s, Humfrey; for my Queen mother made me give her my word on my
duty never to wed you."

"I know," returned Humfrey calmly. "I have known all that these two
years; but what has that to do with my love?"

"Come, come, children," said Richard, hardening himself though his eyes
were moist; "I did not come here to hear you two discourse like the
folks in a pastoral! We may not waste time. Tell me, child, if thou
be not forbidden, hath she any purpose for thee?"

"O sir, I fear that what she would most desire is to bestow me abroad
with some of her kindred of Lorraine. But I mean to strive hard
against it, and pray her earnestly. And, father, I have one great
purpose. She saith that these cruel statesmen, who are all below in
this castle, have hindered Queen Elizabeth from ever truly hearing and
knowing all, and from speaking with her as woman to woman. Father, I
will go to London, I will make my way to the Queen, and when she hears
who I am--of her own blood and kindred--she must listen to me; and I
will tell her what my mother Queen really is, and how cruelly she has
been played upon, and entreat of her to see her face to face and talk
with her, and judge whether she can have done all she is accused of."

"Thou art a brave maiden, Cis," exclaimed Humfrey with deep feeling.

"Will you take me, sir?" said Cicely, looking up to Master Richard.

"Child, I cannot say at once. It is a perilous purpose, and requires
much to be thought over."

"But you will aid me?" she said earnestly.

"If it be thy duty, woe be to me if I gainsay thee," said Richard; "but
there is no need to decide as yet. We must await the issue of this
trial, if the trial ever take place."

"Will Cavendish saith," put in Humfrey, "that a trial there will be of
some sort, whether the Lady consent to plead or not."

"Until that is ended we can do nothing," said his father. "Meantime,
Cicely child, we shall be here at hand, and be sure that I will not be
slack to aid thee in what may be thy duty as a daughter. So rest thee
in that, my wench, and pray that we may be led to know the right."

And Richard spoke as a man of high moral courage in making this
promise, well knowing that it might involve himself in great danger.
The worst that could befall Cicely might be imprisonment, and a life of
constraint, jealously watched; but his own long concealment of her
birth might easily be construed into treason, and the horrible
consequences of such an