A most affectionate meeting took place between Jane and Mrs. Norton, who embraced her young relative very tenderly, and expressed great delight at seeing her. "I rejoice that you have got here safely," she said. "We hear of so many disagreeable occurrences, that I can assure you we have felt quite uneasy about you. Your looks don't betray fatigue, but I dare say you are greatly tired by your long journey." "No, indeed, I am not," replied Jane. "I think I could ride thirty or forty miles a day for a month, and not feel the worse for it. But I have been troubled about my poor groom, Will Jones, who is very weak from the effects of a quartan ague." "Give yourself no further concern about him, Jane," said Mrs. Norton. Then calling to the butler, who was standing near, she added, "Pope, this young man, Will Jones, is suffering from ague. Bid Margaret Rider prepare for him an infusion of aromatic herbs." "A hot posset cannot fail to do him good," said Jane. "But, above all, he must avoid a damp bed." "There are no damp beds, I trust, at Abbots Leigh," replied Mrs. Norton. "But Pope shall see that he is well lodged." Pope, a tall, strongly-built man, who looked more like a soldier than a butler, promised attention to his mistress's orders, and stepping towards Charles, said a few words to him in a low tone, after which the king, bowing gratefully to Mrs. Norton, took his horse to the stable. Jane had next to answer Mr. Norton's inquiries relative to her brother and Sir Clement Fisher. "They must be full of anxiety for the king," he remarked. "All sorts of reports reach us, and we know not what to believe. Can you give us the assurance that his majesty is safe?" "I wish I could," replied Jane. "But he is so environed by his enemies that he cannot escape." "Not immediately perhaps," said Mrs. Norton. "But an opportunity must occur. No one will be base enough to betray him." "Betray him! I should think not," cried Mr. Norton. "If chance brought him here, I would place my house at his disposal." "I am delighted to hear you give utterance to such sentiments," said Jane. "Did you doubt my loyalty?" he rejoined. "No," she returned. "But I am glad to find that the king has so true a friend." They then entered the house. CHAPTER V. HOW CHARLES FOUND A FAITHFUL ADHERENT AT ABBOTS LEIGH. Jane was in her room--a large old-fashioned bedchamber, with a transom-window looking upon the lawn, and commanding a splendid view of the Severn's mouth and the distant Welsh hills--when a tap was heard at the door, and a maid-servant came in. "You have something to say to me, I perceive, Margaret?" observed Jane. "Yes, madam," was the reply. "My mistress has ordered me to attend upon your groom, Will Jones, and to be very careful of him. So I prepared a nice carduus posset, knowing it to be good for the ague, but when I took it to him, he wouldn't drink it, but said he should prefer some mulled sack."