The net result of his enquiries were that they both concluded it would be safer to get the book printed at one of the continental printing presses, for Miles learned quite accidentally that the Cardinal had a private emissary of his own among these workmen, and everything that went on at the works was reported to His Eminence, so that if the Testament was sent there to be printed he would hear of it in a few hours from this spy. There was little doubt that there was one also at the Temple Bar printer's, so that altogether it seemed inevitable that their treasure should be printed on the continent.
When there was a little leisure from his attendance upon the Cardinal, Miles with his father went by barge from Westminster to Greenwich to see Sir Harry Guildford and his family.
As he anticipated, Sir Harry Guildford was found in his room at the palace, and welcomed Sir Thomas, and spoke in warm commendation of Miles. But Sir Thomas was not so pleased about this; Miles was his son, and he had done all he could to make his father's visit to London pleasant, and also had used all the influence he possessed to further his business; but this was of small account to the old man, as he still refused to think of Lady Audrey as his future wife, and there was still the old grievance about the farms outstanding still, so that to Sir Harry's commendation Sir Thomas gave little more than a dissatisfied grunt.
When they reached the family mansion in the town, and the old man saw how warmly his offending son was welcomed by the girls and boys, as well as by Lady Guildford herself, he grew silent and grim once more. Of course he was elaborately polite to his hostess, and civil towards the young people, but Miles could see that it cost an effort, and he was not much surprised when, an hour later, his father declared that he must go back to Westminster at once.
"But, father, the rowers have scarce had time to rest after their long pull—and we must wait until the tide turns," said Miles, in a tone of expostulation.
They had come down in one of the Cardinal's private barges, and the men had gone to enjoy themselves at one of the alehouses in the neighbourhood of the river.
But the old man declared he must go back at once, and Miles was compelled to go in search of the boatmen, and ask them to have the barge in readiness the moment the tide turned. As he went back he met his father, to his great surprise, and once more he explained that they must wait a little longer—a half-an-hour at least—and so they might as well go back to Sir Harry Guildford's.
"You shall never enter that house again!" stormed the old man. Miles looked at him in dumb amazement, but as they were in the street, he drew him towards the park, where they could have their talk with fewer listeners passing.
Miles began to think his father had gone crazy on the subject of this marriage, for it seemed that Sir Thomas had discovered what Miles himself scarcely knew until the fact was stated to him. And then it seemed that the knowledge flooded over him, making him almost oblivious of what his father was saying, in the rush of joyful enlightenment that suddenly threatened to overwhelm him.
"This Cicely Guildford is no match for you," Sir Thomas was saying, when Miles stopped him with an imperative "Hush, father! You know not what you are saying."