For the rest, till that young wolf cub, Edward of
March, and his mischief-stirring cousin of Warwick be put down, this
place must be held against them and theirs--whosoever bears the White
Rose. Wilt do so, Master Seneschal?"
"I hold for my lady. That is all I know," said Ridley, "and she
holds herself bound to you, sir."
"Faithful. Ay? You will be her guardian, I see; but I must leave
half a score of fellows for the defence, and will charge them that
they show all respect and honour to the lady, and leave to you, as
seneschal, all the household, and of all save the wardship of the
Tower, calling on you first to make oath of faith to me, and to do
nought to the prejudice of King Henry, the Queen, or Prince, nor to
favour the friends of York or Warwick."
"I am willing, sir," returned Ridley, who cared a great deal more for
the house of Whitburn than for either party, whose cause he by no
means understood, perhaps no more than they had hitherto done
themselves. As long as he was left to protect his lady it was all he
asked, and more than he expected, and the courtesy, not to say
delicacy, of the young knight greatly impressed both him and the
priest, though he suspected that it was a relief to Sir Leonard not
to be obliged to see his bride of a few months.
The selected garrison were called in. Ridley would rather have seen
them more of the North Country yeoman type than of the regular
weather-beaten men-at-arms whom wars always bred up; but their
officer was a slender, dainty-looking, pale young squire, with his
arm in a sling, named Pierce Hardcastle, selected apparently because
his wound rendered rest desirable.
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