"
"I would rather go as a hostage myself."
"Nay, husband, that could hardly be. Who would then take care of your
castle? It is not a hard thing that the king asks, merely that I and the
children shall for a time live at his court as a proof that you, his
vassal, hold your castle for him. Even if the worst comes to the worst we
can but lose castle and land, as we must lose it now if I do not go. Nay,
my dear lord, do not wrinkle your brow, we cannot strive against the might
of France; and at present we must bow our heads and wait until the storm
has passed, and hope for better times. There may be an English war; ere
long Henry may again extend his frontiers, and you might again become a
vassal of England for these possessions of yours even as your fathers
were."
"I see that reason is on your side, Margaret, and yet I cannot bring
myself to like the plan."
"Nor do I like it, husband; yet I feel that it were a thousand times
better that I should be separated from you for a time than that we should
risk another siege. The last has cost us dear enough, another might take
you from me."
"Well, well, dear, I suppose you must have your way; indeed I do not see
that harm can possibly come to you, and it will at any rate ensure peace
for a time and enable us to repair our tenants' losses. I shall send over
a message at once to Sir Aylmer, and beg him to choose and send me another
fifty archers--with that reinforcement I could make head against any
attack save in the greatest force--for there is no saying how things may
go.
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