But still the old tradition remained that all Trevlyns must of
necessity be rank Papists, and Nicholas had certainly done all he
could to encourage this idea, and had ruined himself by his
contumacious resistance to the laws. Both his brother and his
nephew had suffered through their close relationship to such an
unruly subject, and there had been dark days enough for the family
during the Armada scare, when every Papist became a mark for
popular hatred, and professions of loyalty and good faith were
regarded with distrust.

Now, however, the family seemed to have lived through its darkest
days. Peace had been made with men in high places. Sir Richard had
done good service to the State on more than one occasion; and
latterly he had felt sufficiently safe to retire from the
neighbourhood of the Court, where he had been holding some small
office, and settle down with his wife and family in his ancestral
home. His marriage with Lady Frances de Grey, the daughter of the
Earl of Andover, had given him excellent connections; for the
Andovers were stanch supporters of the Reformed faith, and had been
for several generations, so that they were high in favour, and able
to further the fortunes of their less lucky kinsman. It had taken
many years to work matters to a safe and happy conclusion, but at
the present moment there seemed to be no clouds in the sky.

The new King had been as gracious as it was in his nature to be to
Sir Richard, and did not appear to regard him with any suspicion.
The knight breathed freely again after a long period of anxiety,
for the tenacious memory and uncertain temper of the late Queen had
kept him in a constant ferment.