At the foot of the stone stairs that led into the quadrangle she met
the black-robed, heavily hooded Sister Scholastica on her way to the
chapel. The old nun held out her arms. 'Safely returned, my child!
God be thanked! Art thou come to join thy thanksgiving with ours at
this hour of nones?'

'Nay, I am bound to break my fast with the Mother and Master
Bertram.'

'Ah! thou must needs be hungered! It is well! But do but utter thy
thanks to Him Who kept thee safe from the storm and from foul doers.'

Anne did not break away from the good Sister, but went as far as the
chapel porch, was touched with holy water, and bending her knee,
uttered in a low voice her 'Gratias ago,' then hastened across the
court to the refectory, where the Prioress received her with a laugh
and, 'So Sister Scholastica laid hands on thee; I thought I should
have to come and rescue thee ere the grouse grew cold.'

Bertram, as a courteous squire of dames, came forward bowing low, and
the party were soon seated at the board--literally a board, supported
upon trestles, only large enough to receive the Prioress, the squire
and the recovered girl, but daintily veiled in delicate white napery.

It was screened off from the rest of the refectory, where the few
Sisters had already had their morning's meal after Holy Communion;
and from it there was a slight barrier, on the other side of which
Bertram Selby ought to have been, but rules sat very lightly on the
Prioress Selby. Bertram was of kin to her, and she had no demur as
to admitting him to her private table. He was, in fact, a squire of