"I shall ne'er ask thee, Orige," returned Philippa, with a slightly contemptuous stress upon the pronoun. "I will talk with thine husband; I trust he will hear reason, though thou mayest not. And I could find good places enow for Clare; I have many friends in the Court. My Lady Dowager of Kent [Susan Bertie, the only daughter of Katherine Duchess of Suffolk] would work, I know, for Isoult Barry's granddaughter; and so would Beatrice Vivian [a fictitious person], Isoult's old comrade, that hath a daughter and a niece to boot in the Queen's chamber. And I dare say my Lady Scrope [Note 1] would do somewhat for me. Any way, I would assay it." "What, to have Clare in the Queen's Majesty's Court?" demanded Lady Enville, her eyes sparkling with interest and pleasure. "O Mistress Basset, could you not compass the same for Blanche?" "In the Court! By my troth, nay!" said Philippa heartily. "I would never set maid that I cared a pin for in Queen Bess's Court. Soothly, there _be_ good women there, but--And as for Blanche,--I will see her, Orige, ere I say aught. Blanche hath stole all thine heart, methinks-- so much as there was to steal." "But what meant you touching Clare, Mistress Basset?" "What meant I? Why, to have her with some worthy and well-conditioned dame of good degree, that should see her well bestowed. I would trust my Lady Dowager of Kent, forsooth, or my Lady Scrope--she is a good woman and a pleasant--or maybe--" "And my Lady Scrope is herself in the Court, I take it," said Lady Enville, pursuing her own train of thought, independent of that of Philippa. "Ay, and were therefore the less fitting," said Philippa coolly. "Take no thought thereabout, Orige; I will do nought till I have seen the maidens." "But, Mistress Basset! you would ne'er count that mine husband's word, that is not in very deed her father, should weigh against mine, that am her true and natural mother?" urged Lady Enville in an injured tone. "Thou art her natural mother, Orige, 'tis sooth," was the uncompromising answer: "but whether true or no, that will I not say. I rather think nay than yea. And if thine husband be better father unto the child than thou mother, he is the fitter to say what shall come of the maid. And I can alway reason with a man easilier than a woman. Women be geese, mostly!" With which reasonably plain indication of her sentiments, the old lady rose and took her leave. She would have no escort to the parsonage. She would come back and be introduced to Sir Thomas when she had seen the girls. And away she trudged, leaving Lady Enville in the undesirable situation of one who feels that a stronger will than his own is moulding his fate, and running counter to his inclinations.