CHAPTER XXI.

The attempt on the convent.

Upon the following evening Cuthbert proceeded to Worcester.  He left his horse some little distance outside the town, and entered on foot.  Having no apprehension of an attack, he had left all his pieces of armor behind, and was in the quiet garb of a citizen.  Cnut attended him—­for that worthy follower considered himself as responsible that no harm of any sort should befall his young master.  The consequences of his own imprudence in the Tyrol were ever before his mind, and he determined that from henceforth there should be no want of care on his part.  He accompanied Cuthbert to within a short distance of the convent, and took up his position in the shade of a house, whence he could watch should any one appear to be observing Cuthbert’s entrance.

Upon ringing the bell Cuthbert told the porteress, as had been arranged, that he had called on a message from Dame Editha, and he was immediately ushered into the parlor of the convent, where, a minute or two later, he was joined by the lady abbess.  He had when young been frequently to the convent, and had always been kindly received.

“I am indeed glad to see you, Sir Cuthbert,” she said, “though I certainly should not have recognized the lad who used to come here with my cousin in the stalwart young knight I see before me.  You are indeed changed and improved.  Who would think that my gossip Editha’s son would come to be the Earl of Evesham!  The Lady Margaret is eager to see you; but I think that you exaggerate the dangers of her residence here.  I cannot think that even a minion of Prince John would dare to violate the sanctity of a convent.”

“I fear, good mother,” Cuthbert said, “that when ambition and greed are in one scale, reverence for the holy church will not weigh much in the other.  Had King Richard been killed upon his way home, or so long as nothing was heard of him, Sir Rudolph might have been content to allow matters to remain as they were, until at least Lady Margaret attained an age which would justify him in demanding that the espousal should be carried out.  But the news which has now positively been ascertained, that the king is in the hands of the emperor, and the knowledge that sooner or later his freedom will be obtained, will hasten the friends of the usurper to make the most of their advantage.  He knows that the king would at once upon his return annul the nomination of Sir Rudolph to the earldom which had previously been bestowed upon me.  But he may well think that if before that time he can secure in marriage the person of the late earl’s daughter, no small share of the domains may be allotted to him as her dowry, even if he be obliged to lay by his borrowed honors.  You will, unless I am greatly mistaken, hear from him before long.”

The abbess looked grave.