ime from
Brandon, but in her heart every day she was brought nearer to him.

There was one thing that troubled her greatly, and all the time. Henry
had given his word that Brandon should be liberated as soon as Mary
had left the shores of England, but we had heard nothing of this
matter, although we had received several letters from home. A doubt of
her brother, in whom she had little faith at best, made an ache at her
heart, which seemed at times likely to break it--so she said. One
night she dreamed that she had witnessed Brandon's execution, her
brother standing by in excellent humor at the prank he was playing
her, and it so worked upon her waking hours that by evening she was
ill. At last I received a letter from Brandon--which had been delayed
along the road--containing one for Mary. It told of his full pardon
and restoration to favor, greater even than before; and her joy was so
sweet and quiet, and yet so softly delirious, that I tell you plainly
it brought tears to my eyes and I could not hold them back.

The marriage, when once determined upon, had not cast her down nearly
so deep as I had expected, and soon she grew to be quite cheerful and
happy. This filled me with regret, for I thought of how Brandon must
suffer, and felt that her heart was a poor, flimsy thing to take this
trouble so lightly.

I spoke to Jane about it, but she only laughed. "Mary is all right,"
said she; "do not fear. Matters will turn out better than you think,
perhaps. You know she generally manages to have her own way in the
end."

"If you have any comfort to give, please give it, Jane. I feel most
keenly for Brandon, heart-tied to such a wilful, changeable creature
as Mary."

"Sir Edwin Caskoden, you need not take the trouble to speak to me at
all unless you can use language more respectful concerning my
mistress. The queen knows what she is about, but it appears that you
cannot see it. I see it plainly enough, although no word has ever been
spoken to me on the subject. As to Brandon being tied to her, it seems
to me she is tied to him, and that he holds the reins. He could drive
her into the mouth of purgatory."

"Do you think so?"

"I know it."

I remained in thought a moment or two, and concluded that she was
right. In truth, the time had come to me when I believed that Jane,
with her good sense and acute discernment, could not be wrong in
anything, and I think so yet. So I took comfort on faith from her, and
asked: "Do