'The King has raised his standard at Nottingham!' Robert cried, running into the house a few days later.
'What is that?' Mr Anscombe appeared from the little room he used as an office, and Mistress Anscombe came out of the kitchen followed by Kate and Morwenna.
'How do you know?'
'Are you certain?'
'Who told you?'
He laughed. 'Give me a chance. I met that man, Mr Tremaine, and he had just come across from Plymouth where they had received the news an hour since. He asked if Uncle John were still here. I think he means to come and see him.'
'But what of the King?' his father demanded.
'That is all I know, apart from the fact that the standard fell down during the storm that night. A bad omen, they are saying.'
'At Nottingham? Has he many men with him?'
'I know not. Mr Tremaine was in a hurry and did not stay long, but I expect he will soon be here. I'm off to tell Edward and Will.'
He disappeared as abruptly as he had descended on them, and left them staring at one another.
'It seems to have come at last, Jane,' Mr Anscombe said at last. 'Would you prefer me to stay here with you for a while, until we see how things go?'
His wife smiled and shook her head. 'No, of course not. We are so far from Nottingham, and I do not expect we shall be disturbed.'
'I could wait a few days,' he offered.
'What good would that do? It cannot make any difference to us. I would far rather you decided to go and came back as early as may be. This is not a long voyage, and the sooner you are back the better it would be, my dear.'
He nodded, only half convinced. 'I wish your sister were staying longer.'
'John has to return to his business now, and there will be plenty of warning should I need to go to them. Fowey is not far away.'
They moved into the office, and Kate looked mischievously at Morwenna.
'Petroc is coming,' she said softly, but Morwenna grinned at her.
'I heard,' she replied calmly.
'Are you not excited?'
'Why should I be? I see him often enough at home. He and Nick have always been friends.'
Kate laughed. 'But when you saw him before, you were so confused! You blushed most adorably!'
'He always flusters me, for I never know what he will say next.'
'I suspect you are in love with him. Do you remember you were talking that day of marrying someone you loved.'
'Petroc?' Morwenna laughed. 'I could not be in love with Petroc! Why, he half frightens me!'
'Truly?' Kate was surprised.
'Yes. I do not know why, except he is always laughing at me, or that is what I feel!'
Kate looked at her closely, and decided this was the truth. 'Then I cannot pretend he has the motive of seeing you to bring him here. What can he want with Uncle John?'
'Oh, they often do business,' Morwenna said carelessly.
'Business? What sort?' Kate was surprised, for Petroc had not seemed like a merchant.
'He has his own boat and often brings cargo to my father for him to sell. He has no need to, for his father owns a great deal of land and they are one of the wealthiest families in the Fowey area, but he likes the sea and it gives him an excuse for voyaging.'
'Where does he go?' Kate asked, wondering as she did so at her interest in Petroc Tremaine's doings.
'Many places, I hear.' Morwenna giggled suddenly. 'I know my father suspects that he attacks Spanish ships, for there is much Spanish ware that he brings. Father asks no questions!'
'A pirate!' Kate was shocked.
'He comes from Polruan, and 'tis rumoured every man there has been a pirate at some time,' Morwenna said calmly.
'Why does he attack Spain?' Kate persisted. 'I thought the King was friendly towards Spain.'
'Yes, but Spain is at war with the United Provinces, and Petroc spent some years fighting for them. Nick was wild to go with him, but Mother persuaded him to remain at home.'
'I see,' said Kate, wondering if she did.
Petroc appeared some time later, and was closeted for above an hour with both Mr Trevose and Mr Anscombe. He was then invited to dinner, and Kate had leisure to study him in the light of the knowledge she had recently gained. She was unusually quiet during the meal, but as Petroc was being asked many questions about the King and the approach of war, her silence was unremarked. Afterwards, with barely a smile at the two girls, he left, and the family discussed his news.
'There has already been fighting in Somerset,' Mr Anscombe said worriedly.
'Petroc does not think it will spread to Cornwall yet, if at all,' Mr Trevose said comfortingly. 'There will be a deal of recruiting for both sides, but it should not disturb us.'
'I wish I did not have to leave you,' Mr Anscombe said, turning to his wife.
'We have discussed that, my dear. It must be, and now you have agreed to bring provisions for the army it is important you go.'
'What is this?' Kate asked in surprise, and her father turned to her swiftly.
'Mr Tremaine has commissioned me to bring some supplies instead of my normal cargo. But I would that you do not talk of it.'
'Of course not.'
'It will be more profitable, and I must not condone rebellion,' Mr Anscombe said worriedly. 'If the war continues long, heaven knows what will happen to the trade.'
'Who is paying then?' Kate asked.
'Mr Tremaine has already paid me. But I must leave tomorrow, earlier than I had planned. Jane, I shall not have time to visit the Peytons and make all the arrangements for Kate's wedding. I had hoped to have it all settled so that the wedding can take place when I return.'
'You are not to worry, Edward. Most of the details can be left to me and Mistress Peyton. The settlements are agreed, we can managed the rest,' his wife soothed him, and he smiled gratefully at her.
'I know you will do all perfectly. I confess it will be a relief to me to see Kate settled and in safe hands.'
The next day was filled with the bustle of departure. First the Trevoses left on their journey home, insisting that Kate and her mother should come to them if there was any fear of fighting in Cornwall, then Kate and Mistress Anscombe went down to the quay to bid farewell to a worried Mr Anscombe and an excited Robert.
The house they returned to was incredibly quiet. Even the maids in the kitchens were hushed.
'I had not realised what a flurry we have been in these last weeks,' Mistress Anscombe said slowly. ' 'Twill take time to become used to peace again. Before there was always Robert to make it noisy!'
She turned away and surreptitiously wiped her eyes, and Kate silently put her arms about her shoulders and hugged her.
'You will be even more lonely when I leave to marry Jon,' she said quietly. 'Would you like me to wait awhile? I am still young, and would willingly remain with you longer.'
'No, of course not, child!' her mother declared. 'It has been long arranged that you would wed when you were seventeen, and you cannot keep poor Jon waiting for ever!'
'A few months would not matter so greatly,' Kate argued, and her mother took her by the shoulders and eyed her with suspicion.
'Do you not wish for the marriage? If you have doubts, say so now Kate, and we can stop it.'
Kate laughed shakily. 'No, 'tis not that. I have no doubts, and do wish to marry Jon. But I do not wish to leave you all alone.'
'You are a good child! But you will come often to stay with me. Plymouth is so near. Why, you sail your own boat across frequently enough! If you are certain then I will visit Mistress Peyton soon and make the arrangements. Your father will return before the end of October, if he is fortunate with the winds, and you can be married by Christmas.'
The next few weeks passed quickly, despite the absence of Mr Trevose and Robert, for events moved more speedily than anyone had anticipated. Both Royalist and Parliamentarians had been busy recruiting. The commissioners of array for the King included many of the noted Cornish landowners. Lord Mohun of Boconnoc and Sir Bevill Grenvile of Morwenstow were perhaps the most esteemed, but there were also other Members of Parliament, John Arundel of Trerise, and Sir Nicholas Slanning, governor of Pendennis Castle. Arundel's son-in-law, another Member, was John Trevanion, the eldest son of Charles Trevanion of Caerhayes, who had been both Sheriff and deputy Lieutenant. Mohun was but twenty-two, Sir Bevill over forty, but the rest were in their late twenties and thirties, men of some experience, yet still vigorous and fully active.
Parliament, for its part, sent what Cornish Members it could to execute the Ordinance for the Militia, and it was one of these, Sir Richard Buller, who descended on Saltash in the middle of September on a recruiting foray. Kate and her mother had no warning and were not able to escape.
'I do not expect they will remain long, and we are not in danger simply from recruiting,' Mistress Anscombe declared.
'I heard that they are intending to meet at Bodmin,' Kate reported, having made the most of her expedition to the market.
'You ought not to talk with the soldiers,' her mother said worriedly.
'They are mostly lads I have known all my life,' Kate said, laughing slightly. 'It was Robert's best friend Edward who told me this. It's odd,' she said, putting her elbows on the table and resting her face in her cupped hands as she stared through the window.
'What is, the evidence of war?'
'I suppose 'tis part of it. No, the fact that good friends and neighbours, even brothers, may be on opposite sides. Edward said his elder brother Richard had gone to join Lord Mohun and the King. What if they should meet in battle?'
'That is the tragedy of a civil war, my dear. 'Tis far worse than any other sort. I pray that we shall all remain united. But it may not come to anything else. Mayhap they will stop before there is too much fighting.'
Kate did not reply. She had seen the enthusiasm of the recruits, and somehow she doubted whether these young men, many of them little more than boys, would readily relinquish their hour of glory, even if they knew it would be the last hour for some of them.
The following day there was more news, and again it was Edward who came to tell them.
'We march today,' he said excitedly. 'The enemy have invaded Cornwall! Only a small garrison is to be left here.'
'What enemy? Who?' Kate demanded.
'A man called Hopton. 'Tis said he crossed the Tamar early today, because he is being chased from Somerset and has nowhere else to go. We shall catch him. We are to meet with the rest of the militia at Bodmin on Wednesday, three days from now! I must go, but I thought I would tell you so that you would not be afeared the Cavaliers would murder you! We shall soon rout him and his paltry few horsemen!'
He was off before they could question him further, and it was soon obvious he had been correct as least as far as the movements of the men were concerned, for they left Saltash that day.
'What did he mean, Cavaliers?' Kate asked in puzzlement, but it was soon clear this was a term of abuse applied to the Royalist, and an old sailor she questioned said it came from the word Cavalieros, which meant the Spanish cavalry troops who had brutally suppressed the Protestants in the United Provinces.
News trickled into Saltash during the next few days, and they were gradually able to piece together what was happening. It seemed the Marquis of Hertford had been given the King's commission to raise an army in the west and had marched as far as Somerset, but had been defeated in various skirmishes and finally driven out of the towns. Riding on in the hope of crossing to Wales they had reached Minehead to find only two boats awaiting them, and so all except the cavalry and dragoons, said to number less than two hundred, had sailed. Then Sir Ralph Hopton had led this remnant down towards Cornwall, had met with Sir Bevill Grenvile, and gathering support as they went, advanced towards Bodmin.
Jon appeared on the Wednesday, anxious to discover how they did.
'I had hoped you would have gone to Fowey,' he said worriedly. 'It may be difficult to get there later, except by sea.'
'We are safe enough here for the moment,' Kate told him. 'What is happening? What have you heard? All we know is that this man Hopton is advancing on Bodmin, and so are the militia. If they meet there is likely to be a battle!'
'I fear that is so, but from what I have heard they will not meet soon.'
'But what have you heard?' Kate asked impatiently.
'I am not surprised you are worried,' Jon commiserated. 'It seems that Hopton and his Cavaliers made forced marches and reached Bodmin yesterday. Sir Richard Buller and the other leaders of the Parliamentarians withdrew to Launceston, for they did not wish to precipitate a clash.'
'They were scared?' Kate asked contemptuously, but Jon smiled and shook his head.
'I do not think so. Hopton is trapped now, for he cannot leave Cornwall. Both he and Buller have been charged at the Quarter Sessions with acting against the peace, so we must wait and see what course the law takes.'
'If they decide to go on breaking the peace, there is little the law can do to prevent it,' Kate commented.
'The Sheriff controls the posse comitatus, and he could call it out.'
'But, from what Sir Richard Buller said when he was here in Saltash, the Lord Lieutenant controls the posse itself, the active section. And Parliament controls the Lord Lieutenant. So I do not see how the position is changed. It will still be the Parliamentarians, with or without the Sheriff, against the Royalists.'
Jon smiled down at her. 'I think you underestimate the desire for peace and the basic law-abiding nature of most men. How many of Buller's soldiers would go over to the Sheriff if he requested it of them?'
Kate shrugged. 'I know not, indeed.'
'And you should not have to bother yourself about such matters. I shall be thankful when we are married, and I can take care of you. When is it to be? Oh, Kate, I have waited so long! You cannot know how much I want our wedding day to come!'
Kate took his hand and held it to her cheek. 'I too, my dear. Mother is planning to come and talk with your parents soon. Father left her to make all the arrangements, and said that the wedding could be when he returned, which will be by the end of October. We shall be married probably by the end of November!'
They talked for a while of their plans, and before Jon departed he arranged that he would return at the end of the following week to fetch Kate and Mistress Anscombe for a few days' visit to his parents.
'I wish it could be earlier, but my father is exceedingly busy at the moment, and spared me with difficulty today to come and see how you did. However, he hopes that by next week there will be some respite.'
Kate walked down with him to the quay where he had left his own small boat. He cast off and set the single sail, turning to wave for as long as they could distinguish one another. Then Kate returned slowly home, wondering what was going to happen in the next few months if the opposing sides did not come to an agreement.
By the next week they had heard of the amazing scenes at the Truro Assizes. Sir Ralph Hopton had marched onwards from Bodmin with an ever-increasing force, and appeared in Truro for the last day of the assizes when he proceeded to answer the case against him so eloquently that the jury had acquitted him of the charges, and enthusiasm for the King's cause was mounting in the Duchy.
'The Sheriff, John Grylls, has summoned the posse for today, the fourth, at Moilesbarrow Down,' one of their neighbours informed them. 'He is hot for the King, and, 'tis said, means to drive the Parliament men right out of Cornwall!'
'If it keeps us at peace, let us hope he is successful,' Mistress Anscombe replied.
By Thursday the sixth, they heard that he had been. Despite the badly trained and ill-equipped men who had gathered at Moilesbarrow, Hopton had marched on Launceston, where Buller had been hesitating, occupied the town and driven the Parliamentarians across the Tamar.
'So you are safe,' Jon commented when he arrived to escort them to Plymouth. 'Now we can forget all these alarms and concentrate on our wedding.'
Happily Kate agreed, and they sat down in festive mood to dinner. But they were soon interrupted by a scream from the kitchen. Mistress Anscombe looked up in alarm, then rose from her chair and moved towards the door. As she reached it Moll, the young maid, came running in, and forgetting the deference due to her mistress, pulled at Mistress Anscombe's sleeve.
'Ma'am, 'tis Annie! She've killed herself! Come quick, do!'
Mistress Anscombe ran to the kitchen, followed by Kate and Jon, while Moll collapsed in a heap on the floor of the dining-parlour, sobbing hysterically.
In the kitchen they found Annie, the older maid, rolling about on the floor in agony. A swift glance round showed the cause. In lifting a heavy cauldron from the hook over the fire, she had dropped it and the steaming hot food and liquid had poured over her arm and feet.
Competently Mistress Anscombe set about dealing with the scalds, ordering Jon to lift Annie on to a settle, and Kate to fetch the soothing balms she needed from the still room.
'They are not so bad, Annie,' Mistress Anscombe told the terrified girl. 'You may have slight scars left, but at least 'tis not your face. The pain will go soon when I have these ointments spread. Luckily your gown was thick enough to protect most of your legs, and your feet will soon be better.'
Talking calmly and gently, she had the girl bandaged, and turned to Jon.
'I do apologise for interrupting your dinner, Jon! I wonder if you could carry Annie up to her bed? She ought not to walk for a few days. Kate, will you go in front and show Jon the way? I will attend to Moll.'
A now tearful Annie was deposited in her bed, and Jon and Kate eventually escaped from her self-recriminations to return to the dining-parlour, where they found a much subdued and apologetic Moll helping Mistress Anscombe take the cold food out to the kitchen.
'I will soon warm this up,' she smiled at them, 'and we can finish our meal.'
Kate was silent as they waited, but as soon as her mother returned, she turned to her.
'We cannot leave Moll here alone to cope with Annie and the house. If we do, sure as anything, Annie will get up from her bed. I had best stay with them.'
'There is no need, my dear. I am sure Mistress Peyton will understand and forgive us for not going back with Jon. We can go in a few days when Annie can get about again.'
'No, Mother. Mistress Peyton will have made preparations, and Jon was saying his father expects business to become more demanding than ever after this slight relaxation. Jon will not be able to come again, and the plans will have to wait. I should not like that.' She smiled at Jon. ' 'Tis not essential that I go, but you must. Please, I can manage here with Moll.'
Mistress Anscombe was dubious, but when Jon added his pleas to Kate's, and she realised that to postpone her visit now might cause the wedding to be delayed, she reluctantly agreed, and within an hour Kate was bidding them farewell.
'I will curtail the visit, Kate, and be back early next week if all goes well.'
'Soon no more partings,' Jon whispered as he kissed her briefly in salute, and she smiled at him, consoling her disappointment that the few days she had looked forward to in his company were lost to them.
*
Kate did not have an easy time of it in the next few days, between a suffering and remorseful Annie, and Moll, bitterly ashamed of her relapse into hysteria during a crisis. She was thankful to escape from their lamentations and apologies, and spent a good deal of time in the town, ostensibly shopping. She was buying fish on the quay when she heard a commotion behind her. Swinging round she saw many of the townsfolk running, some towards, others away from the road leading out of the town towards Launceston.
Hastily completing her purchases, she went to discover what was happening.
'It be the soldiers, Miss Kate! Hide yourself!' one elderly dame screamed at her as she hastened past.
'What soldiers? Where?' Kate demanded, and a man she knew well, a shopkeeper, paused as he went in the opposite direction.
'The Sheriff and Sir Ralph Hopton, Mistress Kate. They have freed us of those wretched ranting Parliament men, and are coming to make sure all is well in Saltash. I'm off to greet them, they're but a mile away. The Parliament men have already left.'
There was none to offer any resistance, and the men rode in very shortly after that. Unable to tear herself away, and heedless of possible danger, Kate remained in the town and watched eagerly, keen to see this Sir Ralph Hopton who was already obtaining the reputation of a hero after his desperate march through hostile country in Devon, and then his rousing defence of the King at Truro Assizes. He did not disappoint her, riding at the head of his troop. Holding his head high, she could see his tall brow, with straight shoulder-length hair and a small tufted beard. But it was his eyes that impressed her most. Though he smiled at the welcome he received, his eyes remained grave, and he seemed to be seeing far into the distance when he glanced across the heads of the crowd.
Little time was wasted by the commanders, who set about billeting the troops at once, and organising defences for the town. By the following day Hopton was appealing for volunteers to chase the Parliamentarians into Devon.
'The posse has served Cornwall well in the last few days,' he declared in a speech made before the Guildhall. 'But they are needed to defend their homeland. If we are to follow up their victory we must leave the Duchy and chase the rebels. The posse cannot be ordered from their own country, but volunteers may go. I will guarantee they will be well and promptly paid, and I can do this because so many true Cornishmen have given large amounts to finance our army. Would you do less than they? You may not have money or plate to give, but we need also strong arms and strong hearts!'
Kate was not surprised that many men immediately stepped forward to offer their services, and she wished she could do so also. But she then discovered that the Parliamentarians had retreated to Plymouth, and that drove all other considerations from her mind. How was her mother faring? Would she be able to get home? Was she worried about Kate?
Before she had reached home she had made up her mind what to do, and she went immediately to see a young neighbour, the wife of one of her father's captains.
'Betsy, I must go and join Mother, but cannot leave Moll alone to care for Annie. Could they possibly come to you for a while? I would not dream of asking if 'twere not a dire emergency, but Mother will be frantic with worry.'
Betsy reassured her and immediately agreed to take in the maids. 'They will be no trouble. And I will also keep watch on your house. Poor Mistress Anscombe! How unfortunate she should be away from home now! But how do you intend reaching Plymouth?'
'I shall take my boat and sail across tonight. They cannot guard the Tamar, and I know the river so well that I shall have no difficulty. If I set off after dark the tide will be right, and it will take me little time. Jon's house is very close to the quayside, so there will be no problems there.'
Betsy was dubious, but knew she would be unable to deflect Kate from her purpose.
'Let my brother Tom come with you,' she suggested, but Kate refused.
'He would have to bring my boat back, and I may need it to get back with Mother. I shall be in no danger. We may stay there for a while, so you are not to worry about me if we do not reappear the next day!'
Kate returned home to pack a small bundle of clothes, and organise the moving of a protesting Annie and a subdued Moll. Then, her preparations completed, she waited until it was dusk, locked up the house, and walked swiftly down to the quay and along to where her own small sailing boat was kept.
She had almost reached it when the sound of footsteps approaching rapidly along the quay made her pause. She did not wish to be seen. She looked around, but there was no hiding place nearby, and the footsteps were drawing nearer. Then a gleam of light from a lantern swinging outside an inn lit up a boat at her feet, and she scrambled into it, crouching down between the seats in the stern so as to be out of sight from the passers-by.
Holding her breath, she waited, then to her dismay the footsteps halted immediately above her. There was a quick murmur of voices, and then retreating footsteps, but as her hopes lifted, they were dashed again, for the boat rocked as someone leapt down into it. Kate huddled back into her corner, not knowing whether to make her presence known at once, or hope to remain undiscovered. Before she had recovered from her indecision, the boat was being rowed out into the middle of the river.
Kate must have made some sound that betrayed her, for the invisible rower suddenly stopped his rhythmic movements and sat still. Kate held her breath, and then blinked as a flint was stuck and for a second illuminated her face.
' 'Sdeath, you!' came in tones of disgust that caused her to flush angrily. 'What the devil are you doing here?'
By now the speaker had managed to light the stub of a candle, and he held it out to look at Kate more closely.
'Well? Have you lost the power of speech? Are you running away from your possessive Jonathan?'
'He is not possessive, and you are rude! And you have no right to question me! I did not know 'twas your boat, I was trying to find my own to sail across from Saltash to join my mother in Plymouth!'
He smiled, sardonically, and Kate was very conscious of her crumpled gown and disarranged hair. Slowly she rose from her crouching position and seated herself in the stern of the boat.
'Will you take me back to the quay, please, Mr Tremaine?' she asked quietly.
Petroc shook his head. 'I am too late. I must leave on the tide. I regret, for you will be a confounded nuisance to me, but having got yourself into this pickle, you will have to accompany me on this voyage.'
Kate stared at him, horrified. 'No! That is impossible!'
He laughed, grimly. 'I wish it were, believe me. You will be the devil of a mischief, and I have no wish to saddle myself with a puling woman! But it has happened and the sooner you accept it the better for both of us. It should only take a few days, and I can soon restore you to your loving Jonathan's arms.'