ng hanging sleeves, a little behind the
fashion, but the more dignified, as she swept into the ball, and though
her heart beat desperately, holding her head stiff and high, and looking
every inch a princess, the shrewd Scotch lady behind her flattered
herself that the two Barons did look a little daunted by the bearing of
the creature they had caught.

The father, who had somewhat the look of an old fox, limped forward
with a less ungraceful bow than the son, who had more of the wolf. Some
greeting was mumbled, and the old man would have taken her hand to lead
her to the highest place at table, but she would not give it.

'I am no willing guest of yours, sir,' she said, perhaps alarmed at her
own boldness, but drawing herself up with great dignity. 'I desire to
know by what right my sister and I, king's daughters, on our way to King
Charles's Court, have thus been seized and detained?'

'We do not stickle as to rights here on the borders, Lady,' said the
elder Baron in bad French; 'it would be wiser to abate a little of that
outre-cuidance of yours, and listen to our terms.'

'A captive has no choice save to listen,' returned Eleanor; 'but as
to speaking of terms, my brothers-in-law, the Dauphin and the Duke of
Brittany, may have something to say to them.'

'Exactly so,' replied the old Baron, in a tone of some irony, which she
did not like. 'Now, Lady, our terms are these, but understand first that
all this affair is none of my seeking, but my son here has been backed
up in it by some whom'--on a grunt from Sir Rudiger--'there is no need
to name. He--the more fool he--has taken a fancy to your sister, though,
if all reports be true, she has nought but her royal blood, not so much
as a denier for a dowry nor as ransom for either of you. However, this I
will overlook, dead loss as it is to me and mine, and so your sister,
so soon as she recovers from her hurt, will become my son's wife, and
I will have you and your lady safely conducted without ransom to the
borders of Normandy or Brittany, as you may list.'

'And think you, sir,' returned Eleanor, quivering with indignation,
'that the daughter of a hundred kings is like to lower herself by
listening to the suit of a petty robber baron of the Marches?'

'I do not think! but I know that though I am a fool for giving in to my
son's madness, these are the only terms I propose; and if you, Lady, so
deal with her as to make her accept them, you are free without ransom t