Ah, would we but only leave
All things to our Father!
Would we only cease to grieve,
Wait His mercy rather!
Meek resigning childish choice,
Graceless, thankless pressing--
Listen for His gentle voice,
`Child, receive this blessing!'
Faithless, foolish hearts! see you
Seeds' earth-hidden growing?
What our God for us will do,
He Himself is knowing."

It was on the 4th of November 1555, that Annis Holland came home from
Spain. Queen Juana was dead, and she had no longer any tie to a country
in which she had certainly not been happy.

"Please it you, Mistress!" said Ursula's voice at the chamber door,
where Isoult sat sewing.

"Well, Ursula?" replied her mistress.

"Mistress Holland would have speech of you, Mistress," said she.

Of course Isoult supposed her visitor to be Roger Holland's wife, and
thanked God in her heart that she was better off than Bessy; but she
came down into the chamber--not to see Bessy. On another face her eyes
lighted, and a cry of gladness broke from her.

"What, Annis!"

When the first welcomings were over, and they sat down again, Isoult
thought she saw a grave, sad look on Annis' face that was not wont to be
there.

"I trusted to have seen thee home ere this, dear Annis," she said, "for
we heard that the Queen thy mistress was dead, and I thought thou
wouldst not be like to tarry yonder."

"Ay," she said, sadly. "She is gone to God; and laud be to Him for it!
No, Isoult, I had no mind to abide there."

She shuddered, as with very horror, so that Isoult answered--"Methinks,
sweet heart, thy Lord Marquis of Denia could be no worser than Bishop
Gardiner."

"There be eviller things in Spain than even he is," said she, and shook
her head.

"And where wilt thou go, Annis?" asked Isoult, "for my Lady's Grace of
Suffolk is out of this kingdom. I would have loved dearly to have thee
hither till thou mightest fit thyself with a service, but verily all my
chambers be full filled, and I would not lodge thee in the nursery,
where be already Esther and the childre, except for a short space."

A little smile played about the lips of Annis.

"Isoult," she said, "after all I have said and writ touching Spain (and
in good sooth may yet say and write), I fear thou shalt think me a
marvellous contrarious maid, if I own to thee that I am about to wed a
Spanish gentleman."

"Well," answered her friend, "that hangeth upon the Spanish gentleman