John Enderby | Page 6

trust thee. It is better thou shouldst know
from my own lips the peril this knighthood brings, than that trouble
should suddenly fall and thou be unprepared."
Drawing her closely to him he told her the story of his meeting with the
King; of Lord Rippingdale; of the King's threat to levy upon his estates
and to issue a writ of outlawry against him.
For a moment the girl trembled, and Enderby felt her hands grow cold
in his own, for she had a quick and sensitive nature and passionate
intelligence and imagination.
"Father," she cried pantingly, indignantly, "the King would make thee
an outlaw, would seize upon thy estates, because thou wouldst not pay
the price of a paltry knighthood!" Suddenly her face flushed, the blood
came back with a rush, and she stood upon her feet. "I would follow
thee to the world's end rather than that thou shouldst pay one penny for
that honour. The King offered thee knighthood? Why, two hundred
years before the King was born, an Enderby was promised an earldom.
Why shouldst thou take a knighthood now? Thou didst right, thou didst

right." Her fingers clasped in eager emphasis.
"Dost thou not see, my child," said he, "that any hour the King's troops
may surround our house and take me prisoner and separate thee from
me? I see but one thing to do; even to take thee at once from here and
place thee with thy aunt, Mistress Falkingham, in Shrewsbury."
"Father," the girl said, "thou shalt not put me away from thee. Let the
King's men surround Enderby House and the soldiers and my Lord
Rippingdale levy upon the estates of Enderby. Neither his Majesty nor
my Lord Rippingdale dare put a finger upon me--I would tear their eyes
out."
Enderby smiled half sadly at her, and answered "The fear of a woman
is one of the worst fears in this world. Booh!"
So ludicrously did he imitate her own manner of a few moments before
that humour drove away the flush of anger from her face, and she sat
upon his chair-arm and said:
"But we will not part; we will stand here till the King and Lord
Rippingdale do their worst--is it not so, father?"
He patted her head caressingly.
"Thou sayest right, my lass; we will remain at Enderby. Where is thy
brother Garrett?"
"He has ridden over to Mablethorpe, but will return within the hour,"
she replied.
At that moment there was a sound of hoofs in the court-yard. Running
to a rear window of the library Mistress Felicity clapped her hands and
said:
"It is he--Garrett."
Ten minutes afterwards the young man entered. He was about two
years older than his sister; that is, seventeen. He was very tall for his
age, with dark hair and a pale dry face, and of distinguished bearing.
Unlike his father, he was slim and gracefully built, with no breadth or
power to his shoulders, but with an athletic suppleness and a refinement
almost womanlike. He was tenacious, overbearing, self-willed,
somewhat silent and also somewhat bad-tempered.
There was excitement in his eye as he entered. He came straight to his
father, giving only a nod to Mistress Felicity, who twisted her head in a
demure little way, as though in mockery of his important manner.
"Booh!--my lord duke!" she said almost under her breath.

"Well, my son," said Enderby, giving him his hand, "your face has
none so cheerful a look. Hast thou no welcome for thy father?"
"I am glad you are home again, sir," said young Enderby, more
dutifully than cordially.
There was silence for a moment.
"You do not ask my news," said his father, eyeing him debatingly.
"I have your news, sir," was the young man's half sullen reply.
His sister came near her father, where she could look her brother
straight in the face, and her deep blue eyes fixed upon him intently. The
smile almost faded from her lips, and her square chin seemed suddenly
to take on an air of seriousness and strength.
"Well, sir?" asked his father.
"That you, sir, have refused a knighthood of the King; that he insists
upon your keeping it; that he is about to levy upon your estates: and
that you are outlawed from England."
"And what think you about the matter?" asked his father.
"I think it is a gentleman's duty to take the King's gifts without
question," answered the young man.
"Whether the King be just or not, eh? Where would England have been,
my son, if the barons had submitted to King John? Where would the
Enderbys have been had they not withstood the purposes of Queen
Mary? Come, come, the King has a chance to prove himself as John
Enderby has proven himself. Midst other news,