“I will tell you what chanced in his absence.  You must know that your grandsire on your mother’s side had a kinsman, by name Peter Sanghurst, who had long cast covetous eyes upon Basildene.  He was next of kin after your mother, and he, as a male, claimed to call the property his.  He had failed to make good his claim by law; but so soon as he knew your mother to be alone in the house, he came down upon it with armed retainers and drove her forth ere she well knew what had befallen; and she, not knowing whither her lord had gone, nor how to find him, and being in sore danger from the malice of the wicked man who had wrested from her the inheritance, and would gladly have done her to death, knew not what better to do than to fly back here, leaving word for her lord where she was to be found; and thus it came that ere she had been gone from us a year, she returned in more desolate plight than at the first.”

Gaston’s face was full of fury, and Raymond’s hands were clenched in an access of rage.

“And what did our father then?  Sure he waged war with the vile usurper, and won back our mother’s lands for her!  Sure a De Brocas never rested quiet under so foul an insult!”

“My sons, your father had been taught patience in a hard school.  He returned to Basildene, not having seen either of his brothers, who were both absent on the King’s business, to find his wife fled, and the place in the firm grasp of the wily man, who well knew how to strengthen himself in the possession of ill-gotten gains.  His first care was for your mother’s safety, and he followed her hither before doing aught else.  When he found her safe with honest Jean and Margot, and when they had taken counsel together, he returned to England to see what could be done to regain the lost inheritance and the favour of his kinsmen who had been estranged.  You were babes of less than three summers when your father went away, and you never saw him more.”

“He did not come again?”

“Nay, he came no more, for all too soon a call which no man may disobey came for him, and he died before the year was out.”

“And had he accomplished naught?”

“So little that it must needs come to naught upon his death.  He sent a trusty messenger —­ one of his stout Gascon henchmen —­ over to us with all needful tidings.  But there was little of good to tell.  He had seen his brother, Sir John, the head of the family, and had been received not unkindly by him; but in the matter of the recovery of Basildene the knight had but shaken his head, and had said that the King had too many great matters on hand just then to have leisure to consider so small a petition as the one concerning a Manor of no repute or importance.  If Arnald had patience to wait, or to interest Prince John in the matter, something might in time be done; but Peter Sanghurst would strive to make good his claim by any means bad or good, and as he held possession it might be difficult indeed