"
When, after his return to England, it became evident that Sir Aubrey
had but small chance of reinstatement in his lands, his former
friends began to close their purses and to refuse to grant further
loans, and he was presently reduced to straits as severe as those he
had suffered during his exile. The good spirits that had borne him up
so long failed now, and he grew morose and petulant. His loyalty to
the King was unshaken; Charles had several times granted him
audiences, and had assured him that, did it rest with him, justice
should be at once dealt to him, but that he was practically powerless
in the matter, and the knight's resentment was concentrated upon
Hyde, now Lord Clarendon, and the rest of the King's advisers. He
wrote but seldom to Cyril; he had no wish to have the boy with him
until he could take him down with him in triumph to Norfolk, and show
him to the tenants as his heir. Living from hand to mouth as he did,
he worried but little as to how Cyril was getting on.
"The lad has fallen on his feet somehow," he said, "and he is better
where he is than he would be with me. I suppose when he wants money
he will write and say so, though where I should get any to send to
him I know not. Anyhow, I need not worry about him at present."
Cyril, indeed, had written to him soon after the sale of the
necklace, telling him that he need not distress himself about his
condition, for that he had obtained sufficient money for his present
necessities from the sale of a small trinket his mother had given him
before her death, and that when this was spent he should doubtless
find some means of earning his living until he could rejoin him.
Pages:
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29