Lightfoot's boy came and said Stead Kenton was
shot dead at his house door, and then I was neither to have nor to
hold, but I ran off here like one distraught, for I never loved
anyone like you Stead."
"Pretty love!" said Patience. "Oh! if you think you love him, go and
let him be at peace."
"I do! I do!" cried the girl, quite unmanageable. "Only it made me
mad that he should heed an old chest and a musty parson more than me,
and so I took up with Dick, and he over persuaded me with his smooth
tongue that we would raise folk for the King."
Stead held out his hand.
"Oh! Stead, Stead, you are always kinder than Patience! You forgive
me, dear old Stead, do not you? And I'll tend you day and night, and
you shall not die, and I'll wed you, if you have nought but the shirt
to your back."
Patience felt nearly distracted at the notion of Emlyn there day and
night, but at that instant Goody Grace, who had been to her home in
preparation for spending the night in nursing, walked in.
"How now, mistress, what are you about here?"
"She wants to stay and tend him, and I don't know whether she has
come with her mistress's knowledge," sighed Patience.
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