Page 39 - A Jacobite Exile

Chapter 2

: Denounced.

"Charlie," Sir Marmaduke said on the following morning, at breakfast, "it is
quite possible that that villain who acted as spy, and that other villain who

employed him-- I need not mention names--may swear an information
against me, and I may be arrested, on the charge of being concerned in a

plot. I am not much afraid of it, if they do. The most they could say is that I
was prepared to take up arms, if his majesty crossed from France; but, as
there are thousands and thousands of men ready to do the same, they may

fine me, perhaps, but I should say that is all. However, what I want to say
to you is, keep out of the way, if they come. I shall make light of the affair,

while you, being pretty hot tempered, might say things that would irritate
them, while they could be of no assistance to me. Therefore, I would rather
that you were kept out of it, altogether. I shall want you here. In my

absence, there must be somebody to look after things.

"Mind that rascal John Dormay does not put his foot inside the house, while
I am away. That fellow is playing some deep game, though I don't quite
know what it is. I suppose he wants to win the goodwill of the authorities,

by showing his activity and zeal; and, of course, he will imagine that no
one has any idea that he has been in communication with this spy. We have

got a hold over him, and, when I come back, I will have it out with him. He
is not popular now, and, if it were known that he had been working against
me, his wife's kinsman, behind my back, my friends about here would make

the country too hot to hold him."

"Yes, father; but please do not let him guess that we have learnt it from
Ciceley. You see, that is the only way we know about it."

"Yes, you are right there. I will be careful that he shall not know the little
maid has anything to do with it. But we will think of that, afterwards;

maybe nothing will come of it, after all. But, if anything does, mind, my
orders are that you keep away from the house, while they are in it. When
you come back, Banks will tell you what has happened.