"And you, Miles?" said his sister, anxiously, but grasping the little hand that had been placed in hers.
"Oh, I will shift for myself. Where is Reuben?" he asked, looking round the wide hall, and wondering that his old servant did not come forward to proffer his services.
"Reuben has gone away," said Margery, in a lower tone. "Do not ask questions about anything just now. I will bid them set a meal."
"No, no; take Cicely away to your own room, for she is almost fainting with fatigue and hunger. I am strong, and can look after myself when I have seen my mother. Ah, there is her serving-woman—"; and Miles hurried across the hall at once, leaving his sister to take Cicely to her own rooms, and care for her out of the sight of the servants, who began to gather round to have a peep at the new mistress of Paton Hall, for they knew well enough that the present Lady Paton would not rule them much longer.
"How is my mother, Deborah?" asked Miles, as he hurried the middle-aged lady's maid towards his mother's room.
"Master Miles, she is very ill, and knows nothing of what has happened to Sir Thomas, and she must not be told."
"How long has she been ill?" asked Miles.
"It would be better to say, 'How long is it since she was well?'" said the serving-woman, in a solemn tone, as she shook her head and wiped her eyes. She did not hesitate to add that in her belief the new learning had just broken his mother's heart.
Miles looked at the woman in amazement. "What do you know about the new learning?" he said, sharply.
"Thank the Blessed Virgin I know nothing of such folly," said Deborah, "but I have heard the master say, many times of late, that all the troubles that had come upon the land were through this learning they taught at Oxford; so I hope, Master Miles, that now you have come you will leave all that has brought the trouble behind you in Oxford, for the land is well-nigh ruined now, and a little more will quite ruin us all. Father Boniface says it is all on account of the heresy they teach in the new books. So that you see Sir Thomas was not far wrong in what he thought about it."