re was no drawing back now, even had she
wished it. And she wished it indeed, though she did not will it; she
knew that she must stand in her place, now more than ever, when the blow
had fallen so near. Now more than ever must she be discreet and
resolute, since Padley itself was fallen, in effect, if not in fact; and
Booth's Edge, in this valley at least, was the one hope of hunted men.
She must stand, then, in her place; she must plot and conspire and
scheme; she must govern her face and her manner more perfectly than
ever, for the sake of that tremendous Cause.

As she lay there, listening to her friend's breathing in the darkness,
staring now at the doors of the press, now at the baggage that lay
heaped ready for the early start, these and a thousand other thoughts
passed before her. It was a long plot that had ended in this: it must
have reached its maturity weeks ago; the decision to strike must have
been reached before even Squire Audrey had given her the warning--for it
was only by chance that she had met him and he had told her.... And he,
too, Robin's father, would be in the midst of it all; he, too, that was
a Catholic by baptism, must sit with the other magistrates and threaten
and cajole as the manner was; and quiet Derby would be all astir; and
the Bassetts would be there, and Mr. Fenton, to see how their friend
fared in the dock; and the crowds would gather to see the prisoner
brought out, and the hunt would be up. And she herself, she, too, must
be there with the tearful little wife, who could do so little....

Thank God Robin was safe in Rheims!...

III

Derby was, indeed, astir as they rode in, with the servants and the
baggage following behind, on the late afternoon of the next day. They
had ridden by easy stages, halting at Dethick for dinner, where the
Babingtons' house already hummed with dismay at the news that had come
from Derby last night. Mr. Anthony was away, and all seemed distracted.

They rode in by the North road, seeing for the last mile or two of their
ride the towering spire of All Saints' Church high above the smoke of
the houses; they passed the old bridge half a mile from the
market-place, near the ancient camp; and even here overheard a sentence
or two from a couple of fellows that were leaning on the parapet, that
told them what was the talk of the town. It was plain that others
besides the Catholics understood the taking of Mr. Thomas FitzHerbert to
be a very significant m