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"She's fit for nought save to sift flour and cleanse vessels when we have a-done with them. And she hasn't a decent kirtle, never name a hood. I wouldn't be seen in her company for forty shillings." "Saundrina's been at Father to put her forth," added Ricarda, "if he could but hear of some service in the country, where little plenishing were asked.
"Nay, Dame," said Perrote; "I myself heard you to say, the even afore Ricarda came, that it should give Phyllis a surprise to see her." If anything could have made Lady Foljambe more angry than she was, it was having it shown to her that she was in the wrong.
"But, Rica! that were to tell a lie." "Never a bit of it! Man can't tell a lie by holding his peace." "Nay, I am not so sure thereof as I would like. This I know, he may speak one by his life no lesser than his words." "Amphillis, if thou blurt out this to my Lady, I'll hate thee for ever and ever, Amen!" said Ricarda. "I must meditate thereon," was her cousin's answer.
The husband was provided by the mistress, along with the wedding-dress and the wedding-dinner; and the bride meekly accepted all three with becoming thankfulness or at least was expected to do so. The new chamberer, who came in Marabel's place, was named Ricarda; the girls were told this one evening at supper-time, and informed that she would arrive on the morrow.
"Why, Mistress Regina, the goldsmith's daughter, that counts herself worth us all, and would fain be a queen in the patty-shop, and cut us all out according to her will." "But, Ricarda, I reckoned Mistress Regina a full good and wise woman." "`Good and wise! She may soon be so. I hate goodness and wisdom. There's never a bit of jollity for her.
"But may we not go withal, Father?" said Ricarda. "Belike ye may, my maid. Bear in mind the gentlewoman looks to see Amphillis, not you, and make sure that she wist which is she. Then I see not wherefore ye may not go." Any one who had lived in Mr Altham's house from that day till the Thursday following would certainly have thought that Alexandra, not Amphillis, was the girl chosen to go.
She was even more angry than Perrote had anticipated, and much more than Amphillis expected. Ricarda was a good-for-nought, a hussy, a wicked wretch, and a near relative of Satan, while Amphillis was only a shade lighter in the blackness of her guilt.
"Indeed, Rica, I would not have told if I could have helped it and bidden true to my trust!" was the farewell of Amphillis. "O Phyllis, I wish I'd been as true as you, and then I should never have fallen in this trouble!" sobbed the humbled Ricarda. "I shouldn't have thought of it but for Saundrina. But there, I've been bad enough! I'll not lay blame to other folks.
"He reckons himself the blissfullest man under the sun," said Ricarda, as they rose from the table: "and he dare not say his soul is his own; not for no price man should pay him." Amphillis privately thought the bliss of a curious kind. "Phyllis!" said her cousin, suddenly, "hast learned to hold thy tongue?" "I count I am metely well learned therein, Rica."
And somehow, somewhere, and for some reason Amphillis pushed the question no further than this the thought of assisting, by her silence, in the ruin of Norman Hylton, seemed much harder to bear than the prospect of being hated by Ricarda Altham, even though it were for ever and ever. When these meditations had burned within her for a few seconds, Amphillis spoke.
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