In his book Utopia, Thomas More wrote: "They were tortured and had to sell their possessions...... Displaced and separated from the home where they lived...... When they have spent all the money they earned from the sale of their land in their wandering life, they will have to steal and be hanged, or they will go from house to house begging for food. ”

The real-life Dorothy Hurt family and the thieves who were killed by Isabel at Fountain Abbey are northern peasants who have been deprived of their means of production. It's just that Dorothy, who is a woman and has lost her husband, can only wander around with her children and the elderly, struggling with hunger.

The able-bodied peasants, who had studied the art of archery, were certainly not willing to live such a miserable life of begging, so the men who had lost their land were forced to become thieves. Use your strength and bowing skills to snatch food and clothing for yourself that should be your own. However, they have one thing in common with Dorothy, a migrant woman, and her family: they cannot immediately become wage laborers in a handicraft workshop or village.

Of course, compared to the men who were forced to become thieves, Dorothy, with her elderly father and two children who lacked the ability to work, got what the strong men did not have: a charter for begging, which was stipulated in the decree issued by Henry VIII a few years earlier. Moreover, as long as she and her family do not refuse to work, I believe that Dorothy's family will live better on other people's land.

That's what Isabel had planned from the first time she saw Dorothy. At this moment, with Sir Augustine's consent, she nodded, "I think she and her family are willing to work." It's just that the two children ......"

Antonia didn't want to blame her daughter's kindness, but just shook her head and said, "Son, are the two children of this female exile a boy or a girl?" ”

"One boy, one girl. Mother, you might as well leave the girl by your side and do some embroidery for you. Boys can go to work in the stables first, and when they grow up, they will become a manor and a ward. ”

"Well, that's a good arrangement. I think you seemed to say that she still has an old father? ”

"Yes, Mother, old man... He had to be a night watchman or a gardener who pruned the flowers. ”

Sir Augustine glanced at his daughter, "So, what are you going to do with this outcast?" ”

"I want her to have the same education as Anne, so let her be my personal maid." When Isabel said this, she turned her face to look at Anne Cook behind her, "Anne is also grown up now, it's time to get married." ”

The maid Anne's face turned crimson, and she lowered her head and whispered, "Miss, I don't want to get married yet." ”

Isabel smiled slightly, "This day will come." ”

Before dinner began, Isabel said goodbye to her parents and walked in the direction of the kitchen. As she passed by the kitchen, she saw that it was full of busy figures. There were not only cooks, but also kitchen maids and dishwashers, and the butler stood in the open space on one side to supervise everyone's work.

At this time, Brooke, the butler, felt that there seemed to be someone on the left behind him, and when he looked back, he saw that it was Isabel, and hurriedly saluted, "Miss." ”

"Quiet!" Isabel spoke in a very small voice, and then pointed to the small dining room next door to the kitchen. Then, with a smile on his lips, he walked into the small dining room where the butlers, cooks, and servants were eating.

The housekeeper had previously warned Dorothy and her family that no one should leave the dining room without the permission of Sir Augustine and Miss Isabel, the daughter of Sir Augustine and Sir of the Manor. As a result, Dorothy's family remained in the dining room until Isabelle's arrival.

When Dorothy's father first saw her walk into the dining room, he hurriedly stood up and bowed, "Good day, honorable Miss Isabel." ”

Seeing her father stand up and greet her, Dorothy stood up and whispered to the two children sitting beside her, "Michael, Jane, you two salute Miss." ”

"Dorothy Hurt, let your family sit down." Isabel smiled and walked to the side of the table, pulled out a chair and sat down casually, and looked at Dorothy's father again, "Sir, if you want to show respect to me, just call me 'Miss Isabel'." Remember, you must not use the word 'honorable' in the future, you know? ”

How could the honest and simple old man of the country understand the correct use of the titles and titles that nobles and knights value very much, and hurriedly and obediently agreed, "Yes, Miss Isabel. ”

Dorothy's family sat on one side of the table in deep fear, looking very intently at Isabel who was sitting across from her. After glancing at the empty plates and wine glasses on the old dining table, she asked with a smile, "Dorothy, are you and your family satisfied with today's dinner?" ”

While Dorothy and her elderly father were thinking about how to answer, her eldest son, Michael, was the first to reply, "Miss, today's dinner is really delicious, my mother, sister, and grandfather and I have not eaten such delicious food for a long time." ”

"Really? I remember, I gave you and your family a lot, a lot of good food inside the monastery. So, what do you think are the foods that don't taste good? Isabel played with a dinner knife and joked with the little boy, Michael.

Dorothy's father immediately became serious, and scolded the eldest grandson, who did not understand human feelings, "Michael, don't be rude to Miss. ”

Dorothy had been in contact with Isabel at the convent, so she didn't think the other would reprimand her eldest son harshly. However, driven by the accustomed obedience to the nobles and the squire, he explained to the eldest son in humble terms: "Miss, please forgive my eldest son, he wants to say that the food today is better than the food eaten in the monastery.

"I'm joking, I don't have to reprimand him." Subsequently, Isabel planned to understand the attitude of Dorothy's family step by step, and her tone was still very gentle, "Dorothy, what do you and your family think of my father's estate?" ”

Dorothy's expression looked very excited, and even her tone of voice was much heavier than usual, "Miss, my family and I are very grateful to you for saving us, and you are also a very kind and generous noble lady. Your father's estate... I think it's a lot better than the manor in Yoman in our village. ”

"Can Yoman's family be compared to the knight's family?" Isabel was still looking at each other with a smile on her face, "So, would you and your family want to live here?" ”