CHAPTER XII.

HOW THE KING PLAYED AT HIDE-AND-SEEK AT TRENT.

While these preparations for his escape were so successfully made, Charles had run considerable risk of capture.

On the evening of the second day he was alone in his chamber, occupied with reflections, and wondering what Colonel Wyndham and Careless were about, when Juliana entered suddenly, and with anxiety depicted on her charming countenance informed him that the Reverend Hold-up-Hand Meldrum had been questioning the women-servants about the new groom who had lately arrived at the house.

"The inquisitive minister came to the kitchen door," she said, "and stating that he knew the young man was in the house, desired to speak with him. Both Eleanor Withers and Joan Halsenoth declared that the groom was gone, but Mr. Meldrum affirmed the contrary, adding that he suspected the young man was a malignant Cavalier in disguise, and was certain he was hidden in the house, and as he would not come forth, he would bring those who would find him. As the two women made no answer, Mr. Meldrum departed, but they think he will make good his threat. I believe so too, and I therefore advise your majesty to conceal yourself, for of course you will not see him."

"Humph! I don't know that," observed Charles. "I am sure I could baffle him."

But he changed his tone, when, shortly afterwards, Joan Halsenoth burst into the room, with a terrified look, exclaiming:

"Mr. Meldrum is in the yard, and has got two troopers with him."

"Troopers! that looks serious!" cried the king. "Clearly, a strict search will be made."

"Not a moment must be lost. Conceal yourself, I entreat you," cried Juliana.

And as the king opened the secret door and disappeared, she and Joan removed every article likely to betray his presence.

"Carry these to my chamber quickly, and hide them," continued Juliana. "That done, bring down everything from my dressing-table, and we will arrange them here, as if the room were mine."

Joan obeyed, and in another minute returned with hair-brushes, combs, and other articles of the toilette, which were quickly placed as Juliana had directed.

"Now go down-stairs and do thy best to dupe them," cried Juliana. "I will remain here."

Left by herself, the young damsel stepped to one of the lattice windows that looked upon the yard, and being partially open, it enabled her to hear what was passing outside. She could not see the Reverend Mr. Meldrum, but she heard his voice, and perceived the troopers, who stood behind him.

The servants, it appeared, had locked the kitchen door, which was of strong oak, studded with nails, and positively refused to unfasten it. They were talking to him through a small barred window.

While Juliana was listening to what was going on, the secret door was cautiously opened, and Charles peeped out.

"Are they gone?" he called out in a low voice, perceiving she was alone.

"No, no," she replied in the same tone. "Do not quit your hiding-place. They are below, but the servants won't let them into the kitchen."

"That's a pity," cried Charles. "Most likely they would have stopped there. Those rogues are fond of the kitchen."

"They have got in," said Juliana. "Mrs. Wyndham has unfastened the door. She will give them plenty of ale."

For a few minutes all remained quiet, and Charles ventured out of his hiding-place.

"I don't think they will disturb me," he said.

Just at the moment, however, Joan Halsenoth cautiously entered the room.

"Mr. Meldrum and his companions are coming up-stairs presently," she said. "They have poked their noses into every hole and corner below, and mean to search every room in the house. So you must prepare for them."

And she disappeared.

Charles again retreated to his hiding-place, but paused before closing the door.

"Can you not give me a signal," he said, "in case it should be necessary for me to descend the secret staircase?"

"I can tap against the panel," she rejoined. "But you had better remove the plank at once."

"I am not sure that I can find the plank," he rejoined.

"I will show you where it is," she cried, flying towards him. But she stopped on hearing footsteps on the staircase.

"They are coming!" she exclaimed.

The secret door was instantly shut.

Next moment, the room door was thrown open, and Mrs. Wyndham entered, accompanied by the Independent minister, and followed by the two troopers.

"When I tell you that this is Mistress Juliana Coningsby's room, perhaps a very slight inspection of it will satisfy you," said Mrs. Wyndham to the minister.

"I am not so sure of that," he replied. "'Tis likely enough that the malignant whom we seek may be concealed here."

"You have just been told that it is my room," cried Juliana, suddenly turning round and facing him.

"That does not make it more unlikely," observed one of the troopers. "Fair damsels have concealed their lovers before now."

"Hold thy peace, Hilkiah," said the minister, gravely. "Thou art come hither to search for a malignant, and not to jest. Do thine office."

Thus rebuked, Hilkiah and his comrade examined the room most carefully, their proceedings being anxiously watched by the two ladies, though they strove to assume an air of indifference. Finding from the manner in which the men were sounding the panels that the discovery of the closet was inevitable, Mrs. Wyndham thought it better to anticipate it, and, stepping forward, she opened the secret door.

It was an anxious moment for Juliana, but she perceived at a glance that the king had found the movable plank, and used it. The secret closet was empty. The minister gazed into it with a blank expression of countenance.

"Pray examine the place carefully!" cried Mrs. Wyndham, in a taunting tone. "Sound the walls, try the roof and floor--you will find nothing. 'Tis not a hiding-place, but a small room attached to the larger chamber. A moment's inspection will convince you it has not been occupied."

The closet was scarcely large enough to hold the minister and the troopers, but they squeezed themselves into it nevertheless, and being thus crowded they could not possibly examine the floor. But, indeed, they had to think of their own deliverance. The secret door closed with a spring, and unable to resist the impulse that prompted her to shut them in, Juliana closed it. A loud laugh from the giddy girl told them they were made prisoners. Mr. Meldrum did not relish the jest, but Mrs. Wyndham and Juliana derided his anger.

The troopers tried to force open the door, but the bolt resisted their efforts. Juliana positively refused to let them out unless they engaged to leave the house at once, and to these conditions they were eventually compelled to submit. On being liberated they all went away looking extremely crestfallen.

Not till it was quite certain that the coast was clear did Juliana venture to intimate to the king that he might come forth from his hiding-place. He did not appear much discomposed, but treated the matter very lightly.

"I have played so often at hide-and-seek of late," he said, "that I feel certain of coming off the winner. But the game was never better played than it has been just now."

"I am glad to hear your majesty say so," observed Juliana.

Careful watch was kept that night at Trent, and the king did not retire to rest for fear of a surprise. However, nothing occurred, and in the morning it was ascertained that the troopers had departed.

In the afternoon, Colonel Wyndham and Careless returned from their expedition, and at once repaired to the king's chamber.

"All has been most satisfactorily arranged, sire," said the colonel. "I will give you the details anon. The sum is this. A vessel has been hired by Captain Ellesdon from a trusty shipmaster at Lyme, named Limbry, and your majesty will embark for St. Malo on Monday next at midnight. We have seen the vessel in Lyme port in which you are to sail, and find her all that could be desired. It will be an additional gratification, I am sure, to your majesty to learn that, on our way back, we encountered Lord Wilmot. I invited him to Trent, but he did not deem it prudent to accept the invitation, though he greatly desires to see your majesty."

"Where is he?" cried Charles. "I will take him with me to St. Malo."

"I have ventured to anticipate your majesty's wishes in that respect," said Careless. "Feeling certain you would desire his company, I promised him a passage, and appointed a place of meeting near Charmouth, on Monday."

"You have done well," cried the king. "I shall be glad to have Wilmot with me. Fortune, at length, seems disposed to favour me. In a few days--nay, in a few hours--I shall be out of the reach of my enemies."

Colonel Wyndham then gave the king full details of the negotiation with Limbry, and his majesty was very much amused by the relation. He was, also, well pleased with the colonel's description of Captain Ellesdon.

The short interval between the king's departure was passed very pleasantly by his majesty, and when the day arrived he could not help feeling regret at leaving a place where he had been so happy. As regards female society he could not have been better circumstanced. Three more charming women, each in her way, than those with whom it had been his good fortune to be associated, could scarcely have been found. For Lady Wyndham, whose interest in him seemed quite maternal, he had begun to feel an almost filial regard. The loyal old dame often spoke to him of her three valiant sons who had fallen in his royal father's cause, and said she accounted their deaths her highest honour.

"I can only replace one of them," said the king. "But you must look upon me as a son."

Sunday was the last day on which it was supposed that his majesty would stay at Trent, and it was spent very decorously. Religious service was performed in the king's room by the Reverend Mr. Langton, and all the company in the house, including Harry Peters and two of the women-servants, were assembled at it. The circumstances gave a special interest to the meeting, and those present on the occasion often called it to mind. The good divine preached an eloquent and stirring discourse that roused the feelings of all who listened to him. His text was taken from Samuel: "_And Saul sought David every day; but God delivered him not into his hands._" He spoke of the king's miraculous escapes from the many and great dangers to which he had been exposed, and showed that he could not thus have been preserved, if he had not been under the care of a watchful Providence. "While the flood of rebellion has covered the face of his kingdom," he said, "in this ark he has been safely shut up, and here he will remain till his faithful servants have time to work his deliverance. But that day is near at hand. The malicious designs of his adversaries will be frustrated, and he will be restored to his father's throne. Then shall we all say with the Prophet: My Lord the king is come again in peace to his own house."

Charles was much moved by the good man's discourse, and thanked him for it when the service was over.

"As I have just declared, sire," said Mr. Langton, "the hand of Providence has been clearly manifested in your preservation hitherto, and it will not desert you. Take comfort from the words of the Prophet, for they are very applicable to you: 'Fear not, for the hand of Saul shall not find thee, and thou shall be king over Israel.'"