the curtains and coverlets of the mighty bed, and
the screens to be arranged for privacy. There were toilette vessels of
beautifully shaped and brightly polished brass, and on a silver salver
was a refection of manchet bread, comfits, dried cherries, and wine.

Sister Mabel explained that a lay-sister would be at hand, in case
anything was needed by the noble ladies, and then hurried away to
vespers.

Jean threw herself upon the cross-legged chair that stood nearest.

'A nunnery forsooth! Does our uncle trow that is what I came here for?
We have had enow of nunneries at home.'

'Oh, fie for shame, Jeanie!' cried Eleanor.

''Twas thou that saidst it,' returned Jean. 'Thou saidst thou hadst no
call to the veil, and gin my Lord trows that we shall thole to be shut
up here, he will find himself in the wrong.'

'Lassie, lassie,' exclaimed Lady Drummond, 'what ails ye? This is but a
lodging, and sic a braw chamber as ye hae scarce seen before. Would you
have your uncle lodge ye among all his priests and clerks? Scarce the
place for douce maidens, I trow.'

'Leddy of Glenuskie, ye're not sae sib to the bluid royal of Scotland as
to speak thus! Lassie indeed!'

Again Eleanor remonstrated. 'Jeanie, to speak thus to our gude
kinswoman!'

'I would have all about me ken their place, and what fits them,' said
the haughty young lady, partly out of ill-temper and disappointment,
partly in imitation of the demeanour of Duchess Cicely. 'As to the
Cardinal, I would have him bear in mind that we are a king's own
daughters, and he is at best but the grandson of a king! And if he deems
that he has a right to shut us up here out of sight of the King and
his court, lest we should cross his rule over his King and disturb his
French policy and craft, there are those that will gar him ken better!'

'Some one else will ken better,' quietly observed Dame Lilias. 'Gin ye
be no clean daft, Leddy Joanna, since naething else will serve ye, canna
ye see that to strive with the Cardinal is the worst gait to win his
favour with the King, gin that be what ye be set upon?'

'There be others that can deal with the King, forbye the Cardinal,' said
Jean, tossing her head.

Just then arrived a sister, sent by the Mother Prioress, to invite the
ladies to supper in her own apartments.

Her respectful manner so far pacified Jean's ill-humour that a civil
reply was returned; the young ladies bestirred themselves to make
preparations, though Jean gr