hat my father was in broken health and almost bedridden, and indeed,
though I did not know it for many years after, he died in Ditchingham
Church upon the very day that I received his letter. It was short and
sad, and in it he said that he sorrowed much that he had allowed me
to go upon my mission, since he should see me no more and could only
commend me to the care of the Almighty, and pray Him for my safe return.
As for Lily's letter, which, hearing that the 'Adventuress' was to sail
for Cadiz, she had found means to despatch secretly, though it was not
short it was sad also, and told me that so soon as my back was turned on
home, my brother Geoffrey had asked her in marriage from her father, and
that they pushed the matter strongly, so that her life was made a misery
to her, for my brother waylaid her everywhere, and her father did
not cease to revile her as an obstinate jade who would fling away her
fortune for the sake of a penniless wanderer.

'But,' it went on, 'be assured, sweetheart, that unless they marry me by
force, as they have threatened to do, I will not budge from my promise.
And, Thomas, should I be wedded thus against my will, I shall not be
a wife for long, for though I am strong I believe that I shall die of
shame and sorrow. It is hard that I should be thus tormented, and for
one reason only, that you are not rich. Still I have good hope that
things may better themselves, for I see that my brother Wilfred is
much inclined towards your sister Mary, and though he also urges this
marriage on me to-day, she is a friend to both of us and may be in
the way to make terms with him before she accepts his suit.' Then the
writing ended with many tender words and prayers for my safe return.

As for the letter from my sister Mary it was to the same purpose. As
yet, she said, she could do nothing for me with Lily Bozard, for my
brother Geoffrey was mad with love for her, my father was too ill
to meddle in the matter, and Squire Bozard was fiercely set upon the
marriage because of the lands that were at stake. Still, she hinted,
things might not always be so, as a time might come when she could speak
up for me and not in vain.

Now all this news gave me much cause for thought. More indeed, it awoke
in me a longing for home which was so strong that it grew almost to a
sickness. Her loving words and the perfume that hung about the letter
of my betrothed brought Lily back to me in such sort that my heart ached
with