known to have been
abortive. James had fallen into the hands of the faction most hostile
to her, and though his mother still clung with desperate hope to the
trust that he, at least, was labouring on her behalf, no one else
believed that he cared for anything but his own security, and even she
had been forced to perceive that her liberation was again adjourned.

"And what think you was her thought when she found that road closed
up?" said Sir Ralf. "Why, for her people! Her gentlewoman, Mrs.
Mowbray, hath, it seems, been long betrothed."

"Ay, to Gilbert Curll, the long-backed Scotch Secretary. They were to
be wed at Stirling so soon as she arrived there again."

"Yea; but when she read the letter that overthrew her hopes, what did
she say but that 'her servants must not grow gray-headed with waiting
till she was set free'! So she would have me make the case known to
Sir Parson, and we had them married in the parish church two days
since, they being both good Protestants."

"There is no doubt that her kindness of heart is true," said Richard.
"The poor folk at Sheffield and Ecclesfield will miss her plentiful
almsgiving."

"Some say it ought to be hindered, for that it is but a purchasing of
friends to her cause," said Sadler; "but I have not the heart to check
it, and what could these of the meaner sort do to our Queen's
prejudice? I take care that nothing goes among them that could hide a
billet, and that none of her people have private speech with them, so
no harm can ensue from her bounty."

A message here came that the Queen was ready to admit Mr. Talbot, and
Richard found himself in her presence chamber, a larger and finer room
than that in the lodge at Sheffield, and with splendid tapestry
hangings and plenishings; but the windows all looked into the inner
quadrangle, instead of on the expanse of park, and thus, as Mary said,
she felt more entirely the prisoner. This, however, was not
perceptible at the time, for the autumn evening had closed in; there
were two large fires burning, one at each end of the room, and tall
tapestry-covered screens and high-backed settles were arranged so as to
exclude the draughts around the hearth, where Mary reclined on a
couch-like chair. She looked ill, and though she brightened with her
sweet smile to welcome her guest, there were dark circles round her
eyes, and an air of dejection in her whole appearance. She held out
her hand graciously, as Richard approached