much time."

"Well! needs must, Nym," said Constance, turning to the boy who had so
nearly worn the crown of England. "And after all, belike, it shall be
worser for me than thee."

"Nym won't care," spoke up little Roger boldly, "if my master yonder
will let him lie till seven of the clock of a morrow."

"Till nine, if it like him," said Sir William.

"Then he'll be as happy as a king!" added little Roger.

"Nay, you be all too young to care overmuch--save Nan," responded
Constance, looking at Anne's white troubled face. "Poor maid! 'tis hard
for thee."

"I can bear what God sendeth, Madam," said Anne in a low voice.

"Well said, brave heart!" answered Constance, only half understanding
her. "The blessed saints aid thee so to do!--Now, Sir William, dispose
of us."

Hankeford obeyed the intimation by separating them into two bands.
Constance, Bertram, and Maude, he placed in the care of Elmingo Leget,
an old servant of the Crown, with orders to conduct them direct to
London, where Constance guessed that she at least was to undergo trial.
The four young Mortimers he took into his own charge, but declined to
say what he was going to do with them. 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.

CHAPTER TEN.

HOW THE ROSE WAS GRAFTED.

"To drive the deer with hound and horne
Earl Percy took his way;
The child may rue that is unborne
The hunting of that day."

_Ballad of Chevy Chase_.

"Willemina!" said the old Lady Le Despenser to her bower-maiden, "what
horn was that I heard but now without?"

"Shall I certify your Ladyship?" asked Willemina, rising and gathering
together the embroidered