Beatrice looked down in a slightly side-long way.
"I know what you are thinking," said Ralph, his tone a mixture of amusement and pride. She looked up silently.
"Yes I knew it was so," he went on, smiling straight at her. "You are wondering what in the world I know about Religious Houses. But I have a brother--"
A shadow went over her face; Ralph saw she did not like the allusion.
"Besides," he went on again, "they need intelligent men, not ecclesiastics, for this business."
"Well, you might call him an ecclesiastic; but you would scarcely guess it from himself. And no man could call him a partisan on that side."
"He would do better in one of his rectories, I should think," said Beatrice.
"Well, that is not my business," observed Ralph.
"Well, to ride round the country; examine the Religious, and make enquiries of the country folk."
Beatrice began to tap her foot very softly. Ralph glanced down at the bright buckle and smiled in spite of himself.
"I see," said Beatrice; and cast her eyes down again.
"You see too that I cannot withdraw," explained Ralph, a little distressed at her air. "It is part of my duty."
"And so long as I act justly, there is no harm done."
"No--wait," said the girl, "I do understand. If I cannot trust you, I had better never have known you. I do understand that I can trust you; though I cannot understand how you can do such work."
She raised her eyes slowly to his; and Ralph as he looked into them saw that she was perfectly sincere, and speaking without bitterness.
"Sweetheart," he said. "I could not have taken that from any but you; but I know that you are true, and mean no more nor less than your words. You do trust me?"
"Why, yes," said the girl; and smiled at him as he took her in his arms.
When she had gone again Ralph had a difficult quarter of an hour.
He knew that she trusted him, but was it not simply because she did not know? He sat and pondered the talk he had had with Cromwell and the Archbishop. Neither had expressly said that what was wanted was adverse testimony against the Religious Houses; but that, Ralph knew very well, was what was asked of him. They had talked a great deal about the corruptions that the Visitors would no doubt find, and Cranmer had told a story or two, with an appearance of great distress, of scandalous cases that had come under his own notice. Cromwell too had pointed out that such corruptions did incalculable evil; and that an immoral monk did far more harm in a countryside than his holy brethren could do of good. Both had said a word too about the luxury and riches to be found in the houses of those who professed poverty, and of the injury done to Christ's holy religion by such insincere pretences.