,
while Philip, slowly making his way back to the mainland, exclaimed, 'Ah
there's no chance now! Here comes demure Mistress Lucy, and she is the
worst mar-sport of all.'

A gentle girl of seventeen was drawing near, her fair delicately-tinted
complexion suiting well with her pale golden hair. It was a sweet face,
and was well set off by the sky-blue of the farthingale, which, with
her white lace coif and white ruff, gave her something the air of a
speedwell flower, more especially as her expression seemed to have
caught much of Cecily's air of self-restrained contentment. She held
a basketful of the orange pistils of crocuses, and at once seeing that
some riot had taken place, she said to the eldest little girl, 'Ah, Nan,
you had been safer gathering saffron with me.'

'Nay, brother Berry came and made all well,' said Annora; 'and he had
been shut up so long in the library that he must have been very glad to
get out.'

'And what came of it?' cried Philip. 'Are you to go and get yourself
unmarried?'

'Unmarried!' burst out the sisters Annora and Elizabeth.

'What, laughed Philip, 'you knew not that this is an ancient husband,
married years before your father and mother?'

'But, why? said Elizabeth, rather inclined to cry. 'What has poor Lucy
done that you should get yourself unmarried from her?'

There was a laugh from both brothers; but Berenger, seeing Lucy's
blushes, restrained himself, and said. 'Mine was not such good luck,
Bess, but they gave me a little French wife, younger than Dolly, and
saucier still; and as she seems to wish to be quit of me, why, I shall
be rid of her.'

'See there, Dolly,' said Philip, in a warning voice, 'that is the way
you'll be served if you do not mend your ways.'

'But I thought,' said Annora gravely, 'that people were married once for
all, and it could not be undone.'

'So said Aunt Cecily, but my Lord was proving to her out of all law
that a contract between such a couple of babes went for nought,' said
Berenger.

'And shall you, indeed, see Paris, and all the braveries there?' asked
Philip. 'I thought my Lord would never have trusted you out of his
sight.'

'And now it is to be only with Mr. Adderley,' said Berenger; 'but there
will be rare doings to be seen at this royal wedding, and maybe I shall
break a lance there in your honour, Lucy.'

'And you'll bring me a French fan?' cried Bess.

'And me a pouncet-box?' added Annora.

'And me a French puppet dressed P