"If thou require it," answered Hugo, reluctantly.

"I do require it," said Lady De Aldithely, "and I thank thee for
yielding. Now go. Come not again to me until Robert Sadler be well sped
on his journey. Had I but known that he was treacherous and greedy of
gold, no matter how gained, he had never been admitted to these walls."

Obediently Hugo left the apartment and slowly descended the winding
stair. And almost at the small door of the stairway tower he found
Robert Sadler waiting for him. The traitor was growing impatient and
was now resolved to proceed more boldly. "Thou stayest long with her
ladyship," he began. "I had thought the sun would set or ever thou came
down the stair."

Hugo did not meet his glance. He was trying hard to conceal the sudden
aversion he had to the man-at-arms, the sudden desire he felt to look
him scornfully in the face, and then turn on his heel and leave him.
And he knew he must succeed in his effort or Josceline was lost.

Meanwhile the man-at-arms stole questioning glances at him. He could
see that the boy was not his usual self, but he did not guess the cause
of his changed manner. With his usual prying way he began:

"Thou hast been here now a fortnight and more. Perchance her ladyship
will be rid of thee. Was't of that she spake to thee?"

And now Hugo had sufficiently conquered himself so that he dared to
lift his eyes. Innocently he looked into the traitor's face. "We spake
of my uncle, the prior," he said.