"If the Duke of Bedford himself came on board," Lord Eustace said, "and
sent you some reinforcements, he must have thought highly of the action;
indeed he cannot but have done so, or he would not have come personally on
board. Did he speak to the king of it?"
"He did, and much more strongly, it seems to me, than the affair
warranted, for at the banquet the day before yesterday his majesty was
graciously pleased to appoint me a knight-banneret, and to bestow upon me
the estates of Penshurst, adding thereto the royal manors of Stoneham and
Piverley."
"A right royal gift!" Lord Eustace said, while exclamations of pleasure
broke from the others.
"I congratulate you on your new honour, which you have right worthily
earned. Sir John, you may well be proud of this son of yours."
"I am so, indeed," Sir John Aylmer said heartily. "I had hoped well of the
lad, but had not deemed that he would mount so rapidly. Sir Richard Fulk
had a fine estate, and joined now to the two manors it will be as large as
those of Summerley, even with its late additions."
"I am very glad," Dame Margaret said, "that the king has apportioned you
an estate so near us, for it is scarce fifteen miles to Penshurst, and it
will be but a morning ride for you to come hither."
"Methinks, wife," Lord Eustace said with a smile, "we were somewhat hasty
in that matter of Sir William Bailey, for had we but waited Agnes might
have done better.
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