"Yes," I answered. "I have no more place in these parts," and with that I fell a-weeping, and my kind friend wept with me.
We could not indulge our tears very long, however. There was too much to be done.
My lady professed to be ill at ease, and kept her chamber, and Mistress Curtis threw out vague hints of the sweating sickness, and kept all the maids at a distance.
All that day, I worked busily enough, packing my lady's most portable jewels in the smallest compass, and curiously reminded of the time when I prepared mine own for the flight to the old hall. I carried only bare necessary clothes for myself, besides my Bible and Psalter, and a little book of prayers, which had been Walter's.
There was some grand show going on, I forget what it was, but something connected with the new queen's doings. Already the mass was being sung every where. Gardiner and his companions were high in court favor, and poor Archbishop Cranmer, to whose gentle intercessions with her father, the queen had owed her life, was disgraced and confined. The Popish party now held their heads high, ay, and the highest were those who had made the greatest show of conforming in King Edward's days, and been the most ready to truckle to the humors of King Henry. Such was Gardiner himself, who made himself so conspicuous in putting down the religious houses, and his bulldog, Bonner.
As I said, there was a great show, and all the servants had leave to go and see it, save two or three whom we could trust. As soon as it was dark and all the house deserted, we put on our mantles and mufflers, and slipping out of the back entrance, hastened down to the river, where John Symonds had a boat in waiting. It was a dark night, and somewhat rough, which was all the better for our purpose.
Luckily we were all good sailors. We dropped down the river with the tide, and the morning found us at Gravesend, whence we purposed to embark. We staid there in great retirement and great anxiety for some days, lodging with the wife of our vessel's master, a woman of great goodness and charity, who gave us the best her house afforded. I don't think my mistress minded roughing it in the least—not half as much as Mistress Curtis did for her.
It was an anxious time, for though my mistress was well, she was just in that state of health when one never knows what will happen next, and as for any prudence in taking care of herself, it was not in her. She was as pleased as a child with seeing a way of life so unlike what she was used to. She was never tired of playing with the children, and must needs take the broom in her hand to see what sweeping was like, and so on, till Mistress Curtis lost patience and scolded her roundly, telling her that she was risking all our lives as well as her own, and bringing our kind hostess into danger.
She pouted a little, but her own sweet nature soon got the upper hand, and she confessed that Curtis was right, and promised amendment.
As for myself, all plans were alike to me. I knew my dear Katherine was safe in good hands. I had no ties—no, not even my husband's grave, for no one knew where he was buried, and my only thought now was when I should rejoin him, and meantime how I could best serve my dear mistress.