Red Eve

rtain that the Frenchmen were so far away, rode across the moor to Blythburgh. At the manor-house they found the drawbridge up. The w

even the daughter of the house who ha

but such are his orders. Yet if you will bid

anded that his daughter was to be admitted, but that if Sir

you return with me?" ask

bad his humour? I'll go in and set my case before him, for after all he l

between sire and child. Enter then, for I am sure that the Saints and your own innoc

e approached the door she met several of the household leaving it with scared faces, who scarcely stayed to salute her. Among these were

as she had thought, in bed, but clad in a furred robe and standing by the hearth, on which bu

"I heard that you we

here grief strikes a man. Alone, too, since you and your fellow have done my only

the point of death and was prepared to plead with hi

sed words toward him that no knave would bear, let alone one better born than we are. Moreover, afterward once he spared his life, and Grey Dick, standing alone against a crowd, did but use

e with wrath. "If I choose a husband for you, by what right do you refuse him, saying that you love a D

k eyes glitter

irdle. "Yes, very ill, even though he were my own father. Look at me and say am I one to threaten? Ay, and before you answer

pa

ked Sir John, with some note of doubt in his voice. "What

race's presence. Well, you are ill and I am angered and together we are but as steel and flint, from the meeting of which comes fire that may burn us both. Therefore, since being better

tuary, would you, and the company of that old wizard, Andrew Arnold, thence to make a mock of me? Well, not

d met in the passage were still waiting

rd to fly to sanctuary. There lock her fast, feeding her with the bread and water of affliction to tame her proud spirit, and suffering none to go near her sa

m Eve's girdle and handed it to Sir John who threw it int

you go, or must

the eyes. Mad as he was with passion there

rained, quiet voice. "Oh! glad am I that

d round and add

will learn the truth and pay back coin for coin with interest a hundredfold. Now I'll go. Stand clear, knaves, and pray to God that never again may Red Eve cross

ay from her and the woman hid her face in her hands. But Sir John thundered threats and oaths at them, so that

r of oak locked and barred on the outer side, with a grille in it through which the poor wretch within could be observed. There was no wind

d and Jane Mell entered, bearing a loaf of bread an

aught else?

my chamber, and hood to match. Also water to wash me, for

m my lord your father," sai

," said Eve, "or leave it

, the water and some other things. Setting them down without

d slept as a child sleeps, for she was very strong of will and one who had always taught herself to make the best of evil fortune. When she woke the daws were cawing aro

visited him that night, for he looked old and very weary, so weary that she motioned to him to sit upon the stool.

"is your proud s

may kill my body, but my spirit is me, and that you will ne

ething of wonder and more

ourage comes from your mother, but she never had your shape and beauty. And now you are the

y father, that such treatment as I have met with at your hands of late would breed lo

of truth, "for the greatness of my House after I am gone, which will be soo

to an end. Do you desire also that your broad lands should go to patch a spendthrift Frenchman's cloak? But what matters your desire se

ll this mummer's talk, will you swear to me by our Saviour and on the welfare of your soul to break with Hugh d

o answer, but he held

nd Acour on you; that matter shall stand the chance of time and tide. Only while you li

ys ago before God's altar and His priest vowed mys

tool and walked, or, rat

for I'll give you no burial. As for this Hugh, I would

hese things would end, Eve felt that parting to be dreadful. Turning her face to the wall, for a while she wept, then, when the woman Mell came with her bread and water, wiped away h

had filled her that Hugh had come, or perchance Sir Andrew, with the Dunwich folk, but presently she remembered that this was foolish, since these would never have been admitted within the moat. So

arrayed herself in them, and braided her hair with the help of a silver mirror that was among the garments. A little later this woman appeared again, bearing not bread and w

tting tunic of velvet, long shoes that turned up at the toes and a cap in which was set a single nodding plume. She rose from her stool and set her back against the

hat when I was near to London I heard that danger awaited me there on account of certain false accusations, such danger that I must return again to Suffolk and seek a ship at some eastern port. Well, I came here last night, and learned that you were bac

ut as Eve made n

rt out, caused me to seek your father's leave to visit you an

and again ther

which, believe me, I pray you, it pains me to give, though the man was my riv

ords, but still made no answer

omas of Kessland, which they admitted boldly. Thereon his Grace, who was beside himself with rage, said that in a time of war, when every man was needed to fight the French, he was determined by a signal example to put a stop to the shedding of blood in these private feuds. So he ordered the merchant to the block, and his henchman, the archer, to the gallows, giving them but one hour to make their peace with God. Mor

t, and in his heart Acou

me to pray of you, the sword of death having cut all your oaths, that you will have pity on my love and take me as your husband, as is your father's wish and my heart's desire. Let not your young life be swallowed up in grief, but make it joyous in my company. I

spoke in a voice th

Cressi is not dead, who had a certain tale to tell of you to the King of England. Get you back to the Duke of Normandy and there ask the pri

as ashes. Thrice he strove to speak but could not

little later, "and now, lord, I think that you had better away to Fran

and for a third, although you may think it strange, I'm mad for her. I tell you she looked wondrous standing with her back against that wall, her marble face never w

!" he added with a ring of earnestness in his smooth voice, "let this Red Eve be. At bed or board she's no mate for you. Somet

at any rate. What! de Noyon, whom they call Danger of Dames, beaten b

me back with Edward's warrant in their pouch," answered the prie

t we manage nine stone

h a voice to scream with, hands to fight with, a brain to think with and friends who know her from here t

ways, and I pray you to hunt them out. Come, find me one, or stay here alone to explain affairs, first

e ground, and, having studied it a while without result, turned his be

know, lord, I am a master leech, and amongst other things have stud

?" queried Aco

and those who hate become enamoure

u made a mistake so that she hated me any more than she does at present, I know not what woul

twelve hours or so, plenty of time for you to be married, and afterward, when the grosser part of

, I'd rather that she loved me-well, as happy brides do. Still I put up wi

t to-morrow. Go see Sir John and tell him that the lady softens. Send men on to King's Lynn also to bid them have our ship prepared to sail the minute we appear, which with good fortune should be within forty-eight hours from now. Above all, forget not that I run g

one had told me three months gone that de Noyon would live to seek the aid of priests and potions to win a woman's f

was to lie to the father as he had lied to the daughter. Only in this

he be sure that his story was not true? How could she be sure that her lover did not, in fact, now lie dead at the headsman's hands? Such things often happened when kings were wroth and would not listen. Or perhaps Acour himself had found and murdered him, or hired other

it came, Mell explaining that she had been obliged to send for it to the farmsteading, as none drank milk in the manor-house. Being thirs

led a little as she left the chamb

nd thought that they were calling her to be free. Yes, and followed them readily enough, or so it seemed in her dream, followed them out of that hateful prison, for the bolts clanged behind her, down stairs and into the courtyard, where the sun's light almost blinded her and the fresh air struc