Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. HARRY SAXBY. WITH thoughts of witchcraft still in her mind, Dame Saxby rode on behind her husband, silent and absorbed, trying to recall all she had heard concerning several old women in the neighbourhood, until her reverie was disturbed by the checking of the horse, and her husband exclaiming,
Why, there’s Harry coming to meet us !
Harry! repeated Dame Saxby, looking up the road, but failing to recognise her own son in the handsomely dressed gentleman approaching them. The doublet of coarse homespun had been laid aside, and Master Harry Saxby, in doublet of purple broadcloth, short velvet cloak, slashed hose to match, and lace collar, looked every inch a gentleman. He was walking leisurely along the road, and lifted his hat, with its long red feather, as he saw his mother gazing at him.
Whither away now, Master Harry, in all that finery ?
said his father, reining in his ambling steed, while Dame Saxby could only stare at him in blank amazement for a minute or two. Harry made some excuse about Roger being old enough to look after the men in his father’s absence.
The callant is not to be trusted, said his mother, sharply,
and, besides, there is no Morricc dancing or junketing to-day, and so
I have not cared so much for the junketings of late that you need begrudge me this holiday, said Harry, in a tone of some defiance.
But wherefore take the holiday to-day, my boy ? said his father, wondering what could have happened to make his son forget all at once the reverence due to his parents. Dame Saxby herself was so astonished that she could not say a word, until her son, blushing at his own temerity, said,
I am going to talk to Master John Hampden about various matters. You will not leave us until to-morrow ?
he sai…
