"How come you
here, my lord? Methought you were under arrest at the guard-house."
"He was set free by my orders,"said the Duke of Richmond.
"First of all I must entreat your majesty to turn your resentment against
me," said the earl. "I am solely to blame, and I would not have the Lady
Anne suffer for my fault. I forced myself into her presence. She knew
not of my coming."
"And wherefore did you so, my lord?" demanded Henry sternly.
"Liberated from the guard-house at the Duke of Richmond's instance,
my liege, I came to entreat the Lady Anne to mediate between me and
your majesty, and to use her influence with your highness to have me
betrothed to the Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald."
"Is this so, madam? " asked the king.
Anne bowed her head.
"But why was the door barred? "demanded Henry, again frowning
suspiciously.
"I barred it myself," said Surrey, "and vowed that the Lady Anne should
not go forth till she had granted my request."
"By our lady you have placed yourself in peril, my lord," said Henry
sternly.
"Your majesty will bear in mind his youth," said the Duke of Norfolk
anxiously.
"For my sake overlook the indiscretion," cried the Duke of Richmond.
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