er book and needle, Master Underhill!"

"She will not alway be so," answered he. "Nor shall she be such long."

"And afore her standeth another," continued the doctor.

"Afore her standeth another," repeated Mr Underhill. "Nor shall any man
alive ever see me to do evil that good may come. But I scantly
signified all you would make me to say. I did but point to my Lady
Elizabeth's power with the King, not to her being one to stand in her
own power, which God long defend!"

Dr Thorpe shook his head in turn, but did not further explain himself.

"You have friends at Court," said John to Mr Underhill. "Which of these
ladies is commonly thought to stand best with the King her brother?"

"The Lady Elizabeth, by many a mile," answered he. "And to go by what I
hear from her tutor Mr Ascham, a fair and ready wit enough she hath.
The Lady Frances [Note 1] her daughters, likewise, be great with the
King, and are young damsels of right sweet nature and good learning, so
far as their young age may show the same."

"What say men of the King's wedding?" quoth Dr Thorpe. "Is it yet the
Queen of Scots?"

"The friends of my Lord Protector say 'tis a Princess of France; and his
foes will have it that had he not fallen too soon, it should have been--
the Lady Jane Seymour."

"What, my Lord Protector his daughter?" inquired Isoult.

"She," said Mr Underhill.

"That hath an ill look, an' it were so," remarked John, thoughtfully.

"`Less like than Paul's steeple to a dagger sheath,'" quoted Dr Thorpe,
who was rather fond of proverbs.

"Go to, Jack! we are all for ourselves in this world," responded Mr
Underhill philosophically. "As to like, it may be no more like than
chalk to cheese, and yet be in every man's mouth from Aldgate to the
Barbican. My Lord Protector is neither better nor worse than other men.
If you or I were in his shoes, we should do the like."

"I trust not, friend," said John, smiling.

"A rush for your trust!" laughed Mr Underhill. "I would not trust
either of us."

"But I would so!" said Isoult warmly. "Mr Underhill, you surely think
not that if Jack were Lord Protector, he should strive and plot for the
King to espouse our Kate?"

"Of course he would," said Underhill coolly. "And so would you."

"Never!" she cried.

"Well, I am sure I should. Think you I would not by my good will see my
Nan a queen?" answered he.

"With a reasonable chance of Tower Hill?" suggested Avery. "You and I