She was looking down at the fire again now, and did not speak for a moment.
“Master More said you were of the new school,” she said meditatively.
Ralph felt a curious thrill of exultation. Margaret was right then; this girl had been thinking about him.
“There is certainly a stirring,” he said; and his voice was a little restrained.
“Oh, I am not blind or deaf,” said the girl. “Of course, there is a stirring—but I wondered—”
Then Margaret came in with the candles.
Ralph went away that evening more excited than he liked. It seemed as if Mistress Roper’s words had set light to a fire ready laid, and he could perceive the warmth beginning to move about his heart and odd wavering lights flickering on his circumstances and business that had not been there before.
He received his first letter from Beatrice a few weeks later, and it threw him into a strait between his personal and official claims.
Cromwell at this time was exceedingly occupied with quelling the ardour of the House of Lords, who were requesting that the Holy Maid of Kent and her companions might have an opportunity of defending themselves before the Act of Attainder ordered by the King was passed against them; but he found time to tell his agent that trouble was impending over More and Fisher; and to request him to hand in any evidence that he might have against the former.