hem at your
leisure."

So he accepted, and slipped them into his breast with what seemed to the
girl a lamentable carelessness. Then he stood up.

"I must go," he said. "And I have never asked after Mistress Manners."

"She is abed," said the girl. "She has been there this past month now."

She went with him to the door, for it was not until then that she was
courageous enough to speak as she had determined.

"Mr. Babington," she said suddenly.

He turned.

"I have been thinking while we talked," she said. "You think my coming
to London would be of real service?"

"I think so. It would be good for you to meet these priests before
they--"

"Then I will come, if my mother gives me leave. When will you go?"

"We should be riding in not less than a week from now. But, mistress--"

"No, I have thought of it. I will come--if my mother gives me leave."

He nodded briskly and brightly. He loved courage, and he understood that
this decision of hers had required courage.

"Then my sister shall come for you, and--"

"No, Mr. Babington, there is no need. We shall start from Derby?"

"Why, yes."

"Then my maid and I will ride down there and sleep at the inn, and be
ready for you on the day that you appoint."

* * * * *

When he was gone at last she went back again to the parlour, and sat
without moving and without seeing. She was in an agony lest she had been
unmaidenly in determining to go so soon as she heard that Robin was to
be there.

CHAPTER II

I

Anthony lifted his whip and pointed.

"London," he said.

Marjorie nodded; she was too tired to speak.

* * * * *

The journey had taken them some ten days, by easy stages; each night
they had slept at an inn, except once, when they stayed with friends of
the Babingtons and had heard mass. They had had the small and usual
adventures: a horse had fallen lame; a baggage-horse had bolted; they
had passed two or three hunting-parties; they had been stared at in
villages and saluted, and stared at and not saluted. Rain had fallen;
the clouds had cleared again; and the clouds had gathered once more and
rain had again fallen. The sun, morning by morning, had stood on the
left, and evening by evening gone down again on the right.

They were a small party for so long a journey--the three with four
servants--two men and two maids: the men had ridden armed, as the custom
was; one rode in fr