“If Sir John’s life is in danger, I know of no better place of safety than here.  He had better come with all haste—­’twould be my wife’s desire!”

“Wife, so soon?” And the great Duke raised his eyebrows—­a small action, but with him it had a world of meaning in it.  “I congratulate thee, my lord, but—­if her ladyship knew the danger that would beset her father upon such a journey, I feel sure she would wait patiently a time that must of necessity be of some length.  I beg my lord not to think of bringing Sir John hither.  As I hinted before, if this matter is brought out and he is proven guiltless of those little matters hinted of, then he could meet her without this heaviness that so weights him.  I am sure if such a thought as meeting his daughter were mentioned, he would heartily beg for its postponement and—­especially now that she is my Lady of Crandlemar.”  It stood Buckingham much in hand to keep Sir John and Lord Cedric from meeting, for he had, not only told truth, but had heartlessly impugned the former’s character to line his own pocket with the latter’s wealth.  The truth of the matter was that he was tight caught in a network of financial and political intrigue, and this was the only means to disentangle himself.

After this first business was settled, a second affair was introduced and the Duke spoke of his lordship’s matters at Court.  He said: 

“The King is hard pressed by the nobles—­or a portion of them.  They insisted that thou wert aiding the Catholics in such a manner that the lives of Protestants in this vicinity were in danger.  They even whisper that a plot is being formulated to murder Monmouth.  The King felt it incumbent to send for thee, and as the courier was about to start forth, he received word that the messenger he had sent in pursuit of my Lady of Candlemar had been foully dealt with by no other hand than thine.  This stirred the King into a frenzy and straightway he charged thee with treason and—­one comes now to take thee to the Tower or wherever it pleases his Majesty to put thee.  Indeed, he may have so far forgiven thee by the time thou dost see London, he will offer thee half his bed or—­any unusual favour.  So take heart.  The King loves thee.”  The illness of Ellswold precluded the Duke from paying any visits within the castle, and he hastened back to London.

Lord Cedric felt if he could only tell Katherine that her father was well and in London, it might bring a reconciliation, and his eyes wandered to the hour-glass, and as he noted the golden sands, he thought there was yet time for a lover’s quarrel and then a sweet making-up, which should have no limit of time; but, alas! such blissful moments would doubtless be cut short by the arrival of the King’s messenger.  All of a sudden a wicked thought came, as he remembered how but a few moments before she had turned coldly from him as he met her in the gallery, and he resolved ’twould be a good time to make her feel a little