THE HOUSE OF THE WIZARD [Illustration: QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN FROM AN ENGRAVING AFTER THE ORIGINAL OF HOLBEIN] THE HOUSE OF THE WIZARD BY M. IMLAY TAYLOR AUTHOR OF “ON THE RED STAIRCASE,” “AN IMPERIAL LOVER,” “A YANKEE VOLUNTEER” [Illustration] CHICAGO A. C. McCLURG AND COMPANY 1899 COPYRIGHT BY A. C. MCCLURG AND CO. A. D. 1899 _All rights reserved_ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE CAREWS OF DEVON 7 II. A MESSENGER FROM MY LORD PRIVY SEAL 18 III. MISTRESS BETTY GOES OUT INTO THE WORLD 30 IV. THE QUEEN AT KIMBOLTON 40 V. THE GENTLEMAN IN THE RUSSET CLOAK 52 VI. THE WIZARD’S VISIT 65 VII. MISTRESS CAREW’S ALLEGIANCE 82 VIII. THE KING’S MESSENGERS 93 IX. THE MAN WITH A SCAR 102 X. MISTRESS BETTY GOES TO COURT 112 XI. OLD MADAM AT HOME 126 XII. THE PRECONTRACT 142 XIII. THE QUEEN AT GREENWICH 152 XIV. THE STRANGE HOUSE BY THE THAMES 162 XV. A CRY OF TREASON 172 XVI. MY LADY CRABTREE TO THE RESCUE 189 XVII. BETTY AND HER CHAMPION 201 XVIII. A ROYAL LOVE TOKEN 208 XIX. THE JOUSTS AT GREENWICH 215 XX. IN THE APPLE ORCHARD 224 XXI. A MESSENGER FROM LONDON 234 XXII. MY LORD PRIVY SEAL 242 XXIII. MISTRESS BETTY USES HER WHIP 256 XXIV. LOVE AT THE TRAITOR’S GATE 265 XXV. A SEASON OF WAITING 282 XXVI. A PRINCE’S BAPTISM 289 XXVII. THE WIZARD IN THE TOWER 300 XXVIII. A SNARE 309 XXIX. MASTER CROSS-EYES 319 XXX. SIR WILLIAM WINS A WAGER 327 XXXI. THE WIZARD’S FATE 337 The House of the Wizard CHAPTER I THE CAREWS OF DEVON IN the days of King Henry VIII., between Honiton and Exeter, at Luppit, stood Mohun’s Ottery, the great house of the Carews of Devon. Built like a fortress, it was too strong to be reduced, save by cannon, and its walls had sheltered for many years a race of gallant gentlemen, while its gates were ever open with a generous hospitality that welcomed both the rich and the poor. Its furnishings and tapestries were so magnificent that it was commonly reported that they would grace the king’s palace at Greenwich and not suffer by contrast with any royal trappings.