ecious to him than gold."

"O mother, how can you ask?" said Cicely, dropping down, and hiding her
face in the Queen's lap.

"Then, Humfrey Talbot, I give her to thee, my child, my Bride of
Scotland. Thou wilt guard her, and shield her, and for thine own sake
as well as hers, save her from the wrath and jealousy of Elizabeth.
Hark, hark! Rise, my child. They are presenting arms. We shall have
Paulett in anon to convey my rere-supper."

They had only just time to compose themselves before Paulett came in,
looking, as they all thought, grimmer and more starched than ever, and
not well pleased to find Humfrey there, but the Queen was equal to the
occasion.

"Here is Dr. Bourgoin's list of the herbs that he needs to ease my
aches," she said. "Master Talbot is so good as to say that, being
properly instructed, he will go in search of them."

"They will not be needed," said Paulett, but he spoke no farther to the
Queen. Outside, however, he said to Humfrey, "Young man, you do not
well to waste the Sabbath evening in converse with that blinded woman;"
and meeting Mr. Talbot himself on the stair, he said, "You are going in
quest of your son, sir. You would do wisely to admonish him that he
will bring himself into suspicion, if not worse, by loitering amid the
snares and wiles of the woman whom wrath is even now overtaking."

Richard found his son pacing the gallery, almost choked with agitation,
and with the endeavour to conceal it from the two stolid, heavy yeomen
who dozed behind the screen. Not till he had reached the extreme end
did Humfrey master his voice enough to utter in his father's ear, "She
has given her to me!"

Richard could not answer for a moment, then he said, "I fear me it will
be thy ruin, Humfrey."

"Not ruin in love or faithfulness," said the youth. "Father, you know
I should everywhere have followed her and watched over her, even to the
death, even if she could never have been mine."

"I trow thou wouldst," said Richard.

"Nor would you have it otherwise--your child, your only daughter, to be
left unguarded."

"Nay, I know not that I would," said Richard. "I cannot but care for
the poor maid like mine own, and I would not have thee less
true-hearted, Humfrey, even though it cost thee thine home, and us our
eldest son."

"You have Diccon and Ned," said Humfrey. And then he told what had
passed, and his father observed that Beale had evidently no knowledge
of Cicely's conference wit