'True. Our dear England.'
'For which the late king did so much,' said the Earl of Pembroke. (Mistress Ellen whispered their names or I should never have known one from the other.) 'Strengthening the Protestant cause and abolishing Roman Catholicism from the land.'
'Yes, indeed,' assented Lady Jane.
'Before he died,' said the Duke of Northumberland, 'the king was in great concern that the Church should continue in the form and spirit in which it now is.' He paused, looking meaningly at my mistress.
If I had only prepared her mind, as I had been told to do, she would have understood, but, as it was, she looked startled and bewildered.
'Surely,' she said at length, seeing that they waited for her to speak, 'surely nothing can disturb our Church, which in its present form is so deeply rooted in the affections of all Protestant people?'
'Of all Protestants, yes,' said the Duke of Northumberland. 'But what of the Papists? You know, madam, there are many Papists in England who are waiting, longing, and watching for an opportunity to restore their creed and ritual to the whole land.'
'But they can never do that,' said Lady Jane. 'England would not tolerate it now.'
'Our late king,' continued the Duke of Northumberland solemnly, 'was well aware that if his sister, Princess Mary, who is a bigoted Papist, were to succeed to the throne, all his efforts for the established Church would be annulled and overthrown. Feeling this deeply, and knowing well what misery and woe would come upon his people if this happened, he took steps, whilst yet he was alive, to put aside his sisters, who had indeed been declared illegitimate by Act of Parliament, and secure the succession to one whose Protestantism is beyond dispute.' He paused.
Lady Jane started and looked at him with widely opened eyes. No word, however, escaped from her pale lips.