We shall all be murdered in our beds before night!"

Mrs Jane sat back on the floor and laughed.

"Ah, my dear young gentlewoman, you may laugh," was the solemn comment of Millicent; "but I do a.s.sure you 'tis no laughing matter. If Mrs Jane will not listen to reason, madam, I beg _you_ to hear me when I tell you what I have heard."

The solemnity of Millicent's tones was something awful. Mrs Jane, however, was so misguided as to laugh again; but her mother said, in a half-alarmed tone, "Well, Millicent, what is it? You speak of the new man, Jackson, I suppose?"

"Madam, Robin tells me that early this morning, as soon as my Lord Wilmot was gone, he went down to the blacksmith's with something of the Colonel's--a chain, I think he said, or was it--"

"Never mind what it was," said Mrs Jane; "let us have the story."

"Well, he was in the blacksmith's shop, and to get out of the way of the blacks, which were flying all over, he had slipped behind the door; when who should come up but this Jackson, on Mrs Jane's horse, that had cast a shoe. He could not see Robin, he being behind the door; I dare be bound if he had, he would not have been so free in his talk. You know, madam, what a horrid Roundhead the blacksmith is; Robin saith he wishes in his heart he never had to go near him. Well, as this fellow holds the horse's foot (and Robin says he did it the most awkward he ever saw), he asks the smith what news. 'Oh,' saith he, 'none that I know of, since the good news of the beating of the rogues of Scots.' 'What,'

saith Jackson, 'are none of the English taken that were joined with the Scots?' Then, madam, the smith said, saving your presence, for really it makes me feel quite creepy to repeat such shocking words, 'I don't hear,' quoth he, 'that that rogue Charles Stuart is taken, but some of the others are.' Oh, madam, to speak so dreadfully of His Sacred Majesty!"

Mrs Millicent's eyes went up till more white than iris was visible.

"Very shocking, truly," said Mrs Lane. "Well, what further?"

"And then, madam, that Jackson said--Robin heard him!--'If that rogue were taken,' quoth he, 'he deserves to be hanged more than all the rest, for bringing in the Scots.' Oh, dear, dear! that I should live to tell you, madam, that a servant of my good master could let such words come out of his lips! Then quoth the smith, 'You speak like an honest man.'

And so Jackson up on the horse and rode away."

"Well, it doth but confirm me in my view that the man is a most unsuitable guard for you, Jane. I shall speak to your brother about making a change."

"I don't think Jackson is a Roundhead," said Mrs Jane quietly, rearranging some laces in a little box.

"Dear heart, Mrs Jane! but what could the creature have said worse, if he had been Oliver Cromwell himself?"

"Well, and I do not think he is Oliver Cromwell either," replied Mrs Jane, laughing. "And as to his not knowing his business, madam," she added, turning to her mother, "I pray you remember how exceeding good a character my Lord Wilmot gave him."

"My dear Jane! A good character is all very well, but I do want some capability in my servants as well as character. You do not choose your shoemaker because he is sober and steady, but because he makes good shoes."

"Under your correction, madam, he would not make good shoes long if he were neither steady nor sober. Howbeit, I pray you, speak to my brother: methinks you shall find him unready to discharge Jackson for no better reason than that he cannot take the collar off an horse."

"But the words, Mrs Jane! Those awful words!"

"Very like they grew in Robin's brain," calmly answered Mrs Jane, turning the lock of her trunk. "He is a bit jealous of Jackson, or I mistake."

"Jealous of that black creature!" cried Millicent. "Why, he could not hold a tallow candle to Robin!"

"I dare say he won't try," replied Mrs Jane, with a little amus.e.m.e.nt in her voice.

Mrs Lane, who had left the room, returned looking somewhat discomfited.

"No, I cannot win your brother to see it," she said, in rather a vexed tone. "He thinks so much, as you do, of the commendation my Lord Wilmot gave the young man. He saith he is sure he is not a Roundhead (I marvel how he knows); and as for his inapt.i.tude, he said the man hath not been before in service, and hath all to learn. If that be so, it cannot be helped, and you will have to be patient with him, Jane."

"I will be as patient as I can, madam," said Mrs Jane gravely.

"Oh, my dear Mrs Jane! Oh, Madam! how you _can_!" exclaimed Millicent.

"We shall all be murdered by morning, I feel certain of it! Oh, dear, dear!"

"Then you'd better make your will this evening," coolly observed Mrs Jane. "Look here, Millicent, should you like these cherry ribbons?

They would not go ill with your grey gown."

Millicent pa.s.sed in a moment from the depths of despair to the heights of ecstasy.

"Oh, how good of you, Mrs Jane! They are perfectly charming! I shall take the guarding off my grey gown to-morrow, and put them on."

"If you survive," said Mrs Jane solemnly.

Millicent looked slightly disconcerted.

"Well, Mrs Jane, I was going to tell you--but after what Madam said--if the young man be respectable--I don't know, really--this morning, as he was coming into the hall, I thought--I really thought he was going to offer to take me by the hand. It gave me such a turn!"

"I don't see why, if he had washed his hands," said Mrs Jane.

"Oh, Mrs Jane! what things you do say!"

Millicent had some excuse for her horror, since at that time shaking hands was a form of greeting only used between relatives or the most intimate friends. To give the hand to an inferior was the greatest possible favour.

"Well," said Mrs Jane, locking the second trunk, "I expect Will Jackson is a decent fellow, and will attend me very well. At any rate, I mean to try him."

"Well, Mrs Jane, I have warned you!"

"You have so, Millicent. And if Jackson murders me before I come home, I promise to agree with you. But I don't believe he will."

"Well!" repeated Millicent, "one thing is certain; the creature has surely never been in a _gentleman's_ service before. I expect he has followed the plough all his life. But I do hope, Mrs Jane, you may come back safe."

"Thank you, Millicent; so do I," answered Mrs Jane.

The friends who were to accompany Mrs Jane arrived at Bentley Hall on the Monday evening, and the party set out, eight in all, a little after five o'clock on the Tuesday morning. Mrs Lascelles and Mrs Petre rode behind their husbands; Mrs Jane behind her new man, Jackson. For Jenny an escort was provided in the shape of Mr Lascelles' servant, a sober-looking man of about forty years, whom she thought most uninteresting. So they rode away from Bentley Hall, Robin Featherstone kissing his hand to Jenny, and making her a very elaborate bow in the background.

The first day's journey brought them to the house of Mr Norton, a relative of the Lanes.

"Remember, Jackson," said Mrs Jane as she alighted, "I shall want my palfrey by six to-morrow morning at the latest."

Jackson touched his hat, and promised obedience. Mr Norton led Mrs Jane into the house, desiring his butler, whose name was Pope, to look to her man, and to put Jenny in the care of Mrs Norton's maid. Jenny, being unused to ride much on horseback, was sadly tired by her day's journey, and very glad when bed-time came. She made one nap of her night's rest, and was not very readily roused when, before it was fully light, a tap came on Mrs Jane's door.

Mrs Jane sat up in bed, awake at once.

"Who is there? Come within," she said.

The answer was the entrance of Ellice, Mrs Norton's maid.

"I crave pardon for disturbing you thus early, madam, but my mistress hath sent me to say your man is took very sick of an ague, and 'twill not be possible for you to continue your journey to-day."

"How? Was ever anything so unfortunate!" cried Mrs Jane. "Is he really very bad?"

"My master thinks, madam, he is not the least fit for a journey."