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At last, the newness being gone, they left me in peace, and I, being settled safely in my corner, did set to work to watch the door.

Who should enter at that very moment but my Lord Denbeigh! He was wrapped in a long brown cloak, and wore a broad hat, unornamented by plume or buckle, pulled down over his eyes. He came and tossed himself into a chair near the fire, and sat there pondering upon the coals, with his legs out in front of him. Now, I have ever had a woman-weakness for a goodly leg in man, and the splendid limbs of Lord Denbeigh did witch me into a steadier gaze than that which civility doth permit. This by-and-by he did notice, and so spoke to me.

“At what art thou staring, ancient?” quoth he, not unkindly. So I told him, whereupon he laughed somewhat.

“Methinks thou art but a doting body,” he said, “and yet is thy face familiar. What now? Hast thou e’er met with me before?”

Then did I lie right roundly, being, to confess the truth, not a little afraid.

“Out on thee,” saith his lordship; “the truth is not in thee. I ne’er forget a face; how, then, shall I forget a face such as thine? Certes I have seen thee before. Wilt thou colt me?”

And again lied I–blackly, most abominably.

“As thou wilt,” quoth he; “but thy face is known to me, for all that.”

It was at this time that the door opened again, and there did enter a stripling, clad all in dark maroon velvet, wrapped also about with a long cloak, and having a velvet bonnet pulled down over his brows i’ th’ manner o’ Lord Denbeigh’s. One could see naught o’ his visage for the shadow from his head-gear. The revelers scarce noted his entrance, being far gone in drink, and some having departed, and others asleep. The lad came and stood near the fire, and I saw that he looked at Lord Denbeigh from under his drooping bonnet–the earl having withdrawn unto a table apart, with a glass of wine and some papers, and his sword across the table. Even as I looked the boy turned, and went over, and leaned on the table to finger the heavy sword. My heart was afraid within me, for there was a dark light in the eyes that flashed up at the youth from under Lord Denbeigh’s stern brows. I was nigh unto them, being but a stride or two apart, and so marked all that passed between them.

“By my troth,” quoth his lordship, “a valiant crack!”

“Meaning me?” quoth the lad, smiling.

“Ay, meaning thee, Sir Insolence. Dost thou know how to handle thine own sword, that thou handlest a stranger’s so freely?”

“Even so. But I meant not to vex thee. In truth, I am come to thee on an errand of life and death;” and as he spoke, he did doff his bonnet and toss it upon the table, and the firelight and candlelight did leap upon his fair curls, and as I saw his face it was the face of my lady. The earl did start half-way to his feet, and his face was first like fire and then like snow.

“Margaret!” he saith, back of his teeth, as ’twere.

And the lad smiled, leaning still upon the table.

“Nay; my sister is called so,” he said, “but my name is Robert, and I am the Lord of Amhurste and her brother. Haply she hath mentioned me unto your lordship.”

The earl stared as one who sees a ghost (though I believe not in them myself), and he saith, “Whence comest thou? All think that thou art dead.”

And the boy said,

“Nay, but I would not that any besides thee knew of my whereabouts. As to thee, I know more concerning thee even than my sister, and it is for her sake that I come to thee to-night.”

And my lord saith, “For her sake?”