This time Mistress Nancy turned and caught Charity to her, so that the rest of the story came tumbling to its brief end through her curls.
"I cry your pardon, dear," said Mistress Nancy's muffled voice. "I am but a stupid teller o' tales. The Princess saw the Prince stoop and kiss the other maid and she heard him whisper, "I love you!"
"Oh!" Charity's face was shocked. She drew away to stare up at Mistress Nancy. Obviously, the story was ending very badly! "What did the poor Princess do then?"
"She crept away home like a little bird with a broken wing," said Mistress Nancy, after a pause. "So she was. Charity, for the wings o' her love were broken when she heard the Prince whisper the words to another maid that he had breathed to her."
They were sitting silent, then, when there came a cry from without, Mistress Nancy ran to the door and stood peering out at the rain. It was dusk and she could see no one at first; but at last she made out the figure of a woman running toward her from the gate. As the other neared her she gave a shocked exclamation.
"Mistress Briggs! You, ill, and out in such weather as this!"
She drew her in gently and over to the fire.
"I come for help! Miranda is being bullied by ye Tories—is, forsooth, tied to a chair by that villain Hawtree, and e'en my husband is feared to interrupt! Oh, this terrible war!" And poor Mistress Briggs dissolved into tears.
Mistress Nancy stood pondering a moment in
