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.
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