le lady, and a ward of
the King, could not marry without the King's consent. And you, Captain
Percy, are but a mere private gentleman, a poor Virginia adventurer;
and my Lord Carnal is--my Lord Carnal. The Court of High Commission will
make short work of this fantastic marriage."

"Then they may do it without my aid," I said. "Come, Sir George, had
you wed my Lady Temperance in such fashion, and found this hornets' nest
about your ears, what would you have done?"

He gave his short, honest laugh. "It's beside the question, Ralph Percy,
but I dare say you can guess what I would have done."

"I'll fight for my own to the last ditch," I continued. "I married her
knowing her name, if not her quality. Had I known the latter, had I
known she was the King's ward, all the same I should have married her,
an she would have had me. She is my wife in the sight of God and honest
men. Esteeming her honor, which is mine, at stake, Death may silence me,
but men shall not bend me."

"Your best hope is in my Lord of Buckingham," he said. "They say it
is out of sight, out of mind, with the King, and, thanks to this
infatuation of my Lord Carnal's, Buckingham hath the field. That he
strains every nerve to oust completely this his first rival since he
himself distanced Somerset goes without saying. That to thwart my lord
in this passion would be honey to him is equally of course. I do not
need to tell you that, if the Company so orders, I shall have no choice
but to send you and the lady home to England. When you are in London,
make your suit to my Lord of Buckingham, and I earnestly hope that you
may find in him an ally powerful enough to bring you and the lady, to
whose grace, beauty, and courage we all do homage, out of this coil."

"We give you thanks, sir," I said.

"As you know," he went on, "I have written to the Company, humbly
petitioning that I be graciously relieved from a most thankless task,
to wit, the governorship of Virginia. My health faileth, and I am,
moreover, under my Lord Warwick's displeasure. He waxeth ever stronger
in the Company, and if I put not myself out, he will do it for me. If
I be relieved at once, and one of the Council appointed in my place, I
shall go home to look after certain of my interests there. Then shall I
be but a private gentleman, and if I can serve you, Ralph Percy, I shall
be blithe to do so; but now, you understand"--

"I understand, and thank you, Sir George," I said. "May I ask one