“Not credit,” said Richard; “the Prince was full of grief, more especially as they all disavowed the deed. But, brother, art thou excommunicate still?”
“Far from it, most pious Crusader. If seas of holy wells could assoil me, I should be pure enough. My sweet Isabel deemed that some such washing might bring back mine eyesight; and from one to another we wandered as my limbs could bear it. And at St. Winifred’s there was a priest who told us strange tales of the miracles wrought in the Mortimer household by my father’s severed hand; nay, that it had so worked on Lord Mortimer’s sister, that she had left the vanities of the world, and gone into a nunnery. He seemed so convinced of my father’s saintliness, and so honest a fellow, that Isabel insisted on unbosoming ourselves to him under seal of confession. No longer was the old nurse to be my mother and she my sister; and the good man made no difficulties, but absolved me, and wedded me to the truest, most loving wife that ever blessed a man bereft of all else.”
“And you begged! O Henry, the noble lady—”
“At first we had the knightly chain and spurs in which the monks had kindly pranked me up. Isabel too had worn a few jewels; but after all, a palmer need never hunger. My father always said no trade was so well paid as begging, under King Henry, and verily we found it so. She used at times to gather berries and thread them for chaplets to sell at the holy wells; but I trow sheer beggary throve better!”
“But wherefore? Even had pardon not been ready, Simon held out Kenilworth for months.”
Henry laughed his dry laugh.
“Simple boy, dost think I would trust Simon with an elder brother whose hand could no longer keep his head?”
“And my mother—”
“She had always hated the Mortimers, even when the contract was matter of policy. Would I have taken my sweet Isabel to abide her royal scorn, it might be incredulity of our marriage? Though for that matter it is more unimpeachable than her own! Nay, nay, out of ken and out of reach was our only security from our kin on either side, unless we desired that my head should follow my hand as a dainty dish for Countess Maud.”
“How could the lady brook it?”