As soon as he had attended to the first most pressing duties that now developed upon him, Miles went to his sister's room, and was glad to hear that Cicely was fast asleep.
"Who is she, Miles?" asked Margery, in a whisper; "she says she is not married."
"No, dear, but I hope she will be to-morrow or the next day. That we are not married is because she wanted to go home and see her mother and father first; and if my father had lived I should have taken her on to London with all speed, and been married at the Church of St. Dunstan-in-the-West. Now, however, we must have a secret marriage performed in your room by my friend, Master John Clark, who is coming from Oxford with all speed for the purpose."
"Then she will really be your wife and my sister," said Margery, in a tone of satisfaction.
"Ah, you are glad, little sister," said Miles, in a tone of relief.
"I am glad it is not Audrey," whispered Margery.
"Why should you be glad of that? I have just heard from my mother that she greatly wished it."
"Oh, yes, to save the sheep being sold; but sheep are not everything, although wool is a good price. In the first place, the Church would not bless a marriage like that. I learned that from my confessor."
Miles took his sister's hand, and looked earnestly into her face. "Suppose the Church should refuse to bless this marriage, Margery," he said, in a whisper.
Margery shivered. "What do you mean, Miles?" she said, in a tone of horror. "Surely this girl has not been married—she looks almost a child?"