it, and it could not be long, in any
event, before it must come to an end. So it was agreed between them
that Lady Neville should accede to the great minister's proposal and
become his wife. In the mean time, until the period should arrive for
the consummation of the marriage, they were to renew and redouble
their intimacy with each other, taking, however, every possible
precaution to conceal their movements from the eyes of others.

So the duke's offer was accepted, and it was soon made known to all
the court that Lady Neville was his affianced bride.

[Sidenote: The duke becomes uneasy.]

Thus far Lady Neville had treated the duke with great reserve in her
accidental intercourse with him at the reunions of the court, but now,
since he was her accepted lover, he thought he might reasonably expect
a greater degree of cordiality in her demeanor toward him. But he
found no change. She continued as formal and reserved as ever.
Moreover, when he went to visit her, which he did sometimes several
times a day, she was very often not at home--much too often, he
thought. He went to the place where her domestics said she had gone in
such cases, but she was very seldom to be found. He soon came to the
conclusion that there was some strange mystery involved in the affair,
and he determined to adopt effectual measures for unraveling it.

[Sidenote: His spies.]

So he employed certain trusty persons who were in his service to watch
and see where Lady Neville went, and how she passed her time during
these unaccountable absences from home. For many days this watch was
continued, but no discoveries were made. The spies reported that they
could not keep upon the lady's track. In spite of their best exertions
she would contrive to elude them, and for several hours every day they
lost sight of her altogether. They saw enough, however, to satisfy
them that there was something wrong going on. What it was, however,
they could not discover, so shrewd and complete were the precautions
which Somerset and Lady Neville had taken to prevent detection.

[Sidenote: Discoveries.]

[Sidenote: The duke's perplexity.]

[Sidenote: His mode of reasoning.]

The Duke of Gloucester was for a time much perplexed to know what to
do, whether openly to quarrel with Lady Neville and refuse to
consummate the marriage, or to banish his suspicions and take her for
his wife. His love for her finally triumphed, and he resolved to
proceed with the marriage.