t, yet
methinks it could be carried by a sudden assault; and we know more of
war now than we did then. Prince John may deny me the right of being
the Earl of Evesham; but methinks before many months I can, if I choose,
become its master."

"Be not too hasty in that matter," Sir Baldwin said. "You might capture
the castle with the aid of your outlaws; but you could scarcely hold it.
The prince has, ere now, with the aid of those faithful to him and his
foreign mercenaries, captured stronger holds than that of Evesham; and
if you turn his favorite out, you would have a swarm of hornets around
you such as the walls of Evesham could not keep out. It would therefore
be worse than useless for you to attempt what would be something like an
act of rebellion against Prince John's authority, and would give him
what now he has no excuse for, a ground for putting a price upon your
head--and cutting it off if he got the opportunity. You might now
present 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 traveled 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 roa