As the Cardinal entered she knelt before him.
"Your blessing, father," she said.
Then she rose, and in his turn the Prelate knelt and kissed her hand.
She motioned him to a seat.
Behind her stood two ladies-in-waiting. Pointing to them the Queen said—
"Shall my ladies leave us? It shall be as you wish."
Pole hesitated for a moment.
He had a difficult and delicate cause to plead, he felt that he might be pitting the Queen against her husband if the Ambassador, on his part, failed to influence Philip.
"It may be advisable, your Majesty," he said, and thereupon the Queen motioned to the ladies to withdraw.
They were alone, and Reginald lifted up his heart to God for Divine guidance.