"

"Antony said that the Scots Queen and her ladies never storm at one
another like my lady and her daughters."

"Open words do not always go deep, Cis," said the mother. "I had
rather know and hear the worst at once." And then her heart smote her
as she recollected that she might be implying censure of the girl's
true mother, as well as defending wrath and passion, and she added, "Be
that as it may, it is a happy thing to learn to refrain the tongue."

CHAPTER XI.

QUEEN MARY'S PRESENCE CHAMBER.

The storm that followed on the instalment of the Lady Arbell at
Sheffield was the precursor of many more. Her grandmother did
sufficiently awake to the danger of alarming the jealousy of Queen
Elizabeth to submit to leave her in the ordinary chambers of the
children of the house, and to exact no extraordinary marks of respect
towards the unconscious infant; but there was no abatement in the
Countess's firm belief that an English-born, English-bred child, would
have more right to the crown than any "foreign princes," as she
contemptuously termed the Scottish Queen and her son.

Moreover, in her two years' intercourse with the elder Countess of
Lennox, who was a gentle-tempered but commonplace woman, she had
adopted to the full that unfortunate princess's entire belief in the
guilt of Queen Mary, and entertained no doubt that she had been the
murderer of Darnley. Old Lady Lennox had seen no real evidence, and
merely believed what she was told by her lord, whose impeachment of
Bothwell had been baffled by the Queen in a most suspicious manner.
Conversations with this lady had entirely changed Lady Shrewsbury from
the friendly hostess of her illustrious captive, to be her enemy and
persecutor, partly as being convinced of her guilt, partly as regarding
her as an obstacle in the path of little Arbell to the throne. So she
not only refused to pay her respects as usual to "that murtheress," but
she insisted that her husband should tighten the bonds of restraint,
and cut off all indulgences.

The Countess was one of the women to whom argument and reason are
impossible, and who was entirely swayed by her predilections, as well
as of so imperious a nature as to brook no opposition, and to be almost
always able to sweep every one along with her.

Her own sons always were of her mind, and her daughters might fret and
chafe, but were sure to take part with her against every one else
outside the Cavendish family. The