“She will not alway be so,” answered he. “Nor shall she be such long.”
“And afore her standeth another,” continued the doctor.
“Afore her standeth another,” repeated Mr Underhill. “Nor shall any man alive ever see me to do evil that good may come. But I scantly signified all you would make me to say. I did but point to my Lady Elizabeth’s power with the King, not to her being one to stand in her own power, which God long defend!”
Dr Thorpe shook his head in turn, but did not further explain himself.
“You have friends at Court,” said John to Mr Underhill. “Which of these ladies is commonly thought to stand best with the King her brother?”
“The Lady Elizabeth, by many a mile,” answered he. “And to go by what I hear from her tutor Mr Ascham, a fair and ready wit enough she hath. The Lady Frances (Note 1) her daughters, likewise, be great with the King, and are young damsels of right sweet nature and good learning, so far as their young age may show the same.”
“What say men of the King’s wedding?” quoth Dr Thorpe. “Is it yet the Queen of Scots?”
“The friends of my Lord Protector say ’tis a Princess of France; and his foes will have it that had he not fallen too soon, it should have been—the Lady Jane Seymour.”
“What, my Lord Protector his daughter?” inquired Isoult.
“She,” said Mr Underhill.