Then he came to me, and in the same secretive manner said:-- "The queen has promised Dorothy our liberty." I was not at all sure that "our liberty" included me,--I greatly doubted it,--but I was glad for the sake of my friends, and, in truth, cared little for myself.
Dorothy went from our dungeon to the queen, and that afternoon, according to promise, Elizabeth gave orders for the release of John and his father.
Sir George, of course, was greatly chagrined when his enemies slipped from his grasp; but he dared not show his ill humor in the presence of the queen nor to any one who would be apt to enlighten her Majesty on the subject.
Dorothy did not know the hour when her lover would leave Haddon; but she sat patiently at her window till at last John and Lord Rutland appeared.
She called to Madge, telling her of the joyous event, and Madge, asked:-- "Is Malcolm with them ?" "No," replied Dorothy, "he has been left in the dungeon, where he deserves to remain." After a short pause, Madge said:-- "If John had acted toward the Scottish queen as Malcolm did, would you forgive him ?" "Yes, of course.

I would forgive him anything." "Then why shall we not forgive Malcolm ?" asked Madge.
"Because he is not John," was the absurd reply.
"No," said Madge, promptly; "but he is 'John' to me." "That is true," responded Dorothy, "and I will forgive him if you will." "I don't believe it makes much difference to Malcolm whether or not you forgive him," said Madge, who was provoked at Dorothy's condescending offer.

"My forgiveness, I hope, is what he desires." "That is true, Madge," replied Dorothy, laughingly; "but may not I, also, forgive him ?" "If you choose," responded Madge, quietly; "as for me, I know not what I wish to do." You remember that Dorothy during her visit to the dungeon spoke of Jennie Faxton.

The girl's name reached Sir George's ear through the listening-tube and she was at once brought in and put to the question.
Jennie, contrary to her wont, became frightened and told all she knew concerning John and Dorothy, including my part in their affairs.

In Sir George's mind, my bad faith to him was a greater crime than my treason to Elizabeth, and he at once went to the queen with his tale of woe.
Elizabeth, the most sentimental of women, had heard from Dorothy the story of her tempestuous love, and also of mine, and the queen was greatly interested in the situation.
I will try to be brief.
Through the influence of Dorothy and Madge, as I afterward learned, and by the help of a good word from Cecil, the queen was induced to order my liberation on condition that I should thenceforth reside in France.