Monmouth leaned forward, and his young face looked Careworn now; he thrust a slender hand under the brown curls upon his brow. "Will you tell us, Mr. Battiscomb, upon what friends you think that we may count?" he said.
Battiscomb pursed his lips a second, pondering. "I think," said he, "that you may count upon Mr. Legge and Mr. Hooper, and possibly upon Colonel Churchill, though I cannot say what following they will bring, if any. Mr. Trenchard, upon whom we counted for fifteen hundred men of Taunton, has been obliged to fly the country to escape arrest."
"We have heard that from Mr. Trenchard's cousin," answered the Duke. "What of Prideaux, of Ford? Is he lukewarm?"
"I was unable to elicit a definite promise from him. But he was favourably disposed to Your Grace."
His Grace made a gesture that seemed to dismiss Prideaux from their calculations. "And Mr. Hucker, of Taunton?"
Battiscomb's manner grew yet more ill at ease. "Mr. Hucker himself, I am sure, would place his sword at your disposal. But his brother is a red-hot Tory."
"Well, well," sighed the Duke, "I take it we must not make certain of Mr. Hucker. Are there any others besides Legge and Hooper upon whom you think that we may reckon?"
"Lord Wiltshire, perhaps," said Battiscomb, but with a lack of assurance.
"A plague on perhaps!" exclaimed Monmouth, growing irritable; "I want you to name the men of whom you are certain."
Battiscomb stood silent for a moment, pondering. He looked almost foolish, like a schoolboy who hesitates to confess his ignorance of the answer to a question set him.
Fletcher swung round, his grey eyes flashing angrily, his accent more Scottish than ever.
"Is it that ye're certain o' none, Mr. Battiscomb?" he exclaimed.
"Indeed," said Battiscomb, "I think we may be fairly certain of Mr. Legge and Mr. Hooper."
"And of none besides?" questioned Fletcher again. "Be these the only representatives of the flower of England's nobility that is to flock to the banner of the cause of England's freedom and religion?" Scorn was stamped on every word of his question.
Battiscomb spread his hands, raised his brows, and said nothing.
"The Lord knows I do not say it exulting," said Fletcher; "but I told Your Grace yours was hardly the case of Henry the Seventh, as my Lord Grey would have you believe."
"We shall see," snapped Grey, scowling at the Scot. "The people are coming in hundreds--aye, in thousands--the gentry will follow; they must."
"Make not too sure, Your Grace--oh, make not too sure," Wilding besought the Duke. "As I have said, these hinds have nothing to lose but their lives."