Robin lingered for a moment to finish his last notes.
"Mr. Alban," said Marjorie suddenly, without lifting her eyes from the
paper on which she wrote.
"Yes?"
"You will take care to-morrow, will you not?" she said. "Mr. John is a
little hot-headed. You must keep him to his route?"
"I will do my best," said Robin, smiling.
She lifted her clear eyes to his without tremor or shame.
"My heart would be broken altogether if aught happened to you. I look to
you as our Lord's chief soldier in this county."
"But--"
"That is so," she said. "I do not know any man who has been made perfect
in so short a time. You hold us all in your hands."
CHAPTER II
I
It was in Mr. Bassett's house at Langley that the news of the attack on
Padley reached the two travellers a month later, and it bore news in it
that they little expected.
For it seemed that, entirely unexpectedly, there had arrived at Padley
the following night no less than three of the FitzHerbert family, Mr.
Anthony the seventh son, with two of his sisters, as well as Thomas
FitzHerbert's wife, who rode with them, whether as a spy or not was
never known. Further, Mr. Fenton himself, hearing of their coming, had
ridden up from Tansley, and missed the messenger that Marjorie had sent
out. They had not arrived till late, missing again, by a series of
mischances, the scouts Marjorie had posted; and, on discovering their
danger, had further discovered the house to be already watched.
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