"A lie!" he answered, and laughed. "My fren', I 'ave myself been to-night, at midnight, on t'e moore, and I 'ave 'eard t'e army of t'e Duc de Monmoot' marching to Bristol on t'e road--what you call t'e road, Wentwort'?"
"The Eastern Causeway, my lord," answered the captain.
"Voil!" said Feversham, and spread his hands. "What you say now, eh?"
"That that is part of Monmouth's plan to come at you across the moors, by way of Chedzoy, avoiding your only outpost, and falling upon you in your beds, all unawares. Lord! sir, do not take my word for it. Send out your scouts, and I dare swear they'll not need go far before they come upon the enemy."
Feversham looked at Wentworth. His lordship's face had undergone a change.
"What you t'ink?" he asked.
"Indeed, my lord, it sounds so likely," answered Wentworth, "that... that... I marvel we did not provide against such a contingency."
"But I 'ave provide'!" cried this nephew of the great Turenne. "Ogelt'orpe is on t'e moor and Sare Francis Compton. If t'is is true, 'ow can t'ey 'ave miss Monmoot'? Send word to Milor' Churchill at once, Wentwort'. Let t'e matter be investigate'--at once, Wentwort'--at once!" The General was dancing with excitement. Wentworth saluted and turned to leave the room. "If you 'ave tole me true," continued Feversham, turning now to Richard, "you shall 'ave t'e price you ask, and t'e t'anks of t'e King's army. But if not..."
"Oh, it's true enough," broke in Wilding, and his voice was like a groan, his face overcharged with gloom.
Feversham looked at him; his sneering smile returned.
"Me, I not remember," said he, "that Mr. Westercott 'ave include you in t'e bargain."
Nothing had been further from Wilding's thoughts than such a suggestion. And he snorted his disdain. The sergeant had fallen back at Feversham's words, and his men lined the wall of the chamber. The General bade Richard be seated whilst he waited. Sir Rowland stood apart, leaning wearily against the wainscot, waiting also, his dull wits not quite clear how Richard might have come by so valuable a piece of information, his evil spirit almost wishing it untrue, in his vindictiveness, to the end that Richard might pay the price of having played him false and Ruth the price of having scorned him.
Feversham meanwhile was seeking--with no great success--to engage Mr. Wilding in talk of Monmouth, against whom Feversham harboured in addition to his political enmity a very deadly personal hatred; for Feversham had been a suitor to the hand of the Lady Henrietta Wentworth, the woman for whom Monmouth--worthy son of his father--had practically abandoned his own wife; the woman with whom he had run off, to the great scandal of court and nation.