to give any suspicion that we are more to one another than
the caged bird and the bright linnet that comes to sing on the bars of
her cage. Only, child, thou must get from Master Talbot these tokens
that I hear of. Hast seen them?"

"Never, madam; indeed I knew not of them."

"I need them not to know thee for mine own, but it is not well that
they should be in stranger hands. Thou canst say--But hush, we must be
mum for the present."

For it became necessary to admit the Queen's morning draught of spiced
milk, borne in by one of her suite who had to remain uninitiated; and
from that moment no more confidences could be exchanged, until the time
that Cis had to leave the Queen's chamber to join the rest of the
household in the daily prayers offered in the chapel. Her dress and
hair had, according to promise, been carefully attended to, but she was
only finished and completed just in time to join her adopted parents on
the way down the stairs. She knelt in the hall for their blessing--an
action as regular and as mechanical as the morning kiss and greeting
now are between parent and child; but there was something in her face
that made Susan say to herself, "She knows all."

They could not speak to one another till not only matins but breakfast
were ended, and then--after the somewhat solid meal--the ladies had to
put on their out-of-door gear to attend Queen Mary in her daily
exercise. The dress was not much, high summer as it was, only a loose
veil over the stiff cap, and a fan in the gloved hand to act as
parasol. However the retirement gave Cicely an interval in which to
say, "O mother, she has told me," and as Susan sat holding out her
arms, the adopted child threw herself on her knees, hiding her face on
that bosom where she had found comfort all her life, and where, her
emotion at last finding full outlet, she sobbed without knowing why for
some moments, till she started nervously at the entrance of Richard,
saying, "The Queen is asking for you both. But how now? Is all told?"

"Ay," whispered his wife.

"So! And why these tears? Tell me, my maid, was not she good to thee?
Doth she seek to take thee into her own keeping?"

"Oh no, sir, no," said Cis, still kneeling against the motherly knee
and struggling with her sobs. "No one is to guess. I am to be Cicely
Talbot all the same, till better days come to her."

"The safer and the happier for thee, child. Here are two honest hearts
that will not c