How could he say that this was so, and yet
that he believed her wholly innocent of a crime which he detested? He
had dreaded this talk the instant that he had seen them in the hall and
heard their names.
But Mistress Alice would not be put off. She repeated what she had said.
Dick had come up from Dethick only that afternoon, and was now gone
again, so that he could not be questioned; but he had told his mistress
plainly that the story in Derby, brought in by couriers, was that
Parliament had consented and had passed sentence on her Grace; that her
Grace herself had received the news only the day before; but that the
warrant was not signed.
"And on what charge?" asked Robin desperately. Mistress Alice's voice
rang out proudly; but he saw her press the girl closer as she spoke.
"That she was privy to the plot which my ... my brother had a hand in."
Then Robin drew a breath and decided.
"It may be so," he said. "But I do not believe she was privy to it. I
spoke with her Grace at Chartley--"
There was a swift movement in the half circle.
"I spoke with her Grace at Chartley," he said. "I went to her under
guise of a herbalist: I heard her confession and gave her communion; and
she declared publicly, before two witnesses, after she had had
communion, that she was guiltless."
* * * * *
Robin was no story-teller; but for half an hour he was forced to become
one, until his hearers were satisfied.
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