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Down to the little postern gate, left unguarded by the careless sentinel, who was carousing with his fellows on another side of the Castle; out and away to the still glade in Windsor Forest, where Maydeston stood waiting with the horses, all fitted with pillion and saddle. "Here come we, Maydeston!" exclaimed Bertram.
"Now, Madam, an' it like your Grace to mount with help of Master Maydeston, will it list you that I ride afore?" For it was little short of absolute necessity that the gentleman should be seated on his saddle before the lady mounted the pillion. "Nay the King that shall be, the first!" said Constance. Bertram bowed and apologised.
The next horse was mounted by Constance, with Bertram before her; the third by little Roger, very proud of his position, with Maude set on the pillion in charge of her small cavalier, and the bridle firmly tied to Bertram's saddle. Last came Maydeston and Anne. They were just ready to start when Constance broke into a peal of merry laughter.
It proved to be fair, but cloudy, with a low damp mist filling the vale of the Thames. Bertram took no one into his confidence but his own squire, William Maydeston, whom he posted in the forest, at a sufficient distance from the Castle, in charge of the four horses necessary to mount the party.
The three officers of the Duke of York were desired to return to their master, the old Judge cynically adding that they could please themselves whether they told him of the recapture or not; while Maydeston was as cynically informed that Sir William saw no sufficient reason wherefore the King's Grace should be at the charges of his journey home, but that he might ride in the company if he listed to pay for the lodgings of his beast and his carcase.
To which most elegant intimation Maydeston replied that he was ready to pay his own expenses without troubling his Majesty, and that he did prefer to keep his master company. So the little group of friends were parted, and Constance began her return journey to London as a prisoner of state. But what was happening at Cardiff? And where was the Earl of Kent? We shall see both in the next chapter.
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