husband."

"Poor lady! tongues have been busy with her," said his father.

"How, sir?" asked Susan, amazed, "do you think her guiltless in the
matter?"

"I cannot tell," returned Richard. "All I know is that many who have
no mercy on her would change their minds if they beheld her patient
and kindly demeanour to all."

This was a sort of shock to Susan, as it seemed to her to prove the
truth of little Lady Talbot's words, that no one was proof against
Queen Mary's wiles; but she was happy in having her husband at home
once more, though, as he told her, he would be occupied most of each
alternate day at Sheffield, he and another relation having been
appointed "gentlemen porters," which meant that they were to wait in
a chamber at the foot of the stairs, and keep watch over whatever
went in or out of the apartments of the captive and her suite.

"And," said Richard, "who think you came to see me at Wingfield?
None other than Cuthbert Langston"

"Hath he left his merchandise at Hull?"

"Ay, so he saith. He would fain have had my good word to my lord for
a post in the household, as comptroller of accounts, clerk, or the
like. It seemed as though there were no office he would not take so
that he might hang about the neighbourhood of this queen."