esent
yourself boldly at court, and although he might refuse to recognize your
title of earl, yet, as a knight and a crusader who has distinguished
himself greatly in the Holy Land, he dare not interfere with your person,
for this would be resented by the whole of the chivalry of England.
Still, I agree with you that your best course is to keep your return a
secret. You will then be unwatched and unnoticed, and your enemies will
take their time in carrying their designs into effect."

Two days later Cuthbert, attended by his faithful retainers, left Sir
Baldwin's castle, and travelled by easy stages through Wiltshire and the
confines of Gloucestershire up to Worcester. He had been supplied by Sir
Baldwin with suitable attire for himself and his followers, and now rode
as a simple knight, without arms or cognizance, journeying from one part
to another. All the crosses and other crusading signs were laid aside,
and there was nothing to attract any attention to him upon his passage.
Cuthbert had at first thought of going direct to the convent of
Worcester, and asking for an interview with Lady Margaret; but he
reflected that it might be possible that some of the myrmidons of Sir
Rudolph might be keeping a watch over that building, to see that Lady
Margaret was not secretly removed to some other place of refuge, and that
the appearance of a knight before its doors would excite comment and
suspicion. He therefore avoided the town, and journeyed straight to the
forest, where he had so often roamed with Cnut and the outlaws.

Here he found that matters had but little changed since he was last
there. Many of those who had fought with him in the Holy Land, and who
had returned by sea, had again taken to the forest, joined by many new
men whom the exactions of Sir Rudolph had already goaded into revolt.
Cnut was received with enthusiasm, and when he presented Cuthbert to them
as the rightful heir of Evesham and the well-known friend of the
foresters, their enthusiasm knew no bounds. They at once accepted him as
their lord and master, and promised to obey his orders, and to lay down
their lives, if necessary, in his cause, as they knew that it was he who
had formally obtained the pardon of the forest band, and who had fought
with them in their attack on Wortham Castle.

To Cuthbert's great delight he heard that his mother was in good health,
although she had for some months been grievously fretting over his
disappearance and sup