let it
not grieve thee. One thing thy mother can tell thee from her own
experience. There is more bliss in mating with our equals, by the
choice of others, than in following our own wild will. Thou gazest at
me in wonder, but verily my happy days were with my gentle young
king--and so will thine be, I pray the saints happier and more enduring
than ever were mine. Nothing has ever lasted with me but captivity, O
libera me."

And in the murmured repetition the mother fell asleep, and the
daughter, who had slumbered little the night before, could not but
likewise drop into the world of soothing oblivion, though with a dull
feeling of aching and yearning towards the friendly kindly Humfrey, yet
with a certain exultation in the fate that seemed to be carrying her on
inevitably beyond his reach.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE PEAK CAVERN.

It was quite true that at this period Queen Mary had good hope of
liberation in the most satisfactory manner possible--short of being
hailed as English Queen. Negotiations were actually on foot with James
VI. and Elizabeth for her release. James had written to her with his
own hand, and she had for the first time consented to give him the
title of King of Scotland. The project of her reigning jointly with
him had been mooted, and each party was showing how enormous a
condescension it would be in his or her eyes! Thus there was no great
unlikelihood that there would be a recognition of the Lady Bride, and
that she would take her position as the daughter of a queen.
Therefore, when Mary contrived to speak to Master Richard Talbot and
his wife in private, she was able to thank them with gracious
condescension for the care they had bestowed in rearing her daughter,
much as if she had voluntarily entrusted the maiden to them, saying she
trusted to be in condition to reward them.

Mistress Susan's heart swelled high with pain, as though she had been
thanked for her care of Humfrey or Diccon, and her husband answered.
"We seek no reward, madam. The damsel herself, while she was ours, was
reward enough."

"And I must still entreat, that of your goodness you will let her
remain yours for a little longer," said Mary, with a touch of imperious
grace, "until this treaty is over, and I am free, it is better that she
continues to pass for your daughter. The child herself has sworn to me
by her great gods," said Mary, smiling with complimentary grace, "that
you will preserve her secret--nay