Instinctively he tried to halt, but the grip on his arm never relaxed, and he must come on at his captor’s side, down to the end of the corridor. There Master Oldesworth had flung open a door into a tiny chamber, with one high, narrow slit of a window, bare of furniture save for a couple of chests and a broken chair, over which the dust lay thick. “Since you will have no better lodging, you shall stay here,” he said coldly. Dragging his way in, Hugh flung himself down on a chest with his head in his hands. “Could you let me have a drink of water, sir?” he asked faintly. “Go to my chamber and fetch the flask of Spanish wine, Lois,” Master Oldesworth bade, and Hugh heard the girl’s footsteps die away in the corridor, then heard or heeded nothing, just sat with his face hidden. A touch on the shoulder roused him at last; he took the glass of wine his grandfather offered him and slowly drank it down. They were alone in the room now, he noted as he drank, the door was drawn to, and Lois was gone. He set down the empty glass and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “I thank you, sir, for this, for all you have saved me from,” he said slowly. “You might thank me for more, if you were less self-willed.” “’Tis not from self-will, sir, I did as I have done, that I refused my parole,” Hugh broke out, “’tis for my father. I cannot bind myself. I must go to him. I—” “No more words of that man,” Master Oldesworth silenced him. “You shall never go to him again. A year ago I dealt not wisely with you. I gave you choice where you were too young to choose. For all your folly there are parts in you too good for me to suffer you destroy yourself. Now where I let you walk at your will I shall see to it that you keep the right path, by force, if you drive me to it. For the present I shall hold you in safe custody at Everscombe. Later, as you conduct yourself, I shall determine what course to take.” “But my father!” Hugh cried. “Captain Oldesworth will deal with Alan Gwyeth,” Master Oldesworth replied. “Do you forget him.” “I can never forget him, sir. Sure, I’d liefer be hanged with him than be saved apart from him thus. I—” The door closed jarringly behind Master Oldesworth, the key grated in the lock, and the bolt was shot creakingly.