r Mrs. Jean," entreated Cicely, "hinder me not. If
I wait till I can ask her, I may lose my sole hope of speaking with
him. I know she would not be displeased, and it imports, indeed it
imports."

"Come, Mrs. Kennett," said the steward, who by no means shared his
master's sourness, "if it were a young gallant that craved to see thy
fair mistress, I could see why you should doubt, but being her father
and brother, there can surely be no objection."

"The young lady knows what I mean," said the old gentlewoman with great
dignity, "but if she will answer it to the Queen--"

"I will, I will," cried Cicely, whose colour had risen with eagerness,
and she was immediately marshalled by the steward beyond the door that
closed in the royal captive's suite of apartments to a gallery. At the
door of communication three yeomen were always placed under an officer.
Humfrey was one of those who took turns to command this guard, but he
was not now on duty. He was, however, standing beside his father
awaiting Cicely's coming.

Eagerly she moved up to Master Richard, bent her knee for his blessing,
and raised her face for his paternal kiss with the same fond gladness
as if she had been his daughter in truth. He took one hand, and
Humfrey the other, and they followed the steward, who had promised to
procure them a private interview, so difficult a matter, in the fulness
of the castle, that he had no place to offer them save the deep
embrasure of a great oriel window at the end of the gallery. They would
be seen there, but there was no fear of their being heard without their
own consent, and till the chapel bell rang for evening prayers and
sermon there would be no interruption. And as Cicely found herself
seated between Master Richard and the window, with Humfrey opposite,
she was sensible of a repose and bien etre she had not felt since she
quitted Bridgefield. She had already heard on the way that all was
well there, and that my Lord was not come, though named in the
commission as being Earl Marshal of England, sending his kinsman of
Bridgefield in his stead with letters of excuse.

"In sooth he cannot bear to come and sit in judgment on one he hath
known so long and closely," said Richard; "but he hath bidden me to
come hither and remain so as to bring him a full report of all."

"How doth my Lady Countess take that?" asked Humfrey.

"I question whether the Countess would let him go if he wished it. She
is altogether chang