A Jacobite Exile | Page 5

turned the matter over in her mind,
could see no reason he could have for permitting the intimacy. That he
would permit it without some reason was, as her experience had taught
her, out of the question.
Ciceley never troubled her head about the matter. Her visits to
Lynnwood were very pleasant to her. She was two years younger than
Charlie Carstairs; and although, when he had once brought her to the
house, he considered that his duties were over until the hour arrived for
her return, he was sometimes ready to play with her, escort her round
the garden, or climb the trees for fruit or birds' eggs for her.
Such little courtesies she never received from Alured, who was four
years her senior, and who never interested himself in the slightest
degree in her. He was now past eighteen, and was beginning to regard
himself as a man, and had, to Ciceley's satisfaction, gone a few weeks

before, to London, to stay with an uncle who had a place at court, and
was said to be much in the confidence of some of the Whig lords.
Sir Marmaduke was, about this time, more convinced than ever that,
ere long, the heir of the Stuarts would come over from France, with
men, arms, and money, and would rally round him the Jacobites of
England and Scotland. Charlie saw but little of him, for he was
frequently absent, from early morning until late at night, riding to visit
friends in Westmoreland and Yorkshire, sometimes being away two or
three days at a time. Of an evening, there were meetings at Lynnwood,
and at these strangers, who arrived after nightfall, were often present.
Charlie was not admitted to any of these gatherings.
"You will know all about it in time, lad," his father said. "You are too
young to bother your head with politics, and you would lose patience in
a very short time. I do myself, occasionally. Many who are the
foremost in talk, when there is no prospect of doing anything, draw
back when the time approaches for action, and it is sickening to listen
to the timorous objections and paltry arguments that are brought
forward. Here am I, a man of sixty, ready to risk life and fortune in the
good cause, and there are many, not half my age, who speak with as
much caution as if they were graybeards. Still, lad, I have no doubt that
the matter will straighten itself out, and come right in the end. It is
always the most trying time, for timorous hearts, before the first shot of
a battle is fired. Once the engagement commences, there is no time for
fear. The battle has to be fought out, and the best way to safety is to
win a victory. I have not the least doubt that, as soon as it is known that
the king has landed, there will be no more shilly-shallying or hesitation.
Every loyal man will mount his horse, and call out his tenants, and, in a
few days, England will be in a blaze from end to end."
Charlie troubled himself but little with what was going on. His father
had promised him that, when the time did come, he should ride by his
side, and with that promise he was content to wait, knowing that, at
present, his strength would be of but little avail, and that every week
added somewhat to his weight and sinew.
One day he was in the garden with Ciceley. The weather was hot, and

the girl was sitting, in a swing, under a shady tree, occasionally starting
herself by a push with her foot on the ground, and then swaying gently
backward and forward, until the swing was again at rest. Charlie was
seated on the ground, near her, pulling the ears of his favourite dog, and
occasionally talking to her, when a servant came out, with a message
that his father wanted to speak to him.
"I expect I shall be back in a few minutes, Ciceley, so don't you wander
away till I come. It is too hot today to be hunting for you, all over the
garden, as I did when you hid yourself last week."
It was indeed but a short time until he returned.
"My father only wanted to tell me that he is just starting for Bristowe's,
and, as it is over twenty miles away, he may not return until tomorrow."
"I don't like that man's face who brought the message to you, Charlie."
"Don't you?" the boy said carelessly. "I have not noticed him much. He
has not been many months with us.
"What are you thinking of?" he asked, a minute later, seeing that his
cousin looked troubled.
"I don't know that I