On the following afternoon, on reaching home, Ruth met him at the door with a puzzled expression in her eyes.
"Who do you think is in the parlour?" she questioned, with a touch of excitement in her voice.
"William Menire," he ventured, with a laugh.
"Then you are mistaken. William has gone to St. Hilary. But what do you say to the squire?"
"Sir John Hamblyn?"
She nodded.
"He's been waiting the best part of an hour."
For a moment he hesitated, then he strode past her into the house.
Sir John rose and bowed stiffly. Ralph closed the door behind him and waited for the squire to speak.
"I went down to the boat, hoping to catch you before you left Boulogne," Sir John began.