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Passing up to her own room, she took out some warm wraps, and then went round to the stable in search of Roger, to whom she gave some directions about coming to the village with a basket of provisions a little later in the evening. She then set out on her walk back to Dame Coppins' cottage, determined to stay there all night, and protect the old woman by her presence.
"These soldiers have seen Master Harry Drury Mistress Harcourt," he said. "Then you will not repeat the cowardly attack on Dame Coppins, I trow!" said the young lady, burning with anger still. The blacksmith drew back somewhat ashamed, and Maud, forgetting all else, turned to the soldiers and said, "Tell me where you met Master Harry Drury."
She believed in witchcraft almost as fully as the ignorant villagers, but she did not believe Dame Coppins was a witch simply because she did not choose to tell all the village her business where she had come from, and what had induced her to take the lonely cottage outside Hayslope, and this was the only reason they had for supposing her a witch.
"Prithee, but I cannot tell you that," she said, speaking as calmly as she could. He's been eyes to me ever since my own boy went away to fight for the King." "What book did he read to you?" asked Maud. "Marry, and what should it be but God's word?" said Dame Coppins. "It's been open at the place where he left off these three days, for it is sore hard to believe I sha'n't hear his voice again."
"Prithee, be not so sorrowful," he said; "there's hope for him yet, if we can only get a physician to him soon, and Dame Coppins says " But Maud staggered back as he would have led her into the house. "Tell me what it is, and who you are," she gasped. The man was perplexed. "Marry, but you know me, Mistress Maud. I'm Roger, Master Drury's servant, and the letter told all about the rest, I trow."
Here her grief was shared by Dame Coppins, who hardly knew what to say to comfort her under such a trial, and could only point her to Him who, having "borne our griefs and carried our sorrows," can sympathise and comfort under the sorest trials. On reaching the Grange, Maud found that the news had travelled thither before her news of humiliation, that had put Captain Stanhope quite out of temper.
She had no doubt who wanted her, but she did not intend going; she would not give Dame Coppins the opportunity of bewitching her any more; and so merely saying, "Prithee, I will think about it," she walked home as fast as she could.
"I am with you, Harry dear," she whispered, and took his hand, while Dame Coppins told the story of how he had been brought there in a litter some weeks before by Roger and the messenger, who had fled to her cottage from the violence of the villagers.
No wonder the people were afraid of her when such mysterious doings as that were going on. Maud thought she had more than sufficient evidence to prove that Dame Coppins was a witch now, and began seriously to consider whether she ought not to inform against her; and she might have done this, only Master Drury was taken ill again.
"Dame Coppins says they are free, and on their way to London," said Bessie. Maud opened her eyes. Was the old woman a witch after all? Bertram's next words quite confirmed her in this wild notion. "Maud," he said in a whisper, "do you know that Harry was one of the prisoners."
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