That night Myles lodged at Mackworth House. The next morning, assoon as he had broken his fast, which he did in the privacy ofhis own apartments, the Earl bade him and Gascoyne to make readyfor the barge, which was then waiting at the river stairs to takethem to Scotland Yard.
The Earl himself accompanied them, and as the heavy snub-nosedboat, rowed by the six oarsmen in Mackworth livery, slid slowlyand heavily up against the stream, the Earl, leaning back in hiscushioned seat, pointed out the various inns of the great priestsor nobles; palatial town residences standing mostly a littledistance back from the water behind terraced high-walled gardensand lawns. Yon was the Bishop of Exeter's Close; yon was theBishop of Bath's; that was York House; and that Chester Inn. Sopassing by gardens and lawns and palaces, they came at last toScotland Yard stairs, a broad flight of marble steps that ledupward to a stone platform above, upon which opened the gate-wayof the garden beyond.
The Scotland Yard of Myles Falworth's day was one of the morepretentious and commodious of the palaces of the Strand. It tookits name from having been from ancient times the London inn whichthe tributary Kings of Scotland occupied when on their periodicalvisits of homage to England. Now, during this time of Scotland'sindependence, the Prince of Wales had taken up his lodging in theold palace, and made it noisy with the mad, boisterous mirth ofhis court.
As the watermen drew the barge close to the landing-place of thestairs, the Earl stepped ashore, and followed by Myles andGascoyne, ascended to the broad gate-way of the river wall of thegarden. Three men-at-arms who lounged upon a bench under theshade of the little pent roof of a guard-house beside the wall,arose and saluted as the well-known figure of the Earl mountedthe steps. The Earl nodded a cool answer, and passingunchallenged through the gate, led the way up a pleached walk,beyond which, as Myles could see, there stretched a little grassylawn and a stone-paved terrace. As the Earl and the two young menapproached the end of the walk, they were met by the sound ofvoices and laughter, the clinking of glasses and the rattle ofdishes. Turning a corner, they came suddenly upon a party ofyoung gentlemen, who sat at a late breakfast under the shade of awide-spreading lime-tree. They had evidently just left thetilt-yard, for two of the guests--sturdy, thick-set youngknights--yet wore a part of their tilting armor.
Behind the merry scene stood the gray, hoary old palace, a steepflight of stone steps, and a long, open, stone-arched gallery,which evidently led to the kitchen beyond, for along it hurriedserving- men, running up and down the tall flight of steps, andbearing trays and dishes and cups and flagons. It was a merrysight and a pleasant one. The day was warm and balmy, and theyellow sunlight fell in waving uncertain patches of light,dappling the table-cloth, and twinkling and sparkling upon thedishes, cups, and flagons.
At the head of the table sat a young man some three or four yearsolder than Myles, dressed in a full suit of rich blue brocadedvelvet, embroidered with gold-thread and trimmed with black fur.
His face, which was turned towards them as they mounted from thelawn to the little stone-flagged terrace, was frank and open; thecheeks smooth and fair; the eyes dark and blue. He was tall andrather slight, and wore his thick yellow hair hanging to hisshoulders, where it was cut square across, after the manner ofthe times. Myles did not need to be told that it was the Princeof Wales.
"Ho, Gaffer Fox!" he cried, as soon as he caught sight of theEarl of Mackworth, "what wind blows thee hither among us wildmallard drakes? I warrant it is not for love of us, but only tofill thine own larder after the manner of Sir Fox among thedrakes. Whom hast thou with thee? Some gosling thou art about topluck?"A sudden hush fell upon the company, and all faces were turnedtowards the visitors.
The Earl bowed with a soft smile. "Your Highness," said he,smoothly, "is pleased to be pleasant. Sir, I bring you the youngknight of whom I spoke to you some time since--Sir MylesFalworth. You may be pleased to bring to mind that you socondescended as to promise to take him into your train until thefitting time arrived for that certain matter of which we spoke.""Sir Myles," said the Prince of Wales, with a frank, pleasantsmile, "I have heard great reports of thy skill and prowess inFrance, both from Mackworth and from others. It will pleasure megreatly to have thee in my household; more especially," he added,"as it will get thee, callow as thou art, out of my Lord Fox'sclutches. Our faction cannot do without the Earl of Mackworth'scunning wits, Sir Myles; ne'theless I would not like to put allmy fate and fortune into his hands without bond. I hope that thoudost not rest thy fortunes entirely upon his aid andcountenance."All who were present felt the discomfort of the Prince's speech,It was evident that one of his mad, wild humors was upon him. Inanother case the hare-brained young courtiers around might havetaken their cue from him, but the Earl of Mackworth was nosubject for their gibes and witticisms. A constrained silencefell, in which the Earl alone maintained a perfect ease ofmanner.
