The Secret Chamber at Chad by Evelyn Everett Green

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So a general feeling of excitement and uncertainty prevailed during
the early hours of the morning. Sir Oliver and his wife strove to
appear calm and tranquil, but inwardly they were consumed by
anxiety. They felt something very much approaching certainty that
their own sons knew what had befallen the monk--probably his very
hiding-place; and they were by no means certain that it might not
be within the very precincts of Chad itself. The knight's
generosity and love of justice were sufficiently stirred to make
him willing to run some risk in the cause; he had resolved to ask
no question, and to let matters take their own course. But he could
not help feeling a tremor run through him as he heard the winding
of the horn which bespoke the presence of the visitors at his gate,
and he went forth to meet them with a sinking heart, albeit his
mien was calm and untroubled and his bearing dignified and assured.

The prior and the Lord of Mortimer headed the train, and behind
followed a goodly retinue of men wearing the livery of the baron,
to say nothing of the lay brothers and the cowled monks, who were
skilful in matters pertaining to search, and who had come to assist
in the examination of the whole of the great house.

Upon the face of Lord Mortimer and upon that of his son-in-law
there was an ill-disguised look of vindictive triumph. It was easy
to see that they were fully assured of the presence of the fugitive
within these walls, and that they did not mean to leave until he
had been dragged forth from his hiding place.

The guests of the better quality were respectfully conducted into
the great hall, and refreshments were placed before them. Sir
Oliver put his whole house and possessions into the hands of the
prior, who was invited to make any kind of investigation and
examination that he thought necessary. The knight repeated what he
had said the previous day as to his entire ignorance where the monk
was hiding, and whether he was hiding at all. But no obstacle of
any kind would be placed by him against the most stringent search,
and he would either accompany the searchers or remain passive where
he was, exactly as the reverend father judged best.

This statement was well received by the prior, who turned to the
Lord of Mortimer and suggested that in the first place his armed
troopers, who were well used to this kind of work, should make a
strict search through all the outbuildings of whatever kind,
posting his men wherever he thought needful, and taking any steps
such as the smoking of chimneys and kindred methods that might in
any wise be likely to dislodge the fugitive. Meantime the rest of
the party would remain where they were, and the house should only
be searched if it was made clear that the monk was not hiding
without.

Lord Mortimer retired to give his orders, and the rest of the
company remained in the hall. The boys would better have liked the
house searched first, that their anxiety might be the sooner
relieved. It was keeping them on tenterhooks all this time, as they
knew well that no result could accrue from any search of the outer
yards or buildings, and it was hard to wait all that time in
uncertainty and suspense.

But they heard the order given without making any sign. It was well
for them at this crisis that they had been trained in habits of
self control and reserve. No one, to look at the three boys, would
have guessed them to be greatly interested in the proceedings. They
remained standing in the background, with an air of quiet respect
and submission appropriate to the young in presence of their
spiritual superiors. The prior, as his keen eye travelled over the
faces in the hall, never suspected for a moment that those three
quiet lads knew aught of this matter. But, pleased by their air and
bearing, he called them to him and asked them some questions, to
assure himself that they had been properly taught by the
recalcitrant monk whom now he had resolved to find and to punish
for his rebellion and temerity.

The boys replied with such ready intelligence and so much actual
learning that he could not but be pleased with them. Edred, in
particular, showed such readiness and aptitude that the prior was
surprised, and laying a kindly hand upon the boy's head, asked him
how soon they would be welcoming him at Chadwater.

The youth looked up with grave, thoughtful eyes.

"I know not that, my father. I have had thoughts of the religious
life; but--"

"Well, boy, what is the 'but'?" asked the prior with a smile, but a
keen flash of the eye which did not pass unheeded.

Edred saw the flash, and was put at once upon his guard. This was
not Brother Emmanuel, to whom he could open his whole soul and ask
counsel and advice.

"I misdoubt me at times if I be fit for the life," he answered.
"There is too much of the world in my heart, I fear me. I used to
think I was fit to be a monk, but I am the less sure now."

"Well, well, I would fain have a promising lad like thee beneath my
care; but there is time to talk of that later.

"Well, my Lord of Mortimer, how goes the search? Is all in train
for it?"

"Ay, reverend father; and I trow if the miscreant be in hiding
anywhere without the house, he will shortly be brought before us. I
am no novice in this manner of work, and I have laid my plans that
he will scarce escape us. If that fail, we must try the house
itself. It will go hard if we find him not somewhere. We have full
information that he has not left the place;" and here he flashed an
insolent look of triumph at Sir Oliver, who took not the smallest
notice either of the speech or the look.

Edred retired to his former place beside his brothers, and the
party awaited the result of the search with what patience they
might. Now and then shouts and calls broke the stillness, and faces
would flush with excitement at the sound; but the shouts always
died away again into silence, and at last there came a trooper into
the hall to salute the company and report that there was no one
hidden in any of the places without. Not a rat or a mouse could
have failed to be turned out after the stringent search to which
the premises had been subjected.

The Lord of Mortimer then rose and said:

"Keep the men posted as I have given orders. Let none stir from his
vantage ground. And be thou there to see that the closest watch is
kept. We go in person to search the house, and if any living thing
seeks to make escape by door or window, it will be thine office and
that of thy men to seize and hold him."

"We will not fail, my lord," said the man, who again saluted and
withdrew.

Then the prior rose and called his monks about him, whilst the Lord
of Mortimer did the like with his followers.

"Sir Oliver," said the prior, "I would have spared you this
unwelcome formality had it been possible, but my duty must be done.
I will ask you to be our conductor throughout the house, and will
crave permission to post my servants hither and thither about the
passages as seems to me best, and to take such steps as shall
appear needful for proving to the satisfaction of all that this
traitor monk is not hidden within your walls."

Sir Oliver bent his head.

"Take what steps you will, reverend father; I and mine are at your
disposal. Whatever means you desire to use, do so without
hesitation. Shall my people arm themselves with tools to remove
panelling or flooring? You have but to command them; they shall
instantly obey."

The Lord of Mortimer again looked taken aback for a moment. There
was a confidence in Sir Oliver's manner that did not appear to be
assumed. He would have preferred another aspect in his foe.

"We have brought all things needful for a rigorous search,"
answered the prior. "We hope and trust nothing will be needed. Is
it true that there are secret hiding places in the house, my son?
It would be well, perhaps, to visit any such first."

"There be two," answered Sir Oliver quietly, though his heart beat
rather fast. What if Brother Emmanuel had learned the secret of
either of those places, and had sought refuge in one? True, it
would have been worse than useless to deny their existence. Many in
the household knew of them and how they might be entered.

Probably the prior or some of his monks had the trick of those
chambers by heart. Chad had been through many vicissitudes, and the
monks had often been its guests. Secrets once known to them were
never allowed to be lost. It would have been idle to seek to put
the searchers off the scent. He led the way to the places where the
masked doors lay--one was much after the pattern of that in the
boys' chamber--and in each case himself opened the door, letting
his guests go in to examine for themselves.

Those were terrible moments for him; but the hearts of the boys did
not palpitate. Each time the search party came forth with looks of
baffled disappointment. Each time the Lord of Mortimer's face was
dark and gloomy. He had reckoned somewhat confidently on finding
the fugitive in one of these known hiding places. He had hoped Sir
Oliver would profess an ignorance of at least one of the two. His
face was fierce and vindictive as the second was "drawn blank."

But the excitement of the boys was slowly augmenting as the party
moved higher and higher in the house, leaving scouts posted in
various places, and, as it were, spreading a cleverly-constructed
net all through Chad, which it would be impossible for any person
being hunted from spot to spot finally to escape.

The prior's idea now was that the monk might be gliding before them
from place to place, confident that his knowledge of the
intricacies of the house would give him the chance of evading them
at the last. It was a desperate game, to be sure, but one that had
been successfully tried by others on more than one occasion. He
therefore posted his men with great skill and acumen; and knowing
the house accurately, was able to feel secure that if this were the
game being played, the prey would sooner or later be his.

Lord Mortimer, on the other hand, gave his attention to the
panelled walls, the carved chimney pieces, the flooring of the old
rooms; and many were the blows struck here and there by his orders,
and great was the damage done to certain panelled rooms, in the
hopes of coming upon some masked door or passage.

It was this energy on his part that caused such anxiety to the
boys. Suppose he were to attack the carving which really concealed
the masked door in their room? Might not his eagle eye light upon
that, too, and might not all be discovered? The boys felt almost
sick with apprehension as they approached the door of their room,
and Edred's whole heart went up in a voiceless prayer that no
discovery might be made.

Nothing in the aspect of the room attracted comment. All looked
matter of fact and innocent enough, and the prior was growing
something weary with the unavailing search. The usual thumping on
the walls was commenced; but even the carved mantel pillars were so
solid that no hollow sound was given forth when they were struck.
The prior turned away.

"There is naught here, methinks, my Lord of Mortimer."

"Wait one moment," replied the baron. "This carving be something
deep and ponderous. I always suspect traps when I see such pains
bestowed upon it. Let me examine a while further. These grapes look
to me as if they had been fingered something often. Let me examine
further."

Edred's heart was in his mouth. It was all he could do to restrain
himself from seeking to attract the prior's attention in another
direction; but his sound sense told him that this sudden
interruption would be suspicious. Julian nipped him by the arm, as
those strong fingers went travelling over the carved work with dire
intent. Both started when the Lord of Mortimer exclaimed:

"Take away yon chest; it encumbers me."

The servants did his bidding in a moment; and then a sudden change
came over his face. The eager look died away. He remained awhile
looking down at the floor, which was covered with dust and flue, as
was also the carving which had been concealed behind the chest. The
prior looked down too, and shrugged his shoulders.

"That tells a tale, my lord. Naught has been disturbed here for
many a long day. Let us pursue our search elsewhere. No fugitive
could have passed by that spot since yesterday, when Brother
Emmanuel was last seen."

The baron could not but assent. He looked once again at the
carving, but he had had no real reason to suspect aught, and he
turned away to go elsewhere. Another grip of the arm showed Edred
how Julian's feelings had been stirred; but the lads did not even
look at each other as they moved on behind the company, and they
now hardly heard or heeded what passed during the remaining hour of
that long search.

For them the crisis had passed when they turned from the room where
the secret lay. If not discovered at that awful moment when Lord
Mortimer's hand was actually upon the bunch of grapes beneath which
lay the spring, they surely need not fear any other manoeuvre on
his part.

And at last the long search ended. Even the Lord of Mortimer had to
own himself beaten. Reluctantly and with scowling brow he followed
the prior back to the long banqueting hall, where the tables had
already been laid with savoury viands. He had been worsted where he
had been most confident of success, and he was as furious as a bear
robbed of her whelps.

The prior was taking Sir Oliver by the hand and speaking words of
goodwill, professing great satisfaction at the result of this
stringent search; his only vexation being that the monk had
contrived to give them the slip. In the back of his head the prior
had a lurking feeling that Sir Oliver had been in some sort
concerned in Brother Emmanuel's escape, and was rejoicing at it;
but inasmuch as he had entirely failed to bring home any charge
against him, and as in all other respects he was a good neighbour
and true son of the Church, he was willing enough to restore him to
favour and confidence, and was not sorry on the whole that the
haughty Lord of Mortimer was not going to have it all his own way.

The astute ecclesiastic knew very well that he himself did better
for holding a neutral position between two adversaries both
desiring his friendship and good opinion, than he would do were
Chad and Mortimer to be in the same hands. He was disappointed at
not finding the monk, but not sorry Sir Oliver stood vindicated. He
set himself down to the board with a hearty goodwill; but the baron
refused the proffered hospitality of his rival, and summoned his
attendants about him.

"I will say farewell this time, Sir Oliver," he said haughtily.
"But remember I still hold that we have only been foiled by your
cunning; not that you are innocent in this matter. If ever I can
prove this thing against you, I shall do so; and I recommend the
reverend prior to keep his watch still upon this house, as I fully
believe yon traitor monk is in hiding here."

"And I, my lord baron," said Sir Oliver proudly, "will give you
fair warning that I will speedily to the king, to lay before him
the history of this day and the insults to which I have been
subjected through you and your groundless suspicions of me. I have
not resisted what you have chosen to do, knowing well the use you
would have made of such resistance. But I have not forgotten the
many acts of aggression and hostility of which you have been
guilty; and this last day's work, in which your servants have made
themselves, as it were, masters of Chad, shall be answered for at
some future day. You have thought good to threaten me. I too will
threaten you. I threaten you with the displeasure of the king when
this thing comes to his ears; and I shall seek him now without
delay, and tell him all I have suffered at your hands."

Chapter X: From Peril To Safety.

"My son, what hast thou done to thyself?"

Edred was stumbling across the courtyard, supported by Julian, his
face streaming with blood and muffled in a great kerchief. He was
unable to speak himself, but Julian spoke eagerly for him.

"I trow the fault is half mine. It was done in tilting. I was
careless, and saw not that Edred's guard was down. I fear me I have
something hurt him. I trust it is not the eye. Look to it quickly,
sweet mother. It was a nasty blow."

"It is not of serious nature," muttered Edred through his
wrappings; "it will be well right quickly."

The mother hurried the two boys into a small room of her own where
she kept medicaments of various kinds, and where all wounds of a
trifling character were washed and dressed. Julian hurried to fetch
her all she needed; and just at that moment Sir Oliver came hastily
in looking for his wife.

"How now, Edred?" he exclaimed. "Hast thou been in the wars again?"
for Edred was something famed for getting hard knocks and ugly
scratches in his mimic encounters with his more skilled and
dexterous brothers. "Why, boy, but this is a worse business than
usual. I am sorry for it, for I had something purposed to take thee
with me to Windsor on the next morrow, as well as Bertram, and show
thee to the king, and give thee a glimpse of the world of court.
But if thou be in such plight as this, thou wilt scarce be fit to
go."

"I must await another time," muttered Edred, in the same indistinct
way, and Julian added with an air of chagrin:

"It was a villainous mischance. I would I had been more careful. I
am always having the ill luck to hurt Edred."

"Nay, the fault is mine!" exclaimed the other boy.

"And now thou wilt be hindered from seeing the king and his fine
court."

"Perchance thou wilt go in my stead."

"Nay, that will I not. An thou stayest at home for fault of mine, I
will stay to keep thee company.

"Now, gentle mother, prithee see if he be much hurt. I cannot rest
till I know."

The lady was ready now to make her examination, and gently removed
the rude wrappings the boys had made for themselves. Edred's face
presented an ugly appearance as these were taken away. He had a
great gash across his brow, which passed dangerously near to the
eye, and had laid open the cheek almost as far as the mouth, and
knocked out one back tooth. The knight looked concerned at the
magnitude of the damage, and spoke rather sharply to Julian.

"Thou must have a care with these weapons of thine, or thou wilt do
thy brother a fatal mischief one of these days. See, boy, had that
blow of thine swerved but the half of an inch, thy brother would
have lost the sight of an eye forever--nay, he might have lost his
life; for an injury to the eye oft penetrates to the brain, and
then the skill of the leech is of no avail.

"Good wife, is thy skill sufficient for these hurts? or shall we
send to seek a surgeon's aid?"

"Methinks I can do all that is needful. They are ugly scratches and
painful, but not over deep. The lad will not be scarred, methinks,
when the wound is well healed. See, it looks better already after
the bathing.

"Run, Julian, for the roll of lint and the strapping in yon
cupboard.

"The boy will be a sorry spectacle for a few short days, but after
that I trow he will feel none the worse."

"It is but a scratch," said Edred, speaking more freely now, though
with a mumbling accent, as though his lips were swollen, which,
indeed, one of them was. "I scarce feel it, now it is bathed. Do
not look so grave anent the matter, my father."

Sir Oliver, relieved to find matters no worse, went on his way; and
Lady Chadgrove proceeded to bind up and plaster the bruised face
with the skill and dexterity of which she was mistress. She had no
attention to spare for Julian, or she might have been surprised to
note that he secreted for himself a certain amount of the dressing
she had used, and looked on very intently whilst she applied the
remainder to his brother's face.

When her ministrations were accomplished, Edred was greatly
disguised. His face was almost entirely swathed in linen, and one
eye was completely bandaged up. Julian laughed aloud as he saw the
object presented by his brother; and Edred would have joined in the
laugh if he had had free play with his facial muscles.

The mother looked gently scandalized.

"Sure, it is no laughing matter, Julian. I am not wont to make much
of these boyish mischiefs. Lads must learn to give and to take hard
blows as they grow to manhood. Yet I would that thou wert something
more careful. Thou mightest have killed thy brother, or have caused
him life-long injury, today."

Julian looked grave enough then; but Edred caressed his mother
gently, saying:

"Nay, chide him not. He is the best of brothers. It was as much my
fault as his."

And then the pair went away together, and did not pause until they
had reached their own room, when they suddenly seized each other by
the hand and commenced cutting extraordinary capers, indicative of
a secret understanding and triumph.

"It could not have turned out better," said Edred, speaking stiffly
with his bandaged face and swollen lips.

"I fear me thou dost suffer somewhat."

"It is naught. I scarce feel it, now mother has bound it up. And
thy stroke was wondrous skilful, Julian--brow and eye and mouth all
scratched."

"The praise should be thine for standing thus rigid to let me thus
mark thee. Hadst thou flinched, as many another would have done--as
I should have done, I trow--it could not have been done a tithe as
well. Wrapped and bandaged as thou must be these next days to come,
not a creature could know thee. Everything can be carried out
according to the plan. Not even our father will suspect aught. The
only fear is lest thou shouldst take a fever or somewhat of that
sort, so that they say thou must not ride forth a few miles with
our father when he fares forth to Windsor at the dawning of the
next morrow after tomorrow's dawn."

"No fear of that," answered Edred boldly. "I am not wont to trouble
a sickbed. I have had knocks and blows as hard as this before. Art
sure thou hast enough of the linen and the strapping to serve the
purpose? And dost think thou canst apply it rightly? It will be thy
hands, not mine, that must do all that. I shall be far away when
the moment comes. Art sure that thou canst do all as it should be
done? Thou and Bertram will have all the last arrangements to carry
through. How my heart will be in my mouth until I see thee and my
double approaching in the gray light of the morning!"

"I trow we shall not disappoint thee!" cried the boy excitedly;
adding after a moment's pause, "Methinks in the matter of artifice
both Bertram and I can beat thee, albeit thou art the best of us in
other matters. What a boon that that fat, slothful, ignorant monk
no longer shares this room! That might have been a rare trouble.
But since he loves well the soft bed of the guest chamber in lieu
of these hard pallets, he is not like to trouble us again. They put
their trust in the spies around the house. Let their spies do their
worst, I trow we shall outwit them yet."

And the boys took hands again and renewed their impromptu triumph
dance. Their hearts were brimming over with satisfaction and hope.
They had had a tough problem to think out during the past days, but
now it seemed in a fair way of solution.

When the prior had left Chad after the banquet prepared for him, he
professed himself perfectly satisfied that the missing Brother
Emmanuel was not concealed upon the premises yet for all that,
since the Lord of Mortimer had declared himself still dissatisfied,
and because the escape of the monk was difficult to credit, nothing
having been seen or heard of him abroad, he judged it wise still to
keep his watch upon the place, that all might be satisfied that no
precaution had been left untaken.

Sir Oliver had briefly, and with a slight accent of scorn, agreed
with all the prior said, and had professed himself perfectly
agreeable to the arrangement. He had nothing to hide either in his
own comings and goings or in those of any member of his household.
So long as his movements were not interfered with or his liberties
infringed, the whole forest might be alive with spies for all that
he cared. He had not known of the first watch set upon his house,
and he was indifferent to the second. He should be soon leaving
home to seek the king, and all he demanded was that the sanctity of
his house should be duly regarded in his absence. Of course the
prior fully agreed to that. Indeed, after the rigorous and
exhaustive search that had been already made, there was no reason
why any further entrance should be made into Chad.

But although Sir Oliver had heard this mandate with indifference
and contempt, it had filled the hearts of the boys with dismay. In
a week's time the vessel would sail that was to carry Brother
Emmanuel away to foreign soil, and out of the clutches of his
present enemies; and if this guard around the house were to be
maintained all that while, what chance had they of smuggling their
fugitive away and down to the coast, as they had set their hearts
on doing?

But inasmuch as necessity has ever been the mother of invention,
and the lads were not only bold and fearless but ready of resource,
they had laid their heads together with some good effect, and now
the first and one of the most important steps of the little drama
had been carried to a successful conclusion.

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