The Cornet of Horse | Page 9

the language of high-flown compliment.
Mistress Holliday, despite her thirty-seven years, was still very comely,
and she smiled as she replied:
"My lord, ten years' absence from court has rendered me unused to
compliments, and I will not venture to engage in a war, even of words,
with so great a general."
Supper was now announced, and the earl offered his hand to lead
Mistress Dorothy to the dining hall.
The meal passed off quietly, the conversation turning entirely upon
country matters. The earl did full justice to the fare, which consisted of
a stuffed carp, fresh from the well-stocked ponds of the Chace, a boar's
head, and larded capon, the two latter dishes being cold. With these
were served tankards of Burgundy and of sherries. Rupert, as was the
custom of the younger members of families, waited upon the honoured
guest.
The meal over, Mistress Holliday rose. The earl offered her his hand
and led her to the door, where, with an exchange of ceremonious
salutes, she bade him goodnight.
Then the earl accompanied Colonel Holliday to the latter's room, hung
with rapiers, swords, and other arms. There ceremony was laid aside,
and the old cavalier and the brilliant general entered into familiar talk,
the former lighting a long pipe, of the kind known at present as a
"churchwarden."

The earl told Colonel Holliday of the discovery that had been made,
that the attack was no mere affair with highwaymen, but an attempt at
assassination by a political rival.
"I had been down," he said, "at Lord Hadleigh's, where there was a
gathering of many gentlemen of our way of thinking. I left London
quietly, and thought that none knew of my absence; but it is clear that
through some spy in my household my enemies learned both my
journey and destination. I came down on horseback, having sent
forward relays. When I arrived last night at Hadleigh my horse was
dead lame. I misdoubt now 'twas lamed in the stable by one of the men
who dogged me. Lord Hadleigh offered me his coach, to take me back
the first stage--to the inn where I had left my servants and had intended
to sleep. I accepted--for in truth I sat up and talked all last night, and
thought to doze the journey away. Your Derbyshire roads are, however,
too rough, and I was wide awake when the first shot was fired!"
"Do you think of taking steps to punish the authors of this outrage?"
Colonel Holliday asked.
"By no means," the earl answered. "I would ask you to send over a man,
with the horse I rode on and another, at daybreak. Let him put them
into the coach and drive back to Hadleigh, taking with him the bodies
of the lackey and coachman. With him I will send a note to my lord,
asking that no stir be made in the matter. We need not set the world
talking as to my visit to his house; but lest any magistrate stir in the
matter, I will leave a letter for him, saying that the coach in which I
travelled was attacked by highwaymen, and that two of them, as well as
the two servants, were killed, and that no further inquisition need be
made into the matter. You may be sure that the other side will say
naught, and they will likely enough go back and carry off their dead
tonight, and bury them quietly."
"Very well, sir," Colonel Holliday said. "My grandson will ride over
with you in the morning to Ashby-de-la-Zouche. Two well-armed
lackeys shall accompany you."
"Oh, there is no fear of another attempt," the earl said, smiling.

"Besides, your grandson and I could fight a whole troop of cutthroats
by daylight. What a swordsman that boy is! And as cool as a veteran!
He is your pupil with the sword, I presume?"
"Only partly; he owes most of his skill to a French emigre, who calls
himself Monsieur Dessin, but who had, I suspect, a far higher title
across the water. He is a magnificent swordsman; and as I was able to
teach the lad a few thrusts which in their time did me good service, and
the boy has a clear eye, a cool head, and a firm wrist, he can, young as
he is, hold his own, go where he will."
"What do you mean to do with him? You ought to make a soldier of
him. It is the career of a gentleman, and we shall have a stirring
campaign on the Rhine next spring. He will have plenty of
opportunities to distinguish himself, and I need not say he will have my
best favour and protection!"
"I thank you heartily," the colonel said, "and doubt not that one day the
lad