Be as quiet as
Oliver."
"Oliver, mother dear, hasn't seen Major Tixall, whose face is enough to
make an owl talk, let alone a magpie like me."
Her right ear was near enough to me, the stool being big and I bigger, so
I pinched the pretty little pink shell, and whispered in it, "Shut up,
Kit, and think of Jack," which effectually silenced her.
Mistress Waynflete had little more to tell. They had travelled rapidly,
avoiding Coventry and Lichfield, where the royal forces had assembled, but
bending west so as to get by unfrequented roads to Stafford, and so on to
the main north road along which the Prince was now reported to be
marching. Just outride the "Bull and Mouth" her horse had cast a shoe.
Leaving her to rest in the ale-house, the Colonel had gone on with the
horses to the nearest smithy at Milford. He was quite unaware of the
northward movement of troops from Lichfield, and was under the impression
that he was now well beyond the danger zone. We had heard from the
serjeant of his capture.
Kate, at mother's request, took up the tale here. The road past the
Hanyards to the village enters the main road abruptly, and clumps of elms
prevent anyone travelling along it from seeing what is happening in the
village.
Pages:
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49