he
Lady Margaret, who often entered into the diversions of her children,
was teaching her two boys to shoot at a target in the gallery above the
hall, with a miniature bow and arrows. Some of her maidens were present
looking on at the sport, and when either of the boys shot near the mark
they clapped their hands in applause, and exclaimed, "In good truth,
that was well aimed, my Lord Henry!" or "Bravely done, my Lord Richard!
It went within a hair's breadth." And so they went on laughing and
playing for a long while, one or other of the damsels, and sometimes the
lady herself, trying their skill, the two boys being highly delighted
with the sport, when they were suddenly interrupted by the sound of the
warder's horn, and in another moment the loud, heavy tramp of many
horses was heard.

"It is my lord returned!" cried Lady Margaret. "Now, heaven be praised.
Come with me, Henry, to the gate to meet your father; and you, Cicely,
bring down Richard. He must not say we are slow to bid him welcome."

The drawbridge had been let down, the castle-gates flung wide open, and
in a few minutes the hall was filled with a host of soldiers who had
returned with their lord from the wars. The noble chief responded
lovingly to the affectionate greetings of his lady and his boys, then
left the hall with them, whilst the seneschal collected all the chief
domestics and their servitors to make ready a banquet for the unexpected
guests. A sumptuous feast was speedily prepared, and Lord Clifford,
with the Lady Margaret and his son Henry, dined in state that day--it
was for the last time--in Brougham Castle.

The joy occasioned by his return was but short-lived, for it was quickly
known that he was to depart again on the morrow, and much news was told
to the inmates of the castle by those who had newly arrived. It
appeared that the whole country was in a dreadful state. The king had
been made prisoner at the last battle, and the queen was now in the
northern counties with her son, the young prince Edward, endeavouring to
raise fresh forces. These were hard times for the poor country-people,
who suffered greatly from famine, as the soldiers were marching about in
all directions, pillaging and destroying wherever they came. Almost
every nobleman in England had joined either one side or the other, and
many men, who would much rather have stayed at home in peace with their
families, to work in the fields, or tend their flocks and herds