“I fear so, my boy; and Brother Emmanuel himself thinks that ill is meant him.  And it is better to seek safety in flight at the first hint of danger than to dally and delay, and perhaps find at last that it is too late to fly.  Thou, my son, wilt for this one day and night be left in charge of thy mother and thy home and all within it; for I must needs take with me Warbel and a score of our stoutest fellows, for the lonely road to the coast is none too safe for travellers of the better sort.  Be thou watchful and vigilant, and keep thine eyes and thine ears alike open.  Heed well that the gates be closed early, and that all be made safe, and let not Brother Emmanuel adventure himself without the walls.  Use all discretion and heed, and fare thee well.  I shall reach the coast tonight, and do my business with all speed, and be in the saddle again with the light of dawn, so thou mayest look to see us again before noon.”

And with a tender farewell to his wife, the knight mounted and rode away with his gallant little train; and the lady looked after him from the window, and said to Edred, who quickly came to her to learn more, if he could, of the words he had recently heard: 

“Now may the blessed saints and our Lord Himself be with him! for no braver and truer gentleman lives in the length and breadth of this land.  There be few, indeed, who would imperil their own safety rather than yield up one who is after all little more than a stranger.  Heaven send that he repent not this deed!  May God be with him in all his ways!”

“My mother,” said Edred cautiously, “is it that Brother Emmanuel is in sore peril?  He is so devout and faithful a son of the Church that it is hard to credit it.”

“In sooth, my son, these be matters hard to be understood; but thy father truly holds that he were safer out of this country and out of reach of the Prior of Chadwater and the Lord of Mortimer.  Men’s words can be turned and twisted till the best may be accused of heresy; and again, if a monk has fallen beneath the wrath of his superior, no man may tell what would befall were he to return to the power of his spiritual father.  Sure those holy men who founded the orders of godly recluses little dreamed what those places might become in time, and with the ever-increasing love of ease and wealth which seems implanted in the heart of man.

“Heaven pardon me if I speak or think amiss! but it is strange to hear and see what passes in the world.  But one must use all caution even in thought, and I would not have thee speak aught of this save in a whisper in thy brother’s ear, that he too may use all caution and discretion till we can find occasion to send Brother Emmanuel forth in safety.

“We have a week before us ere he will be summoned hence.  Strive that none shall suspect aught of difference or coming change.  Keep well the hours of study.  Give none occasion for remark.  For all we know, a spy may be in our midst; and at least any servant of ours might well be questioned by any of the monks of Chadwater, to whom he might go to confess, as to what was passing in the house, and see no hurt in answering questions.  Wherefore be very wise and discreet, and give none occasion for remark.