said the King; 'it might have hindered the humanities; and
yet I needed you as much when I was glad as when all seemed like to
fail!'
'You had Patrick,' said Malcolm.
'Patrick's a tall and trusty fellow,' said the King, 'with a shrewd wit,
and like to be a right-hand man; but there's something in you, Malcolm,
that makes a man turn to you for fellow-feeling, even as to a wife.'
Nevertheless, the King and Patrick had grown much attached to each other,
though the latter, being no lover of books, had wearied sorely of the
sojourn at Windsor, which the King himself only found endurable by much
study and reflection. Their only variety had been keeping Christmas at
Hertford with Queen Catherine; 'sorry pastime,' as Drummond reported it
to him, though gladdened to the King by Joan Beaufort's presence, in all
her charms.
'The Demoiselle of Luxemburg was there too, statelier than ever,' said
James. 'She is now at Middleham Castle, with the Lady Montagu, and you
might make it your way northward, and lodge a night there. If you can
win her consent, it were well to be wedded when we are.'
'Never shall I, my lord. I should not dare even to speak of it.'
'It is well; but, Malcolm, you merit something from the damsel. You are
ten times the man you were when she flouted you. If women were not
mostly witless, you would be much to be preferred to any mere Ajax or
Fierabras; and if this damsel should have come to the wiser mind that it
were pity to be buried to the world--'
'Sir, I pray you say no more. I were forsworn to ask such a thing.'
'I bid you not, only I would I were there to see that all be not lost for
want of a word in season; and it is high time that something be done.
Here be letters from my Lord of Therouenne, demanding the performance of
the contract ere our return home.'
'He cannot reach her here,' said Malcolm.
'No; but his outcry can reach your honour; and it were ill to have such a
house as that of Luxemburg crying out upon you for breach of faith to
their daughter.'
Malcolm smiled. 'That I should heed little, Sir. I would fain bear
something for her.'
'Why, this is mere sublimated devoir, too fine for our gross
understandings,' said James, ironically. 'Mayhap the sight of the soft
roseate cheek may bring it somewhat down to poor human flesh and blood
once more.'
'Once I was tempted, Sir,' said Malcolm, blushing deeply; 'but did I not
know that her holiness is the guardian of her
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