nowing it would cost but a word of
Sir Reginald to obtain its recall, both Simon and Fulk de Clarenham had
done their best to make him forget its existence; but no sooner did the
news of his death reach England, than Fulk began to take an ungenerous
advantage of the weakness of his heir. He sent a summons for the dues
paid by vassals to their Lord on a new succession, and on Eleanor's
indignant refusal, followed it up by a further claim to the wardship of
the person of Arthur himself, both in right of his alleged feudal
superiority, and as the next of kin who was of full age. Again was his
demand refused, and shortly after Lady Lynwood's alarms were brought to
a height by an attempt on his part to waylay her son and carry him off
by force, whilst riding in the neighbourhood of the Castle. The plot
had failed, by the fidelity of the villagers of Lynwood, but the shock
to the lady had increased the progress of the decay of her health,
already undermined by grief. She never again trusted her son beyond
the Castle walls; she trembled whenever he was out of her sight, and
many an hour did she spend kneeling before the altar in the chapel. On
her brother-in-law, Sir Eustace, her chief hope was fixed; on him she
depended for bringing Arthur's case before the King, and, above all,
for protecting him from the attacks of the enemy of his family,
rendered so much more dangerous by his relationship. She did not
believe that actual violence to Arthur's person was intended, but
Fulk's house had of late become such an abode of misrule, that his
mother and sister had been obliged to leave it for a Convent, and the
tales of the lawlessness which there prevailed were such that she would
have dreaded nothing more for her son than a residence there, even if
Fulk had no interest in oppressing him.

That Eustace should return to take charge of his nephew before her
death was her chief earthly wish, and when she found herself rapidly
sinking, and the hope of its fulfilment lessening, she obtained a
promise from Father Cyril that he would conduct the boy to the Abbey of
Glastonbury, and there obtain from the Abbot protection for him until
his uncle should return, or the machinations of Fulk be defeated by an
appeal to the King.

This was accordingly Father Cyril's intention. It was unavoidable that
Fulk, the near kinsman of the deceased, should be present at the
funeral, but Father Cyril had intended to keep Arthur within the
sanctuar