ThissternmeasureCedrichadadopted，inhopesthat，duringWilfred’sabsence，Rowenamightrelinquishherpreference，butinthishopehewasdisappointed；adisappointmentwhichmightbeattributedinparttothemodeinwhichhiswardhadbeeneducated。Cedric，towhomthenameofAlfredwasasthatofadeity，hadtreatedthesoleremainingscionofthatgreatmonarchwithadegreeofobservance，suchas，perhaps，wasinthosedaysscarcepaidtoanacknowledgedprincess。
Rowena’swillhadbeeninalmostallcasesalawtohishousehold；andCedrichimself，asifdeterminedthathersovereigntyshouldbefullyacknowledgedwithinthatlittlecircleatleast，seemedtotakeaprideinactingasthefirstofhersubjects。
Thustrainedintheexercisenotonlyoffreewill，butdespoticauthority，Rowenawas，byherpreviouseducation，disposedbothtoresistandtoresentanyattempttocontrolheraffections，ordisposeofherhandcontrarytoherinclinations，andtoassertherindependenceinacaseinwhicheventhosefemaleswhohavebeentraineduptoobedienceandsubjection，arenotinfrequentlyapttodisputetheauthorityofguardiansandparents。Theopinionswhichshefeltstrongly，sheavowedboldly；andCedric，whocouldnotfreehimselffromhishabitualdeferencetoheropinions，felttotallyatalosshowtoenforcehisauthorityofguardian。
Itwasinvainthatheattemptedtodazzleherwiththeprospectofavisionarythrone。Rowena，whopossessedstrongsense，neitherconsideredhisplanaspracticable，norasdesirable，sofarasshewasconcerned，couldithavebeenachieved。WithoutattemptingtoconcealheravowedpreferenceofWilfredofIvanhoe，shedeclaredthat，werethatfavouredknightoutofquestion，shewouldrathertakerefugeinaconvent，thanshareathronewithAthelstane，whom，havingalwaysdespised，shenowbegan，onaccountofthetroubleshereceivedonhisaccount，thoroughlytodetest。
Nevertheless，Cedric，whoseopinionsofwomen’sconstancywasfarfromstrong，persistedinusingeverymeansinhispowertobringabouttheproposedmatch，inwhichheconceivedhewasrenderinganimportantservicetotheSaxoncause。ThesuddenandromanticappearanceofhissoninthelistsatAshby，hehadjustlyregardedasalmostadeath’sblowtohishopes。Hispaternalaffection，itistrue，hadforaninstantgainedthevictoryoverprideandpatriotism；butbothhadreturnedinfullforce，andundertheirjointoperation，hewasnowbentuponmakingadeterminedeffortfortheunionofAthelstaneandRowena，togetherwithexpeditingthoseothermeasureswhichseemednecessarytoforwardtherestorationofSaxonindependence。