Pointing to Grey Dick, at whom the officer looked doubtfully, Hugh asked
that he might accompany him, as he had much to do with the message.
After some argument they were led through various passages to a chamber,
at the door of which the officer wished to take away Dick's bow. But he
would not give it up.
"The bow and I do not part," he said, in his croaking voice, "for we are
husband and wife, and live and sleep together as the married should."
As Dick spoke the door was opened, and Prince Edward appeared.
"And do you eat together also, good fellow?" he asked, having overheard
the talk.
"Ay, sir, we feed full together," replied Dick grimly; "or so thought
some on Blythburgh Marsh a few days gone."
"I should like to hear that tale," said the Prince. "Meanwhile, since
both my father and I love archers, let him pass with his bow. Only keep
his arrows lest it should happen to grow hungry here."
Then they entered the chamber, led by the Prince. It was a fine place,
with a vaulted stone roof and windows of coloured glass, that looked
like the chancel of a church. Only at the head of it, where the altar
should have been, was a kind of dais. On this dais were set some
high-backed oaken chairs with many lanterns behind them in which burned
tapers that, together with a great wood fire, gave light to the chamber.
In one of these chairs sat a gracious lady, who was embroidering
something silken in a frame.
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