were thought to be of her party had been attacked and slain, and I heard -"
and there he stopped.

"You heard rightly, good Giles, it is all true. A week after the slaying of
Mortimer a band of knights and men-at-arms arrived at our castle and
demanded admittance in the king's name. Sir Roland refused, for he had news
that many were taking up arms, but it was useless. The castle was attacked,
and after three days' fighting, was taken. Roland was killed, and I was
cast out with my child. Afterwards they repented that they had let me go,
and searched far and wide for me; but I was hidden in the cottage of a
woodcutter. They were too busy in hunting down others whom they proclaimed
to be enemies of the king, as they had wrongfully said of Roland, who had
but done his duty faithfully to Queen Isabella, and was assuredly no enemy
of her son, although he might well be opposed to the weak and indolent
king, his father. However, when the search relaxed I borrowed the cloak of
the good man's wife and set out for London, whither I have traveled on
foot, believing that you and Bertha would take me in and shelter me in my
great need."

"Aye, that will we willingly," Giles said. "Was not Bertha your nurse ? and
to whom should you come if not to her? But will it please you to mount the
stairs, for Bertha will not forgive me if I keep you talking down here.
What a joy it will be to her to see you again!"

So saying, Giles led the way to the apartment above. There was a scream of
surprise and joy from his wife, and then Giles quietly withdrew downstairs
again, leaving the women to cry in each other's arms.

A few days later Geoffrey Ward entered the shop of Giles Fletcher.