as little as thou canst."

"Not to mother?" asked Cis.

"No, not to her, above all not to me, and, my girl, pray God daily to
keep thee true and loyal, and guard thee and the rest of us from
snares. Now have with thee. We may tarry no longer!"

All went as usual for the rest of the day, so that the last night was
like a dream, until it became plain that Cicely was again to share the
royal apartment.

"Ah, I have thirsted for this hour!" said Mary, holding out her arms
and drawing her daughter to her bosom. "Thou art a canny lassie, mine
ain wee thing. None could have guessed from thy bearing that there was
aught betwixt us."

"In sooth, madam," said the girl, "it seems that I am two maidens in
one--Cis Talbot by day, and Bride of Scotland by night."

"That is well! Be all Cis Talbot by day. When there is need to
dissemble, believe in thine own feigning. 'Tis for want of that art
that these clumsy Southrons make themselves but a laughing-stock
whenever they have a secret."

Cis did not understand the maxim, and submitted in silence to some
caresses before she said, "My father will give your Grace the tokens
when we return."

"Thy father, child?"

"I crave your pardon, madam, it comes too trippingly to my tongue thus
to term Master Talbot."

"So much the better. Thy tongue must not lose the trick. I did but
feel a moment's fear lest thou hadst not been guarded enough with
yonder sailor man, and had let him infer over much."

"O, surely, madam, you never meant me to withhold the truth from father
and mother," cried Cis, in astonishment and dismay.

"Tush! silly maid!" said the Queen, really angered. "Father and
mother, forsooth! Now shall we have a fresh coil! I should have known
better than to have trusted thy word."

"Never would I have given my word to deceive them," cried Cis, hotly.

"Lassie!" exclaimed Jean Kennedy, "ye forget to whom ye speak."

"Nay," said Mary, recovering herself, or rather seeing how best to
punish, "'tis the poor bairn who will be the sufferer. Our state
cannot be worse than it is already, save that I shall lose her
presence, but it pities me to think of her."

"The secret is safe with them," repeated Cis. "O madam, none are to be
trusted like them."

"Tell me not," said the Queen. "The sailor's blundering loyalty will
not suffer him to hold his tongue. I would lay my two lost crowns that
he is down on his honest knees before my Lord craving pardon for havin