Yet as time went on, and there were no signs of the restoration of the Religious Houses, Chris began to wonder again as to what was best for Margaret.  Perhaps until matters developed it would be well for her to have some friend in whom she could confide, even if only to relax the strain for a few weeks.  He went to his father one day in the autumn and laid his views before him.

Sir James nodded and seemed to understand.

“Do you think Mary would be of any service?”

Chris hesitated.

“Yes, sir, I think so—­but—­”

His father looked at him.

“It is a stranger I think that would help her more.  Perhaps another nun—?”

“My dear lad, I dare not ask another nun.  Your mother—­”

“I know,” said Chris.

“Well, I will think of it,” said the other.

A couple of days later Sir James took him aside after supper into his own private room.

“Chris,” he said, “I have been thinking of what you said.  And Mary shall certainly come here for Christmas, with Nick; but—­but there is someone else too I would like to ask.”

He looked at his son with an odd expression.

Chris could not imagine what this meant.

“It is Mistress Atherton,” went on the other.  “You see you know her a little—­at least you have seen her; and there is Ralph.  And from all that I have heard of her—­her friendship with Master More and the rest, I think she might be the very friend for poor Meg.  Do you think she would come, Chris?”

Chris was silent.  He could not yet fully dissociate the thought of Beatrice from the memory of the time when she had taken Ralph’s part.  Besides, was it possible to ask her under the circumstances?

“Then there was one more thing that I never told you;” went on his father, “there was no use in it.  But I went to see Mistress Atherton when she was betrothed to Ralph.  I saw her in London; and I think I may say we made friends.  And she has very few now; she keeps herself aloof.  Folks are afraid of her too.  I think it would be a kindness to her.  I could not understand how she could marry Ralph; and now that is explained.”

Chris was startled by this news.  His father had not breathed a word of it before.

“She made me promise,” went on Sir James, “to tell her if Ralph did anything unworthy.  It was after the first news had reached her of what the Visitors were doing.  And I told her, of course, about Rusper.  I think we owe her something.  And I think too from what I saw of her that she might make her way with your mother.”

“It might succeed,” said Chris doubtfully, “but it is surely difficult for her to come—­”

“I know—­yes—­with Ralph and her betrothal.  But if we can ask her, surely she can come.  I can tell her how much we need her.  I would send Meg to Great Keynes, if I dared, but I dare not.  It is not so safe there as here; she had best keep quiet.”