"That is it which I would know, Tom. Ne'er spake word, quotha? So much the better. Well! I reckon thou shalt be like to tell Orige; but leave her not persuade thee to the contrary course. Yet I think she is scarce like. A knighthood and Feversham Hall shall go down very sweetly with her." "But there is yet another matter, Rachel. Sir Piers maketh offer to set Jack in good place about the Court, for the which he saith he hath power. What sayest to that, trow?" "I say that Jack is safe to go to wrack some whither, and may be 'twere as well hence as hither." "It shall be mighty chargeable, I fear," said Sir Thomas thoughtfully. "Jack shall be that any whither." "Wouldst have me, then, say Ay to both offers?" "Nay, think well touching Jack first. I meant not that. Good sooth! I sorely misdoubt--" "Well, I will see what saith Orige unto both, and Jack and Lucrece to either." "If I be a prophet," answered Rachel, "one and all shall say, Ay." If that were the criterion, Rachel proved a prophet One and all did say ay. Lady Enville was enchanted with both schemes. Jack averred that life at home was a very humdrum kind of thing, and life might be worth having in London, and at Court. And Lucrece, in her demure style, softly declared that she was thankful for Sir Piers' goodness, and would gladly accept his offer, though she felt that her merits were not equal to the kind estimate which he had formed of her. "But, Lucrece," said her father gravely, "one told me that Arthur Tremayne had made suit unto thee." If he expected the mask to drop for an instant from the soft, regular features of Lucrece, he was sadly disappointed. Not a look, nor a gesture, showed that she felt either surprised or disconcerted. "'Tis true, Father. The poor lad did say some like words unto me. But I gave him no encouragement to seek you." "Thou wouldst have me to conceive, then, that thou art wholly free from any plight whatsoe'er unto Arthur?" "Wholly free, Father. I ne'er gave him to wit otherwise." Sir Thomas believed her; Rachel did not. The next thing, in the squire's honest eyes, was to let Arthur know that Lucrece was about to marry Sir Piers,--not directly, since Arthur himself had made no open declaration; but he proposed to go down to the parsonage, and mention the fact, as if incidentally, in Arthur's presence. He found Lucrece rather averse to this scheme. "It should but trouble the poor lad," she said. "Why not leave him discover the same as matters shall unfold them?" "Tom!" said Rachel to her brother apart, "go thou down, and tell Arthur the news. I am afeared Lucrece hath some cause, not over good, for wishing silence kept." "Good lack!" cried the worried Squire. "Wellnigh would I that every one of my childre had been a lad! These maidens be such changeable and chargeable gear, I verily wis not what to do withal."