"I know that James, the new king's brother, is full of hope that Charles will kill himself by revelry in a year," replied the woman. "I know that he is next heir to the throne. I know that he is intriguing to get back the Catholic religion to the country, and I know that neither Charles nor James loves either you or yours." "And yet I fought for their father," said my father. "Ay, and like the honest man thou art, declared that thou couldst never fight for him again after the contents of his papers which were found on Naseby field were made known," retorted the woman. "I know this, too, that if Charles had gained the victory over Cromwell, thou wouldst have been beheaded for what thou didst say at that time. Mark you, a Stuart never forgets, and never forgives, for all the fair promises that they make. Therefore if ever thou dost get back thine own, and if ever thy son is to be more than a mere yeoman ploughing his own fields--ay, and poor fields at that, for the best have all been taken away--he must be able to force the new king's hand." "Ay, I know all this," replied my father impatiently, "but let us hear what you have discovered, Katharine; let us know the truth concerning the strange things I have heard." "It is no use telling of what I know, unless this son of thine be bold enough to make use of it," replied the woman. "I am a girl no longer, Master Rashcliffe; I am not so simple as I was in those days when I was waiting maid to Mistress Rashcliffe. Enough to say that I have found out sufficient to make Charles Stuart, who is even now preparing to come back to England as king, eager not only to restore thy lands, but to give a place of honour to Master Roland here. Ay, but that is not all. The thing which I know to exist must be in our hands, ay, and in our hands in such a way that we shall be able to make our own bargain with the new king." "But what is it?" "It is this. James, Duke of York, is not the next heir to the throne." "Well, and what of that?" "This," replied the woman. "You have heard of the Welsh girl, Lucy Walters?" "Ay, I have hear of her." "And you have heard of her son, a lad who goes by the name of James Croft?" "Yes," said my father, "I have heard of him; but it doth not matter." "Ay, but it doth matter." "Why?" "Because he, although Charles Stuart will doubtless deny it, is the next heir to the throne of England." My father started back in amazement. "He is Charles' son," continued the woman. "Ay, but----" "Charles married Lucy Walters--married her in Holland." "But the proof, the proof!" cried my father. "It is this proof of which I come to speak," said Katharine Harcomb. "But answer me this: suppose the proof could be obtained, suppose the box containing the contract of marriage between Charles Stuart and Lucy Walters could be obtained--what then?" For a time my father was silent. Evidently he regarded the woman's declaration of great import, and I saw that he carefully considered her words.