nd her skin as brown as ever.
But my little lady was as bright and slender as a sun-ray.

They would speak to me sometimes of Lord Radnor, and how that great
folks were saying great things of him, and how he was become a soldier
and a marvellous person altogether; but as the years went by they seemed
not so ready to talk o' him, only sometimes my little lady would pull
down my head as I smoothed the bedclothes over her at night, and quoth
she, "Nurse, dost think he will be much changed? My hair hath not
darkened much, hath it? Dost think his curls will be different from what
they were when he was a lad?" And I would have to tell her "No" a dozen
times ere she would let me go. But Mistress Marian said never a word.

One day I learned of my lady how that Lord Radnor was to return the next
week, and meseemed in truth the whole castle was waxed distraught.

It is not in my power to tell o' th' doings, but suffice it to say, my
lord did cozen them all, and come a full day ere he was expected.

When he came, Mistress Marian was standing i' th' great door o' th'
castle, in her hawking gown o' green velure cloth laced all with silver
cord; her plumed hat was on her curls, and her hawk, Beryl, on her fist.
And she turned and beheld him. Ne'er did I see verier light in earth or
sky, than flashed into her face as their eyes met. And he doffed his
hat, and came up beside her on the step, and saith, with the old laugh,
but gentler, "Well met, comrade."

Now when he called her "comrade," 'twas as when Jock did call me
"sweetheart" in the days o' our wooing. She went red as the ribbon in
his sleeves; and when the falcon fretted and shook its bells, he did put
out his hand and stroke it, and, lo! it was still, and seemed to feel
him as its master. And I wondered all this time where could be my little
lady.

To this day I have ne'er seen so handsome a man as the young lord. He
was tall and straight as an oak, with curls the color of frost-touched
oak-leaves i' th' sunlight, and eyes like the amber drink when men hold
it aloft ere quaffing, and his whole countenance bright and eager, and
narrow like that o' a fox, but without a fox's cunning. Then he seemed
fashioned to run, and ride, and war, as doth become all men, whether of
high or low estate.

Then went I within to inquire after my little lady; and Jock, who was
become a footman i' th' castle, did tell me of how he had seen her set
forth to walk i' th' park an hour gone. So s