Chapter Two.
The Silver and the Sable.
“‘We measure life by years and tears,’ he said;
‘We live a little; then life leaves us dead,
And the long grass grows greenly overhead.’”
While the party were still conversing, the post came in—always an important event at that day—and brought two letters for Isoult. The first was from Beatrice Dynham (fictitious persons), who had been her fellow bower-woman with the Duchess of Suffolk, and requested her old friend to remember her in the first week in May, when she was to marry Mr Vivian (a fictitious person), a gentleman of the late King’s household. She also informed her that the young Duke of Suffolk, a boy of eleven years, had been placed about the person of the young Sovereign, under the care of the Duke of Somerset. The second letter was from Crowe. Lady Ashley had arrived, and had tried hard to effect a truce between the contending parties, she hoped not entirely without good results. Lady Lisle had been obliged to sell two pieces of land from the Frithelstoke estate, called Choldysoke and Meryfield; and Philippa Basset sent Isoult word that it was well Meryfield was sold, seeing that all mirth had departed from them long ago.
“When shall my mistress your friend be wed, Mrs Avery?” very gravely inquired Jennifer Trevor, Isoult’s bower-woman.
“The first week in May,” repeated Isoult, referring to the letter.
“Ay, methought you read so much,” responded Jennifer, looking still more solemn.
“Come, out with your thought, Mrs Trevor,” said Tremayne; “for I do see plainly that you have one.”