"
Prince Rupert looked at his watch.
"The King will be in the Mall now," he said. "I will take you across
and present you to him. It is useful to have the _entree_ at Court,
though perhaps the less you avail yourself of it the better."
So saying, he rose, put on his hat, and, throwing his cloak over his
shoulder, went across to the Mall, asking questions of Cyril as he
went, and extracting from him a sketch of the adventure of his being
kidnapped and taken to Holland.
Presently they arrived at the spot where the King, with three or four
nobles and gentlemen, had been playing. Charles was in a good humour,
for he had just won a match with the Earl of Rochester.
"Well, my grave cousin," he said merrily, "what brings you out of
your office so early? No fresh demands for money, I hope?"
"Not at present. And indeed, it is not to you that I should come on
such a quest, but to the Duke of York."
"And he would come to me," said the King; "so it is the same thing."
"I have come across to present to your Majesty a very gallant young
gentleman, who yesterday evening, at the risk of his life, saved the
three daughters of the Earl of Wisbech from being burned at the fire
in the Savoy, where his Lordship's mansion was among those that were
destroyed. I beg to present to your Majesty Sir Cyril Shenstone, the
son of the late Sir Aubrey Shenstone, a most gallant gentleman, who
rode under my banner in many a stern fight in the service of your
royal father.
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