e straits than that! Nay, I rode alone, and in my riding
dress of green. Arrived here, I changed, in mine own chamber, to these
marriage garments."

"In thine own chamber?" He looked at her, with bewildered eyes.
"Here--here, in thine own chamber, Mora?"

The mother in her thrilled with tenderness, as she bent and looked into
those bewildered eyes. For once, she felt older than he, and wiser.
The sense of inexperience fell from her. For very joy she laughed as
she made answer.

"Dear Heart," she said, "I could scarce come home unless I had a
chamber to which to come! Martin shewed me which had been thy
mother's, and daily in thine absence he and I rode over, and others
with us, bringing all things needful, thus making it ready, against thy
return."

"Ready?" he said. "Against my return?"

She laid her lips upon his hair.

"I hope it will please thee, my lord," she said. "Come and see."

She made for to rise, but with masterful hands he held her down. His
great strength must have some outlet, lest it should overmaster the
gentleness of his love. Also, perhaps, the primitive instincts of wild
warrior forefathers arose, of a sudden, within him.

"I must carry thee," he said. "Not a step thither shalt thou walk.
Thine own feet brought thee to the crypt; others bore thee thence. Thy
palfrey carried thee home; thy palfrey bore thee here. But to our
chamber, my wife, I carry thee, alone."

She would sooner have gone on her own feet; but her joy this day, was
to give him all he wished, and as he wished it.

As he bent above her, she slipped her arms around his neck. "Then
carry me, dear Heart," she said, "but do not let me fall."

He laughed; and as he swung her out of the seat, and strode across the
great hall to where the western glow still gleamed from the doorway of
his mother's chamber, she knew of a sudden, why he had wished to carry
her. His great strength gave him such easy mastery; helped her to feel
so wholly his.

On the threshold of the chamber he paused.

Bending his face to hers, he touched her lips with exceeding
gentleness. Then spoke in her ear, deep and low. "Say again what thou
didst say ten nights ago when we parted in the dawning, on the
battlements."

"I love thee," she whispered, and closed her eyes.

Then Hugh passed within.

CHAPTER LX

THE CONVENT BELL

The slanting rays of the setting sun lay, in golden bands, upon the
flags of the Convent cloister.

C