risibles;--I wish we were upon the sea at this moment; if it were
possible I should have taken thee while thou wert in sleep; but nay,
I could not; for thou art a maiden grown and art plump and heavy with
all. If I had taken thee so, thou wouldst have wept anyway, perhaps;
for 'tis thy nature to have thy own way. 'Twould be a cross to thy
father could he see thee now. I doubt not 'twould turn the Scot's
bull-scaring face to ashen hues, 'tis possible--" Katherine's soft
rippling laugh interrupted her, and at its sound Janet leant and
kissed the maid's pink-palmed hands as they lay upon the coverlet,
and taking them within her own fondled them, saying,--"And thou
wilt surprise my lord and his friends by thy rare playing of the
clavichord, and 'tis possible so great and wealthy a man will own a
piano-forte of which we have heard so much; and mayhap thou will be
presented at Court, and in great London town thou mayest see many
musicians from France, for 'tis not improbable they are brought over
the channel at the instance of his Majesty. Is it not grand to think
of all these things, Lambkin?"

"Aye, 'tis glorious! But Janet, let me up and dress me--ah, it seems
an age until the morrow!"

'Twas with greater care than usual Janet made ready her Mistress. And
after sundry admonitions about cold corridors and draughts, opened the
door and watched her in silence as she passed through, and down the
hall to vespers. And when evening prayer was over and Katherine had
gone to say adieu, Janet began to pack the chests for their early
flight; her heart exultant, save for the sorrow of not seeing her
master again as she believed and having some little fear of the new
one she was about to encounter.