"Faith, I have been in the wrong!" cried Lord Darby, extending his hand frankly to Sir Osborne. "In the first place, pardon me, sir knight, for having insulted you; and next, let me say, that in regard to Lady Constance de Grey, I have no claim but that of kindred upon her affection, and none upon her hand. Farther, if you can show that your rank entitles you to such alliance, none will be happier than myself to aid you in your suit. Though, let me observe, without meaning offence, that the name of Sir Osborne Maurice is unknown to me, except as connected with the history of the last reign. And now, sir, having said thus much, doubtless you will explain to me how that ring came into your possession, and by what motives Lady Katrine Bulmer could be induced to confide her most private affairs to a gentleman who can be but an acquaintance of a month."
"Most willingly," replied the knight; and after detailing to Lord Darby the circumstances which we already know, he added: "The letter of which I speak is still in my possession, and if you will return with me to the house, I will deliver it to you, as I cannot doubt, from what you say, that the report of a marriage being in agitation between yourself and Lady Constance de Grey originated in some mistake."
"Faith, not a whit!" cried the earl; "the report is unhappily too true. The lord cardinal, whom we all know to be one degree greater than the greatest man in England, has laid his commands upon me to marry my cousin Constance, although both my heart and my honour are plighted to another, and has equally ordered my cousin to wed me, although her heart be, very like, fully as much given away as mine. However, never supposing we could think of disobeying, he has already sent to Rome for all those permissions and indulgences which are necessary for first cousins in such cases; and on my merely hinting in a sweet and dutiful manner, that it might be better to see first whether it pleased the lady, he replied, meekly, that it pleased him, and that it pleased the king, which was quite enough both for her and me."
This information did not convey the most pleasing sensations to Sir Osborne's heart, and in a moment there flashed through his mind a thousand vague but evil auguries. Danger to Constance herself, the ruin of his father's hopes, the final destruction of his house and family, and all the train of sorrows and of evils that might follow, if Wolsey were to discover his rash love, hurried before his eyes like the thronging phantoms of a painful dream, and clouded his brow with a deep shade of thoughtful melancholy.
"Fear not, Osborne Darnley," said Sir Cesar, seeing the gloomy look of the young knight. "This cardinal is great, but there is one greater than he, who beholds his pride, and shall break him like a reed. Nor in this thing shall his will be obeyed. Believe what I say to you, for it is true; I warned you once of coming dangers, and you doubted me; but the evils I foresaw fell upon your head. Doubt me not then now; but still I see fear sits upon your eyelids. Come, then, both of you with me, for in this both your destinies are linked for a time together. Spend with me one hour this night, and I will show you that which shall ease your hearts," and he turned towards the house, beckoning them to follow.
"I suppose, then, your lordship is satisfied," said Sir Osborne, taking up the scabbard of his sword, and replacing it with the weapon in his belt, as the astrologer moved away.
"I should be more satisfied," said Lord Darby, laying his hand on the knight's arm with a frank smile, "if you would confide in me. Indeed, I have no title to pry into your secrets," he added, "nor in those of Constance either, though I think she might have told me of this yesterday, when I made her a partaker of all mine. However, I cannot believe that the profound reverence in which all the duke's servants seem to hold you, can be excited by the unknown Sir Osborne Maurice. Besides, Sir Cesar called you but now Osborne Darnley. Can it be that I am speaking to the Lord Darnley, who from his feats at the court of the princess dowager, goes amongst us by the surname of the Knight of Burgundy?"[[8]]
"I shall not deny my name, Lord Darby," replied the knight. "I am, as you say, Lord Darnley; but as this has fallen into your knowledge by mere accident, I shall hold you bound in honour to forget it."
"Nay!" replied the earl. "I shall remember it--to render you, if possible, all service. But come, Darnley, as by a mistake we began bitter enemies, now let us end dear friends. I can aid you much, you can aid me much, and between us both surely we shall be able to break the trammels with which the cardinal enthrals us. We will put four young heads against one old one, and the world to nothing we shall win!"
There was a frankness in Lord Darby's manner that it was impossible to resist, and taking the hand he tendered him, the young adventurer met his offered friendship with equal candour. With the openness natural to youth, the plans of each were soon told, the sooner, indeed, that their future prospects and endeavours so greatly depended for success upon their sincere co-operation, and thus they sauntered back to the house, with very different feelings from those with which they had left it. Before they had arrived at the steps of the door, they had run through a thousand details, and were as much prepared to act together as if their acquaintance had been of many years' duration. No sooner did the young earl hear that his new friend had not yet been introduced to the king, than he at once proposed to be the person to do it, offering to call for him in his barge the next day but one, and convey him to the court at Greenwich, where he undertook to procure him a good reception.