provided, whilst the
sorrowful lady, leading her son by the hand, accompanied by Hubert,
followed Rolf, who led them to a spot quite hidden from the view of the
rest of the party, where a small cart, such as was used by the villagers
in their rural occupations, was really in waiting.

This was indeed a trying moment. The young lord was now to be
transformed into the peasant boy--his long bright curls were cut off,
his face and hands were stained with a brown liquid to make him look
sunburnt, as if he was used to work in the fields, and his rich velvet
apparel was changed for coarse homespun woollen cloth. But he cared not
what they put him on--his only thought was that he was going away from
his beloved mother, perhaps never to see her more. He clasped his arms
round her neck and clung to her sobbing, as if his heart would break,
and the tears were streaming down her cheeks too, as she fell on her
knees and murmured a prayer that heaven would watch over and protect her
fatherless boy.

"My lady--my dear lady," said old Hubert; "you must not stay here
longer--the sooner this parting is over the better it will be for you
both. Come, my Lord Henry, it is time we were moving."

So saying he gently disengaged the boy from his mother's encircling arms
and lifted him into the cart, making a private signal to Rolf to drive
away as fast as he could. He then respectfully entreated his unhappy
lady to return to her party, and she, scarcely conscious of what she was
doing, suffered him to lead her back, and as soon as he had seen her
safely placed in the litter with Cicely and the two children, he mounted
his horse and galloped off as if to join Rolf and his young charge, but
in reality to take quite another route, for Henry was to pass, during
this journey, for a poor boy whom Rolf was taking home to his native
village, and it would not have done for him to be attended by Lady
Clifford's seneschal.

It was well he had been sent away, for just about this time King Edward
caused an act of attainder to be passed against all the noblemen who had
fought for the cause of Henry the Seventh, that is, they were deprived
of their titles, and their estates were declared forfeited to the crown;
he also issued a command that the children of the attainted nobles
should be sent to London to be disposed of, as he, the king, should
think fit; and this was probably done for the very purpose of getting
Clifford's children into his power; fo