s--"

Then she burst out crying again.

* * * * *

It was an hour before they could get the full tale out of her. They took
her upstairs and made her sit down, for already a couple of faces peeped
from the buttery, and the servants would have gathered in another five
minutes; and together they forced her to eat and drink something, for
she had not tasted food since her arrival at the inn yesterday; and so,
little by little, they drew the story out.

Mr. Thomas and his wife were actually on their way from Norbury when the
arrest had been made. Mr. Thomas had intended to pass a couple of nights
in Derby on various matters of the estates; and although, his wife said,
he had been somewhat silent and quiet since the warning had come to him
from Mr. Audrey, even he had thought it no danger to ride through Derby
on his way to Padley. He had sent a servant ahead to order rooms at the
inn for those two nights, and it was through that, it appeared, that the
news of his coming had reached the ears of the authorities. However that
was, and whether the stroke had been actually determined upon long
before, or had been suddenly decided upon at the news of his coming, it
fell out that, as the husband and wife were actually within sight of
Derby, on turning a corner they had found themselves surrounded by men
on horses, plainly gathered there for the purpose, with a magistrate in
the midst. Their names had been demanded, and, upon Mr. Thomas'
hesitation, they had been told that their names were well known, and a
warrant was produced, on a charge of recusancy and of aiding her Grace's
enemies, drawn out against Thomas FitzHerbert, and he had been placed
under arrest. Further, Mrs. FitzHerbert had been told she must not enter
the town with the party, but must go either before them or after them,
which she pleased. She had chosen to go first, and had been at the
windows of the inn in time to see her husband go by. There had been no
confusion, she said; the townsfolk appeared to know nothing of what was
happening until Mr. Thomas was safely lodged in the ward.

Then she burst out crying again, lamenting the horrible state of the
prison, as it had been described to her, and demanding to know where
God's justice was in allowing His faithful servants to be so tormented
and harried....

* * * * *

Marjorie watched her closely. She had met her once at Babington House,
when she