"Our belief is he will never speak again. He hath escaped us, and
ta'en his secret wi' him."
A loud shriek burst from Aveline, as she fell upon her father's lifeless
body.
"Let us forth," cried the King, stopping his ears. "We carena to be
present at scenes like this. We hae had a gude riddance o' this traitor,
though we wad hae gladly heard what he had to tell. Sir Jocelyn
Mounchensey, ye will see that this young woman be cared for; and when ye
have caused her to be removed elsewhere, follow us to the tennis-court,
to which we shall incontinently adjourn."
So saying, he quitted the vault with his physician.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Luke Hatton.
Feigning sudden indisposition (and the excuse was not altogether without
foundation), the Countess of Exeter quitted Theobalds Palace on the day
after her unlucky visit to Lord Roos's chamber, and proceeded to her
husband's residence at Wimbledon, where she was speedily joined by her
lover, who brought her word of the advantage he had gained over their
foe.
"I have fairly checkmated my gracious mother-in-law," he cried, with a
laugh; "and it would have diverted you as much as it did me and De
Gondomar, who was present on the occasion, if you could have witnessed
her rage and mortification, when she discovered the change that had been
effected; and that in place of your magnificent black ringlet (which I
now wear next my heart, and shall ever keep as a love-token), she had
only a sorry specimen of your hand-maiden's lint-white locks.
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