me back again to you, to nurse you and
my god-daughter into health to receive your husband again. Nay, have
no fears for him. They cannot hurt him. He has done nothing, and is a
Scottish subject beside. My son shall write to claim him," she
declared with such an assumed air of confidence that a shade of hope
crossed the pale face, and the fear for her child became the more
pressing of the two griefs.

"We will christen her at once," said Mary, turning to the nearest
attendant. "Bear a request from me to Sir Amias that his chaplain may
come at once and baptize my god-child."

Sir Amias was waiting in the gallery in very ill-humour at the Queen's
delay, which kept his supper waiting. Moreover, his party had a strong
dislike to private baptism, holding that the important point was the
public covenant made by responsible persons, and the notion of the
sponsorship of a Roman Catholic likewise shocked him. So he made
ungracious answer that he would have no baptism save in church before
the congregation, with true Protestant gossips.

"So saith he?" exclaimed Mary, when the reply was reported to her.
"Nay, my poor little one, thou shalt not be shut out of the Kingdom of
Heaven for his churlishness." And taking the infant on her knee, she
dipped her hand in the bowl of water that had been prepared for the
chaplain, and baptized it by her own name of Mary.

The existing Prayer-book had been made expressly to forbid lay baptism
and baptism by women, at the special desire of the reformers, and Sir
Amias was proportionately horrified, and told her it was an offence for
the Archbishop's court.

"Very like," said Mary. "Your Protestant courts love to slay both body
and soul. Will it please you to open my own chambers to me, sir?"

Sir Amias handed the key to one of her servants but she motioned him
aside.

"Those who put me forth must admit me," she said.

The door was opened by one of the gentlemen of the household, and they
entered. Every repository had been ransacked, every cabinet stood open
and empty, every drawer had been pulled out. Wearing apparel and the
like remained, but even this showed signs of having been tossed over
and roughly rearranged by masculine fingers.

Mary stood in the midst of the room, which had a strange air of
desolation, an angry light in her eyes, and her hands clasped tightly
one into the other. Paulett attempted some expression of regret for
the disarray, pleading his orders.