f the lady of the house. They were all there but
she; and the minutes went by and she did not come.

Sir James turned enquiringly as the door from the court opened, but it
was only a wet shivering dog who had nosed it open, and now crept
deprecatingly towards the blaze.

"You poor beast," said Beatrice, drawing her skirts aside. "Take my
place," and she stepped away to allow him to come. He looked gratefully
up, wagged his rat-tail, and lay down comfortably at the edge of the
tiles.

"My wife is very late," said Sir James. "Chris--"

He stopped as footsteps sounded in the flagged passage leading from the
living rooms; and the next moment the door was flung open, and a woman
ran forward with outstretched hands.

"O! mon Dieu, mon Dieu!" she cried. "My lady is ill. Come, sir, come!"

CHAPTER IV

THE ELDER SON

Ralph had prospered exceedingly since his return from the Sussex
Visitation. He had been sent on mission after mission by Cromwell, who
had learnt at last how wholly he could be trusted; and with each success
his reputation increased. It seemed to Cromwell that his man was more
whole-hearted than he had been at first; and when he was told abruptly
by Ralph that his relations with Mistress Atherton had come to an end,
the politician was not slow to connect cause and effect. He had always
regretted the friendship; it seemed to him that his servant's character
was sure to be weakened by his alliance with a friend of Master More;
and though he had said nothing--for Ralph's manner did not encourage
questions--he had secretly congratulated both himself and his agent for
so happy a termination to an unfortunate incident.

For the meantime Ralph's fortunes rose with his master's; Lord Cromwell
now reigned in England next after the King in both Church and State. He
held a number of offices, each of which would have been sufficient for
an ordinary man, but all of which did not overtax his amazing energy. He
stood absolutely alone, with all the power in his hands; President of
the Star Chamber, Foreign Minister, Home-Minister, and the Vicar-General
of the Church; feared by Churchmen, distrusted by statesmen and nobles;
and hated by all except his own few personal friends--an unique figure
that had grown to gigantic stature through sheer effort and adroitness.

And beneath his formidable shadow Ralph was waxing great. He had failed
to get Lewes for himself, for Cromwell designed it for Gregory his son;
but h