The party consisted of Anne Vaux, Fawkes, the Brooksbys, and Catesby, who had presented himself there a few days before, with the avowed object of joining the royal hunting-party at Royston the next day, but in the morning resolving to "stay and be merry with his friends," he settled down comfortably, sent his man for venison, and took his ease. The ease and comfort were broken up by this sudden and startling news. "Pray you, flee, Mr Catesby, while you have time!" said Winter, anxiously. "Nay, I will be further as yet," was the resolute answer. "What shall we now do? How say you?" "Make sure how much is truth. Go you to Town, Mr Fawkes, to-morrow, as soon as may be, and bring us word what time of day it shall be with us. Try the uttermost; for if the part belonged to myself I would try the same adventure." Fawkes obeyed, on the Wednesday, returning at night, to the great relief of the conspirators, with reassuring news. There was no appearance of any attempt to meddle with the cellar; all seemed quiet in London: no excitement among the people, no signs of special precaution by the authorities. They might safely go on with the work. On the following day, Thomas Winter returned to London, and Fawkes followed in the evening, arriving at the Chequers, in Holborn, just before it grew dark. He did not stay here, but proceeded to the house next to the House of Lords, where he slept that night in its solitary bed, turning out his supposed master, as the one bed would not accommodate both, and "when Mr Percy lay there, his man lay abroad." Percy, meanwhile, had not been idle. His vocation as gentleman pensioner gave him easy access to any part of the Palace; and the previous day had seen him making himself very agreeable in the apartments of the young Prince, playing with the child, and chatting in a very affable manner with his nurse. The youthful Prince's nurse, happily for him, was a shrewd Scotchwoman, and Percy took little by his motion, "Pray you, Mrs Fordun, whither leads that door?" "Out o' the chalmer, Sir," said Agnes Fordun. "What time doth his Highness ride forth commonly?" "When it likes the King's Majesty." "How is his Highness attended?" "Atweel, 'tis maistly by them that gang wi' him." "Is his Highness a brisk, lively child, or no?" "He's what a Prince suld be," stiffly said Agnes. Percy gave her up as impracticable, and reported to his colleagues at White Webbs that the Duke could not be compassed. "Comes the Prince, then, to the Parliament?" asked Catesby. Percy and Winter agreed that on this head rumour was assuming a negative aspect. "Then must we have our horses beyond the water," said Catesby, "and more horses and company to surprise the Prince, and let the Duke alone."