Years went by and La Fosse was suspicioned.  At the first smell of smoke, La Fosse fled.  No one knew whither.  He escaped, however, to the monastery upon Lord Cedric’s estates.  The sudden appearance of Mistress Penwick at the monastery was believed to be a direct answer to their prayers.  When, too, it was found without a doubt she was Sir John’s daughter, they felt she belonged to them to do with as they pleased, so all things were accomplished for the benefit of the only divine church.  Their rights in the New World were now being meddled with and this God-send was to give them, with her own hand, all right and title to the property in question.

Sir John had vaguely heard while in prison of Jean La Fosse’s duplicity, and at once sought to save his daughter from his hands by sending her to his old friend, Lord Cedric of Crandlemar.  He, angry at himself for being so duped, and heartbroken at his loss of property, knew of nothing else to do but call upon his Lordship for his child’s protection; yet he was too proud to tell him why these calamities had come upon him.  Indeed, any man would take him for a fool for so trusting another.  He had been ill when writing those letters.  He never expected to arise from bed again and thought ’twas best to say he was dying; ’twould perhaps touch Cedric’s heart as nothing else would!  Thus ended a document that was still incomplete, and his Lordship sat wondering and thinking.  This meant that the Catholics were exposing Katherine to the King’s pleasure.  She was being sent to him for a title—­a title that was to give them all her possessions.  And Buckingham held the clue that would save those lands or—­or her father—­if he were alive.  Aye, he should have all the money he asked; for the Catholics should not have their way.  “They shall not, by God, they shall not!”

“They shall not!” quoted Buckingham behind him.

CHAPTER XVIII

AT MONMOUTH’S VILLA

Lord Cedric looked about him.  He had heard no sound and was surprised and not well pleased that Buckingham had so caught him off his guard; for he now understood that the Duke was undoubtedly deriving some benefits from this fiendish plot, and the greater his perturbation the easier mark for his Grace.

“The maid proposes at all hazards to see the King.  Monmouth is as determined she shall not.  However, if she escapes the Duke, she will visit Whitehall and present her plea to his Majesty for his signature.  He is—­after seeing her—­not supposed to refuse her anything.  And not knowing the value of these lands will sign the paper, thereby giving the Catholics the property.  Then if he sees fit—­which of course he will—­will retain the beauty as a Maid of Honour.  If he should refuse the plea, she is to hand him a sealed paper, which will give him the knowledge that he has before him a hostage who wishes his signature to the willing of her property to her beloved Church.  They do not count on his putting two and two together and seeing their scheme.  They think he will be so infatuated, that ’twill be ‘aye, aye, aye,’ to her every look.  She only knows half the contents of the thing she presses ’neath the folds of her dress.”