"
Now he paused, but as Eve made no answer went on:
"Pity for your lot, yes, and my love for you that eats my heart out,
caused me to seek your father's leave to visit you and see if perchance
I could not soften your wrath against me."
Again he paused and again there was no answer.
"Moreover," he added, "I have news for you which I fear you will think
sad and which, believe me, I pray you, it pains me to give, though the
man was my rival and my enemy. Hugh de Cressi, to whom you held yourself
affianced, is dead."
She quivered a little at the words, but still made no answer, for her
will was very strong.
"I had the story," he continued, "from two of his own men, whom we met
flying back to Dunwich from London. It seems that messengers from your
father reached the Court of the King before this Hugh, telling him of
the slaying in Blythburgh Marsh. Then came Hugh himself, whereon the
King seized him and his henchman, the archer, and at once put them
on their trial as the murderers of John Clavering, of my knights, and
Thomas of Kessland, which they admitted boldly. Thereon his Grace, who
was beside himself with rage, said that in a time of war, when every man
was needed to fight the French, he was determined by a signal example
to put a stop to the shedding of blood in these private feuds. So he
ordered the merchant to the block, and his henchman, the archer, to
the gallows, giving them but one hour to make their peace with God.
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