Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-02-16

haSty In sending an embassy 10 accept
the offer as Francis had been to make
it. It mattered not to him what new
torture he put upon his sister. The
price, / believe, was sufficient to have
induced him to cut off her head with
his own hands.
If Francis and Henry were quick IN
their movements, Mary was quicker.
Her plan was made in the twinkling
of an eye. Immediately upon seeing
me at the palace she sent for Queen
Claude, with whom she had become
fast friends. and told her all she knew.
She did not know of the scheme for the
Savoy marriage, though Queen Claude
did and fully explained 1t to Mary.
Naturally enough, Claude would be
glad to get Mary as far away from
France and her husband as possible,
and was only too willing to lend q
helping hand to our purpose. or Mary's,
rather. for she was the leader.
We quickly agreed among ourselves
that Mary and Queen Claude should
within an hour 80 out In Claude's new
coach for the ostensible purpose OF
hearing mass. Brandon and l were to
90 to the same little chapel in which
Jane and / had been married, where
Mary said the little priest could admin
lister the sacrament Of marriage and
perform the ceremony as we'll as If he
were thrice as large.
I hurriedly found Brandon and re-
paired to the little chapel. where we
waited for very long time. we thought.
At last the two queens entered as If to
make their devotions. AS SION as
Brandon and Mary caught sight OF
each other Queen Claude and I began
to examine the shrines and decipher
the Latin Inscriptions. If these two
had not married soon. they would have
been the death Of me. I was compelled
at length to remind them. that time
was very precious just at that juncture,
whereupon Mary. who was half laugh
ing, half crying, lifted her hands to
her hair and let it fall in all its lustrous
wealth down over her shoulders. When
Brandon saw this. he fell upon his
knee and kissed the hem Of her gown.
and she, STOPPING over him. raised him
to his feet and placed her hand In his.
Thus Mary was married to the man
to save whose life she had four months
before married the French king.
She and Queen Claude had forgotten
nothing. and all arrangements were
completed for the fight. A messenger
had been dispatched two hours before
with an order from Queen Claude that
q ship should be waiting at Dieppe
ready to sail Immediately upon our
arrival.
After the ceremony Claude quickly
bound up Mary's hair, and the queens
departed from the chapel in their
coach. We soon followed, meeting
them again at st. Denis gate, where
we found the best of horses and four
sturdy men awaiting US. The messen-
ger to Dieppe who had preceded US
would arrange for relays, and, as Ma
ry, according to her wont when she
had another to rely upon. had taken
the opportunity to become thoroughly
frightened, no time was lost. We made
these forty leagues in less than twenty
four hours from the time Of starting,
having paused only for short rest at
a little town near Rouen, which city
we carefully passed around.
We had little fear Of being overtaken
at the rate we were riding, but Mary
said she supposed the wind would die
down for a month Immediately upon
our arrival at Dieppe. Fortunately no
one pursued us. thanks to Queen
Claude, who had spread the report that
Mary was i'll, and, fortunately also,
much to Mary's surprise and delight,
when we arrived at Dieppe, as fair
wind as sailors heart could wish was
blowing right up the channel. 1t was
a part Of the system Of relays-horses.
ship and wind.
"When the very wind blows for our
special use, we may surely dismiss
fear" said Mary. laughing and clap
ping her hands. but nearly ready for
tears Notwithstanding.
The ship was fine new one, well fit
ted to breast any sea, and, learning
this. we at once agreed that upon land
ing in England Mary and should 60
to London and win over the king, II
possible. We felt some confidence In
beg able to do this, as we counted
l.pou Wolscy's help. but in case Of fail
IRE we still had our plans. Brandon
as to take the ship to certain island
DIFF the Suffolk coast ard there await
US the period of year If need be, as
Mary might. in case Of Henry's obsti-
macy, be detained, then revictual and
remain the ship and out through the
North sea for their former haven, New
Spain.
In case of Henry's consent, how they
were to live in a style fit for prin-
cess Brandon did not know unless Hen
~ should open his heart and provide
for them, doubtful contingency upon
which they did not base much hope.
At a pinch they might go down into
Suffolk and live next to Jane and me
Oh Brandon's estates. To this Mary
readily agreed. and said it was what
she wanted above all else.
There was one thing now in favor Of
the kings acquiescence. During the
last three months Brandon had become
very necessary to his amusement, and
was his greatest need and
aim in life.
Mary and I went to London to see