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Old Maisie's hand went to her forehead, as though it stunned her to think. "They will tell you when he died, soon, when you have got more settled. I don't know." "He must be dead, because Phoebe is a widow." "She is the widow of the husband she married after his death. That is why her name is Marrable, not ... Cropworthy was it?" "Not Cropworthy Cropredy.
She read on, trembling, clinging to the hand that Gwen had given her to hold. Suddenly came an exclamation a cry. "But what is this about Mrs. Prichard? This is not Mrs. Prichard. Why is mother's old name in this letter?" She was pointing to the word Cropredy, Phoebe's first married name; a name staggering in the force of its identity. She had not yet seen the signature.
To turn her mind from the recollection that provoked it, Granny Marrable thought it well to say that Nicholas Cropredy, her first husband, whom the forged letter had drowned at sea, had not been buried at Darenth Mill, but at Ingatestone, with his kindred and ancestors. "Did they find his body?" said old Maisie.
After a month's siege the king had escaped from Oxford; had waited till Essex, vexed at having missed his prey, had marched to attack what he looked on as the main Royalist force, that under Maurice in the West; and then, turning fiercely on Waller at Cropredy Bridge, had driven him back broken to London, two days before the battle of Marston Moor.
His Majesty had now firmly resolved to march into the west, not having yet any account of our misfortunes in the north. Waller and Middleton waylay the king at Cropredy Bridge. The king assaults Middleton at the bridge. Waller's men were posted with some cannon to guard a pass. Middleton's men put a regiment of the king's foot to the rout, and pursued them.
The tidings were heard in the midst of war and confusion, and so far as Nan knew, Eustace had made no moan; but some months later, when he was seeking a friend among the slain at Cropredy Bridge, he came upon Sir James Wardour mortally wounded, to whom he gave some drink, and all the succour that was possible. The dying man looked up and said: 'Mr. Rib'mont, I think.
"'Tis a cordial of mine own invention, and in the strength it gave me I fled from Cropredy Bridge though woefully hacked and spent. Drink!" He held the cup to the young man's lips. Landless drained it and felt the blood gush back to his heart and the ringing in his ears to cease. Presently he raised his head. "Thank you," he said. "I am a man again." "How is it that you are here?"
"Her husband!" Ruth thought this was new trouble that the Granny's head had given way under the strain. "Her husband was my father, mother," said she. "Think!" But old Phoebe was quite clear. "I am all right, child," said she reassuringly. "Her second husband. Marrable was my second, you know, else I would still have been Cropredy. Why is she not Daverill?"
He decided on sending Nicholas Cropredy, his wife's brother-in-law, across the Channel on business to Antwerp, say and making Phoebe and little Ruth go out to nurse him through a fever. Their ship could go to the bottom, with a stroke of his pen. Only, while he was about it, why not clear away the brother-in-law send them all out in the same ship? No that would not do!
"That was Thrale's story?" "Thrale's story." "He must have known." "Oh, he knew!" "What is old Mrs. Marrable's Christian name?" "I believe she was always called Phoebe. Her first married name was a very unusual one, Cropredy." "And Widow Thrale's?" "Ruth Keziah Solmes calls her, I think." His lordship made no reply; and, indeed, said never a word until he released Mr.
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