ss
and Abbess. And then--her soul would be required of her.

Mother Margaret! What bitter mockery of a title for the woman who had
deliberately flung away from her as a worthless weed the white flower of
love which she might have cherished!

Of course, the household was now scattered. Ada had been received into
the household of the Countess of Gloucester, the King's daughter Joan.
Olympias was pining to return to Reginald, if she could form some idea
in what part of the world he might be found; Clarice was awaiting her
imperious lord's commands. The morning after the Countess had taken her
last farewell of them all, as they were still in this attitude of doubt
and expectation, in walked Sir Lambert Aylmer. He was greeted with
delight. Roisia was well, he reported, and sent her loving
commendations to all; but the object of his coming was not to talk about
Roisia. The Earl, with Sir Reginald, was at Restormel, one of his
Cornish castles; but in a letter received from the latter gentleman, Sir
Lambert had been requested to inform Olympias that their master desired
them all to repair to Berkhamsted, whither he meant to come shortly, and
they should then hear his intentions for the future.

"The saints send he mean not to be a monk!" said Olympias, shrugging her
shoulders.

But nothing was further from Earl Edmund's purpose.

They reached Berkhamsted in a day or two, and to Clarice's great
delight, found there not only Mistress Underdone and the two
bower-maidens, but Sir Ademar and Heliet. It was a new and pleasant
discovery that Heliet could travel. It had been a sort of accepted
idea, never investigated, that her leaving Oakham was an impossibility;
but Ademar had coaxed her to try, and Heliet was quite willing. The
result was that she had reached Berkhamsted in safety, to her own
intense enjoyment; for she had never before been a mile from Oakham, and
the discovery that she was no longer a fixture, but could accompany her
husband wherever duty called him was to Heliet unspeakable delight.

It was not till October that the Earl reached home; for he stayed at
Bristol for the wedding of the eldest princess, Alianora, with Henri
Duke of Barre, which took place on the twentieth of September. The
morning after his arrival he desired to speak with the whole of his
household, who were to assemble in the hall for that purpose.

Olympias was positive that her master was about to take the cowl. "And
it would be