k watched with grave eyes, as he thought of his beloved
sovereign's desire to see his people thus practised in arms without
peril of feud and violence to one another.

Jean looked on, eager to see some of the Scots of their own escort
excel the English pock-puddings, but though Dandie and two or three
more contended, the habits were too unfamiliar for them to win any great
distinction, and George Douglas did not come forward; the competition
was not for men of gentle blood, and success would have brought him
forward in a manner it was desirable to avoid. There was a good deal of
merry talk between Jean and the hosts, enemies though she regarded
them. The Duke of York was evidently much struck with her beauty and
liveliness, and he asked Sir Patrick in private whether there were
any betrothal or contract in consequence of which he was taking her to
France.

'None,' said Sir Patrick, 'it is merely to be with her sister, the
Dauphiness.'

'Then,' said young Richard Nevil, who was standing by him, and seemed to
have instigated the question, 'there would be no hindrance supposing she
struck the King's fancy.'

'The King is contracted,' said Sir Patrick.

'Half contracted! but to the beggarly daughter of a Frenchman who calls
himself king of half-a-dozen realms without an acre in any of them. It
is not gone so far but that it might be thrown over if he had sense and
spirit not to be led by the nose by the Cardinal and Suffolk.'

'Hush-hush, Dick! this is dangerous matter,' said the Duke, and Sir
Patrick added--

'These ladies are nieces to the Cardinal.'

'That is well, and it would win the more readily consent--even though
Suffolk and his shameful peace were thrown over,' eagerly said the
future king-maker.

'Gloucester would be willing,' added the Duke. 'He loved the damsel's
father, and hateth the French alliance.'

'I spoke with her,' added Nevil, 'and, red-hot little Scot as she is,
she only lacks an English wedlock to make her as truly English, which
this wench of Anjou can never be.'

'She would give our meek King just the spring and force he needs,' said
the Duke; 'but thou wilt hold thy peace, Sir Knight, and let no whisper
reach the women-folk.'

This Sir Patrick readily promised. He was considerably tickled by the
idea of negotiating such an important affair for his young King and his
protegee, feeling that the benefit to Scotland might outweigh any qualms
as to the disappointment to the French alli