas placed in ward with the lady's uncle."
"What, that gay youth again!" exclaimed Richard, with a laugh. "By myfaith he meets us at every turn. But he shall be looked to--make yourmind easy--he shall be looked to. Only serve us faithfully and well,and the lady's hand shall be yours, whoever may gainsay it."
"Her hand were of little value to me, my good lord and sovereign,"replied Fulmer, boldly, "if her heart be given to another."
"Her heart!" said Richard, with one of those low, cold, witheringlaughs, so painful to an enthusiastic mind; "well, well, be you easy,this gay fisherman of hearts, this Chartley, shall be removed in aweek or two, to some other place."
Fulmer was just in the act of muttering to himself--"In a week ortwo!" when the door of the cabinet was opened; and a gentleman industy apparel entered.
"They bade me come in, sire," he said, in a blunt tone, "though thenews I bear is not a fair exchange for a gracious welcome. The earl ofOxford, with some other gentlemen of repute, has broken out of Hamcastle, and has taken the way to Britanny."
Richard smiled; and, seeing that the gentleman had something more toadd, he said--
"Go on."
"It is but a rumour," answered the other; "but, when at Dover, tidingswere brought, that Sir John Fortescue, one of your officers in Calais,with twelve young gentlemen of good stock, had followed the samecourse."
"Ha!" said Richard, in a sterner tone. "Is this so wide spread? But itmatters not," he added the moment after, with the smile returning tohis lip. "I have the wasp in my gauntlet; and he cannot sting, butdie."
"There was much turbulence in Kent too, as I rode along," said theblunt messenger.
Richard mused for some moments, and then said--
"It is not comfortable news, Sir Arthur. Nevertheless be you welcome.Is there anything else, you have to say?"
"No, my liege," answered the old knight, "what I have had to say isbad enough; but, as I came along, not three miles from York, I passeda limber young gentleman, on a weary horse. I have seen him in JohnHutton's train; and he told me that he had ridden post, from a placecalled Lyme in Dorset, whither he had come in a fishing-boat, to bearyour grace tidings from Britanny."
The news seemed to affect Richard more than all the rest; and startingup he exclaimed--
"Ha! Call me a groom, there!"
A groom was instantly called; and the king demanded, gazing at himwith an eager eye--"Has any one arrived from Britanny?"
"Not that I know of, sire," replied the man; "but there was some onerode into the court just now."
"Bring him hither, instantly," said Richard; and, seating himselfagain at the table, he gnawed the side of his hand with his frontteeth.
"Might I venture to say a word, sire?" asked Lord Fulmer.
"No, sir, no!" exclaimed Richard, vehemently, waving his hand forsilence, and then resuming his bitter meditation.
At the end of a few minutes, a young gentleman covered with dust,pale, and evidently sinking with fatigue, was introduced into thecabinet; and the king, fixing his eyes upon him, demanded--"Whatnews?--You are Sir John Hutton's nephew, if I mistake not."
"The same, my liege," replied the young man, in a feeble tone. "Wouldthat my uncle had been still in Britanny, methinks he had watchedbetter."
"Speak, speak," said the king, in as calm a voice as he could command."Some mischief has happened--say what has gone amiss."
"The earl of Richmond, my gracious lord, has escaped from Vannes,"replied the young man. "He was pursued with all speed, tracked by hisown dog; but he reached the gates of Angers just as the duke's menwere at his heels."
Richard sat for a moment as if stupified. Then turning fiercely toFulmer, he exclaimed, "Is this a time to talk of marriages? To horse,Lord Fulmer, and away. Your instructions shall be ready in an hour.Serve the king well, and the brightest lady in all the land shall beyours, if you but ask her. Fail, and as I live I will give her toanother. By Heaven, we will take hostages of all men; there is toolittle faith on earth. The lady's hand for the best doer! Till then,I'll keep her sure. Away, let me hear no more!"
Fulmer dared not express the feeling which these words called up, buthastened from the room, with a flushed brow and cheek, while Richard,leaning his head upon his hand, muttered once or twice, "'Tis time tobuckle on our armour."
The two gentlemen who had brought him the intelligence which had somoved him remained standing before him without receiving the slightestnotice, for some five minutes, though one was hardly able to standfrom fatigue, and both were somewhat alarmed at the absent and unusualmood into which the king was plunged. His face was agitated, while hethus thought, with a thousand shades of emotion. Now he bit his lip,and fixed his keen eye upon the floor; now his brow contracted, andhis lip quivered; now he raised his eyes to the fretted and paintedceilin
g over head, with a sort of vacant look, from which allexpression was banished; and when he at length ended this fit ofmeditation with a loud laugh, both the spectators feared his powerfulmind had become affected, by the disappointment he had latelyundergone. They tried, indeed, to suppress all signs of wonder; but heseemed to read their thoughts, the moment his spirit was re-called tothe immediate business of the hour.
"Strange, Sir Arthur," he said, "that the things which--seen throughrage and disappointment--are magnified, as in a mist, into giantevils, should, under a moment's calm reflection, diminish to their ownpigmy reality. Here now, a minute or two ago, I thought the escape ofthis earl of Richmond from Britanny, and the reception in France, amighty great disaster, the earl of Oxford's flight from Ham aportentous incident. Now it moves my merriment to think how I wouldwhip the dame of Derby's beggar boy back to his Breton almshouse, ifhe dared to set his foot within this realm of England. By holy St.Paul, I would give him safe conduct over the narrow seas, and notplace a galliot to impede his coming, for the mere jest of scourginghim like a truant back to school, but that our realm has bled too muchalready, and that I hold the life of every subject dear. Who is thisRichmond? Where is his name in arms? On what fields has he gainedglory? Where learned he the art of war? And is it such a man as thisshall come to battle for a crown, with one whose cradle was a corslet,his nursery a bloody fight, his schools Hexham, and Barnet, andTewksbury, his pedagogues York, and Salisbury, and Warwick and Edward?Where are his generals? Will Dorset--feeble, vacillating, fripperyDorset, lead the van, and order the battle? Methinks, it is indeedmeet matter for merriment; and I may well laugh, to think that Ishould have given an anxious look towards the movements of this Tudorboy. Say, my good friend, have all the fugitive lords gone with himinto France? But you are weary. Sit you in that chair--nay, the king,wills it. Now answer me."
"No, my gracious liege," replied young John Hutton; "he gave them allthe slip, I hear; sent them to the duke's court, to compliment him onhis recovery; and thus having lulled suspicion, by the sacrifice ofhis friends, he fled away with only four in company?"
"Is the good duke then well again?" asked Richard, with a slight frownonce more contracting his brow; "what news of Master Landais?"
"I heard he was right well, sire, and in high favour with his lord,"replied the young man; "but I stayed not to learn all that waspassing; for I thought your grace had been ill-served, and, entering afishing-boat at once, I came over, and took horse. I have not lain ina bed since; for, although evil news never make a welcome messenger,yet I fancied your Highness' service might be benefitted by earlytidings; and I thought that if it should be really so, your frownwould prove lighter to me than your thanks for better tidings."
"You did well," said Richard, gravely, "you did right well, young man;and shall not go unrewarded. Weinants has been outwitted; overdiscreet men often are. Now go and seek repose; and remember, takeyour place at the board of our gentlemen of the privy chamber, till Ican place you better."
The young man bowed, with a grateful look, and withdrew. Then turningto the other, Richard said, "Are you too over-weary, Sir Arthur?"
"Faith not I, my lord the king," replied the old knight. "I amhardened. My old clay has been beat to such consistence with hardknocks, that it cracks not easily."
"Well, we will give you till to-morrow for repose," said Richard,"then, good, faith, you must back to Kent, and strive to quiet theturbulent folks. You shall have letters, and authority. 'Tis pity nohemp grows there; but you will find ropes at Dartford--you understandme."
When Richard was once more left alone, he strode up and down the roomfor several minutes, in much agitation. "No more losses!" he said atlength, "No more losses! They must not be suffered to fall off. Thismarriage must go forward quickly, once more to heal the breaches inthe house of York. They shall not be patched with Tudor clay. We mustkeep all, gain more. This young Lord Fulmer, I was somewhat stern withhim in my haste. I must smooth that down before he goes. But I willkeep my fair hostage for his faith. Chartley--there is great power andwealth and many friends there. He must be won. Perchance this heiressmay be a meet bait for him too. Let them contend for her in the king'sservice. At all events, while I have the pretty decoy in my own hand,I can whistle either bird back to the lure."