ore said you were of the new school," she said meditatively.

Ralph felt a curious thrill of exultation. Margaret was right then; this
girl had been thinking about him.

"There is certainly a stirring," he said; and his voice was a little
restrained.

"Oh, I am not blind or deaf," said the girl. "Of course, there is a
stirring--but I wondered--"

Then Margaret came in with the candles.

Ralph went away that evening more excited than he liked. It seemed as if
Mistress Roper's words had set light to a fire ready laid, and he could
perceive the warmth beginning to move about his heart and odd wavering
lights flickering on his circumstances and business that had not been
there before.

* * * * *

He received his first letter from Beatrice a few weeks later, and it
threw him into a strait between his personal and official claims.

Cromwell at this time was exceedingly occupied with quelling the ardour
of the House of Lords, who were requesting that the Holy Maid of Kent
and her companions might have an opportunity of defending themselves
before the Act of Attainder ordered by the King was passed against them;
but he found time to tell his agent that trouble was impending over More
and Fisher; and to request him to hand in any evidence that he might
have against the former.

"I suppose we shall have to let the Bishop off with a fine," said the
minister, "in regard to the Maid's affair; but we shall catch him
presently over the Act; and Mr. More is clear of it. But we shall have
him too in a few days. Put down what you have to say, Mr. Torridon, and
let me have it this evening."

And then he rustled off down the staircase to where his carriage was
waiting to take him to Westminster, where he proposed to tell the
scrupulous peers that the King was not accustomed to command twice, and
that to suspect his Grace of wishing them to do an injustice was a piece
of insolence that neither himself nor his royal master had expected of
them.

Ralph was actually engaged in putting down his very scanty accusations
against Sir Thomas More when the letter from Beatrice was brought up to
him. He read it through twice in silence; and then ordered the courier
to wait below. When the servant had left the room, he read it through a
third time.

It was not long; but it was pregnant.

"I entreat you, sir," wrote the girl, "for the love of Jesu, to let us
know if anything is designed against our friend.