And _Ned_ is not. We prayed the Lord to bring him safe from that last voyage to _Virginia_ that ever Sir _Humphrey Gilbert_ took; and He set him safe enough, but in better keeping than ours. For from that voyage came safe to _Falmouth_ all the ships save one, and that was the Admiral's own. They had crossed the _Atlantic_ through an awful storm, and the last seen of the Admiral was on the ix of _September_, Mdlxxxiii [1583], by them in the _Hind_: and when they saw him he was sat of the stern of his vessel, with his Bible open of his knees: and he was plainly heard to say,--"Courage, my men! Heaven is as near by water as by land." Then the mist closed again o'er the fleet, and they saw him no more. On the xxii of _September_ the fleet reached _Falmouth_: but when, and where, and how, Sir _Humphrey Gilbert_ and our _Ned_ went down, He knoweth unto whom the night is as clear as the day, and we shall know when the sea giveth up her dead. His young widow, our dear sister _Faith_, dwelleth with us at _Selwick_ Hall: and so doth their one child, little _Aubrey_, the darling of us all. I cannot choose but think never were two such sweetings as _Aubrey_ and his cousin _Lettice Murthwaite_. I am _Edith Louvaine_ yet. I know now that I was counted fairest of the sisters, and they looked for me to wed with confidence. I am not so fair now, and I shall never wed. Had things turned out other than they have, I will not say I might not have done it. There is no blame to any--not even to myself. It was of God's ordering, and least of all could I think to blame that. It is only--and I see no shame to tell it--that the man who was my one love never loved me, and is happy in the love of a better than I. Be it so: I am content. I had no love-story,--only a memory that is known to none but me, though it will never give mine heart leave to open his gates to any love again. Enough of that. It is all the better for our dear _Father_ and _Mother_ that they have one daughter left to them.