d on
the table.

"You see, mistress," he said, "it is as bad as it can be."

She handed back the paper to him; he slid out his spectacles, put them
on, and held the writing to the light.

"Here are the points, you see ..." he went on. "I have annotated them in
the margin. First, that Thomas FitzHerbert be released from Derby gaol
within three days from the leaving of Topcliffe for London, and that he
be no more troubled, neither in fines nor imprisonment; next, that he
have secured to him, so far as the laws shall permit, all his
inheritance from Sir Thomas, from his father, and from any other
bequests whether of his blood-relations or no; thirdly, that Topcliffe
do 'persecute to the death'"--(the lawyer paused, cast a glance at the
downcast face of the girl) "'--do persecute to the death' his uncle Sir
Thomas, his father John, and William Bassett his kinsman; and, in return
for all this, Thomas FitzHerbert shall become her Grace's sworn
servant--that is, Mistress Manners, her Grace's spy, pursuivant,
informer and what-not--and that he shall grant and secure to Richard
Topcliffe, Esquire, and to his heirs for ever, 'the manors of Over
Padley and Nether Padley, on the Derwent, with six messuages, two
cottages, ten gardens, ten orchards, a thousand acres of land, five
hundred acres of meadow-land, six hundred acres of pasture, three
hundred acres of wood, a thousand acres of furze and heath, in Padley,
Grindleford and Lyham, in the parish of Hathersage, in consideration of
eight hundred marks of silver, to be paid to Thomas FitzHerbert,
Esquire, etc.'"

The lawyer put the paper down, and pushed his spectacles on to his
forehead.

"That is a legal instrument?" asked the girl quietly, still with
downcast eyes.

"It is not yet fully completed, but it is signed and witnessed. It can
become a legal instrument by Topcliffe's act; and it would pass
muster--"

"It is signed by Mr. Thomas?"

He nodded.

She was silent again. He began to tell her of how he had obtained it,
and of George's subtlety and good fortune; but she seemed to pay no
attention. She sat perfectly still. When he had ended, she spoke again.

"A sworn servant of her Grace--" she began.

"Topcliffe is a sworn servant of her Grace," he said bitterly; "you may
judge by that what Thomas FitzHerbert hath become."

"We shall have his hand, too, against us all, then?"

"Yes, mistress; and, what is worse, this paper I take it--" (he tapped
it) "this pa