ock not together?'

'I think I blush most,' she said seriously.

He answered, 'You will be the better of a little colour,' and began
muffling his face with his cloak.

'See you, then,' his harsh voice commanded. 'You shall see their
Highnesses at Privy Seal's house on the Saturday; but they shall see
you at mine on the Tuesday. If you are good enough to serve the turn
of Privy Seal, you may be good enough to serve mine. The King listens
sometimes to the promptings of his women. I will teach you how you may
bring this man down and set me in his place.'

She reflected for a moment. 'I would well serve you,' she said. 'But I
do not believe this fable of the King, and I have no memory of
Italian.' She talked of being the Lady Mary's servant, or that she
must get her lady's leave.

His brows grew heavy, his eyes threatening and alarming beneath their
heavy lids.

'Be you faithful to me,' he thundered. Even his thin and delicate
hands seemed to menace her. 'Retain your obedience to your Faith. Your
duty is to that, and to no earthly lady before that.'

Her eyes were cast down, her lips did not move. He said, harshly, 'It
will go ill with you if it become known to Cromwell I have visited
you. Keep this matter secret as you love your liberty. I will send you
the words you shall say by a private bearer. After, maybe, his
Highness shall safeguard you, I admonishing him. But the Lady Mary
shall bid you obey me in all things.'

He opened the door and put his head out cautiously. Suddenly he drew
it back and said in Latin, 'Here is a spy.' He did not flinch, but
advanced into the corridor, keeping his back to the servitor whom
already Master Viridus had sent to keep her door. Gardiner fumbled in
his robes and pulled out his missal. He turned the pages over, and,
speaking in a feigned and squeaky voice, once more indicated to her
prayers against the visitations of fiends. Reading them aloud, he
interspersed the Latin of the missal with the phrases, 'You may pray
to God he have not seen my face. Be you very silent and secret, or you
are undone. I could in no wise save you from Cromwell unless the King
becomes your protector.' He finished in the vulgar tongue. 'I pray my
prayers with you may have availed to give you relief. But a simple
priest as myself is of small skill in these visitations. You should
have sent to some great Churchman or one of the worshipful bishops.'

'Good Father Henry, I thank you,' she answered, havin