She had heard Buckingham tell Katherine that
the King would be gone from Whitehall if they were delayed. Her plans
were now made, and this sudden illness was a ruse to detain the maid.
No, she must not see the King. She must now, first of all, become
Monmouth's mistress, then Cedric in his wild despair would turn again
to her; his playfellow, his old love, Constance.
Whether the postilion were in their master's confidence or not is not
certain, but just before midnight they plunged into a narrow, miry
road that traversed wastes and low coppices; the plash of the horses'
feet showed the tract to be marshy and full of pools. Her ladyship
looked out across the dreary fen and exclaimed,--
"I'll be damned, they have set us out like ducks!" At her words
Katherine drew from her with disgust. It was the first she had heard
her swear; but she had not yet seen her true nature.
On a sudden the chaise made a lunge and stopped in a deep rut. Some
one plodded laboriously to the door and thrust in a rain-soaked
visage, saying,--
"Their Graces beg your patience, as we cannot move until help comes.
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