He says that he should not wish to press the marriage until she attains the age of sixteen, but that it were well that his future wife should become accustomed to the outside world, so as to take her place as Castellan of Evesham with a dignity befitting the position.

I wrote at once to him saying that in another year it would, in my poor judgment, be quite time to think about such worldly matters; that at the present the Lady Margaret was receiving an education suitable to her rank; that she was happy here; and that unless constrained by force--of which, I said, I could not suppose that any possibility existed--I should not surrender the Lady Margaret into any hands whatsoever, unless, indeed, I received the commands of her lawful guardian, King Richard." "You said well, holy mother," Sir Cuthbert said.

"But you see the hawks scent the danger from afar, and are moving uneasily already.

Whether they consider it so pressing that they will dare to profane the convent, I know not.

But I am sure that should they do so, they will not hesitate a moment at the thought of the anger of the church.