 rich, thou hast surely deserved it at my hand,
should my happy days ever come round again. Give it, I pray you, into Lord
Leicester's own hand, and mark how he looks on receiving it.«
    Wayland, on his part, readily undertook the commission, but anxiously prayed
the lady, in his turn, to partake of some refreshment; in which he at length
prevailed, more through importunity, and her desire to see him begone on his
errand, than from any inclination the Countess felt to comply with his request.
He then left her, advising her to lock her door on the inside, and not to stir
from her little apartment - and went to seek an opportunity of discharging her
errand, as well as of carrying into effect a purpose of his own, which
circumstances had induced him to form.
    In fact, from the conduct of the lady during the journey - her long fits of
profound silence - the irresolution and uncertainty which seemed to pervade all
her movements, and the obvious incapacity of thinking and acting for herself,
under which she seemed to labour, Wayland had formed the not improbable opinion,
that the difficulties of her situation had in some degree affected her
understanding.
    When she had escaped from the seclusion of Cumnor Place, and the dangers to
which she was there exposed, it would have seemed her most rational course to
retire to her father's, or elsewhere, at a distance from the power of those by
whom these dangers had been created. When, instead of doing so, she demanded to
be conveyed to Kenilworth, Wayland had been only able to account for her
conduct, by supposing that she meant to put herself under the tutelage of
Tressilian, and to appeal to the protection of the Queen. But now, instead of
following this natural course, she intrusted him with a letter to Leicester, the
patron of Varney, and within whose jurisdiction at least, if not under his
express authority, all the evils she had already suffered were inflicted upon
her. This seemed an unsafe and even a desperate measure, and Wayland felt
anxiety for his own safety, as well as that of the lady, should he execute her
commission before he had secured the advice and countenance of a protector. He
therefore resolved, before delivering the letter to Leicester, that he would
seek out Tressilian, and communicate to him the arrival of the lady at
Kenilworth, and thus at once rid himself of all farther responsibility, and
devolve the task of guiding and protecting this unfortunate lady upon the patron
who had at first employed him in her service.
