he halted to brush away any trace of
dust that might offend the eye of his 'dainty Kate,' and gaily asked his
brother king if he were sufficiently pranked out for a lady's bower,
James, thinking he had never seen him so handsome, replied:

'Like a young bridegroom--nay, more like a young suitor.'

'You're jealous, Jamie--afraid of being outshone. 'Tis is your own
fault, man; none can ever tell whether you be in festal trim or not.'

For King James's taste was for sober, well-blending hues; and as he never
lapsed into Henry's carelessness, his state apparel was not very
apparently dissimilar from his ordinary dress, being generally of dark
rich crimson, blue, or russet, with the St. Andrew's cross in white silk
on his breast, or else the ruddy lion, but never conspicuously; and the
sombre hues always seemed particularly well to suit his auburn colouring.

Malcolm, in scarlet and gold, was a far gayer figure, and quite conscious
of the change in his own appearance--how much taller, ruddier, and
browner he had become; how much better he held himself both in riding and
walking; and how much awkwardness and embarrassment he had lost. No
wonder Esclairmonde had despised the sickly, timid, monkish school-boy;
and if she had then shown him any sort of grace or preference, what would
she think of the princely young squire he could new show her, who had
seen service, had proved his valour, and was only not a knight because of
King Henry's unkindness and King James's punctilio?--at any rate, no
child to be brow-beaten and silenced with folly about cloistral
dedication, but a youth who had taken his place in the world, and could
allege that his inspiration had come through her bright eyes.

Would she be there? That was the chief anxiety: for it was not certain
that either she or her mistress would risk themselves on the Continent;
and Catherine had given no intimation as to who would be in her suite--so
that, as Henry had merrily observed, he was the only one in the whole
party who was not in suspense, except indeed Salisbury, who had sent his
commands to his little daughter to come out with the Queen.

'She is come!' cried Henry. 'Beforehand with us, after all;' and he
spurred his horse on as he saw the banner raised, and the escort around
the gate; and in a few seconds more he and his companions had hurried
through the court, where the ladies had scarcely dismounted, and hastened
into the hall, breaking into the senescha