Hankeford obeyed the intimation by separating them into two bands. Constance, Bertram, and Maude, he placed in the care of Elmingo Leget, an old servant of the Crown, with orders to conduct them direct to London, where Constance guessed that she at least was to undergo trial. The four young Mortimers he took into his own charge, but declined to say what he was going to do with them. The three officers of the Duke of York were desired to return to their master, the old Judge cynically adding that they could please themselves whether they told him of the recapture or not; while Maydeston was as cynically informed that Sir William saw no sufficient reason wherefore the King's Grace should be at the charges of his journey home, but that he might ride in the company if he listed to pay for the lodgings of his beast and his carcase. To which most elegant intimation Maydeston replied that he was ready to pay his own expenses without troubling his Majesty, and that he did prefer to keep his master company. So the little group of friends were parted, and Constance began her return journey to London as a prisoner of state. But what was happening at Cardiff? And where was the Earl of Kent? We shall see both in the next chapter. CHAPTER TEN. HOW THE ROSE WAS GRAFTED. "To drive the deer with hound and horne Earl Percy took his way; The child may rue that is unborne The hunting of that day." _Ballad of Chevy Chase_. "Willemina!" said the old Lady Le Despenser to her bower-maiden, "what horn was that I heard but now without?" "Shall I certify your Ladyship?" asked Willemina, rising and gathering together the embroidered quilt on which she was working. "Ay, child," said the Dowager; "so do." But when Willemina came back, she looked very important. "Madam, 'tis a sumner from my Lord's Grace of Canterbury, that beareth letter for Sir Ademar. Counteth your Ladyship that he shall be made bishop or the like?" "With Harry of Bolingbroke in the throne, and Thomas de Arundel bearing the mitre?" responded the old lady with a laugh. "Marry, my maid, that were a new thing." "Were it so, Madam?" asked Willemina innocently. "Truly, Sir Ademar is well defamed [has a good reputation] of all around here." "This is not the world, child!" said the Dowager. "'Tis more like--Well, Sir Ademar? Hath my Lord's Grace--_Jesu, pour ta pite_!" Ademar had walked quietly into the room, and placed a paper in the hands of the Dowager. It was a solemn writ of excommunication against Ademar de Milford, clerk in orders, and it was dated on the Sunday which had intervened between the marriage of Maude and that of Constance. All official acts of Ademar since that day were invalidated. Maude's marriage, therefore, was not affected, but Constance was no longer Countess of Kent.