It was like enough that Brother Emmanuel had long been planning some such concealment for himself, and had made his plans cleverly and astutely.

Such was the prevailing opinion at Chad, and scarcely a member of the household but hoped and trusted his hiding place would not be detected, even though they did not know how seriously the fortunes of their master might be affected were the monk to be found hidden in his house.
They all loved Brother Emmanuel for his own sake, and hated the Lord of Mortimer.

And it was well known that that haughty baron was making common cause with the prior of Chadwater in this matter, doubtless in the hope of disgracing Sir Oliver in the eyes of the ecclesiastical powers.
So a general feeling of excitement and uncertainty prevailed during the early hours of the morning.

Sir Oliver and his wife strove to appear calm and tranquil, but inwardly they were consumed by anxiety.

They felt something very much approaching certainty that their own sons knew what had befallen the monk--probably his very hiding-place; and they were by no means certain that it might not be within the very precincts of Chad itself.