"I will guard her from all evil. I will stand between her and harm and
wait. And thou must help me, Constance. Wilt thou persuade her?"

"Have I not always taken thy part, even--when thou wert in the wrong?"

When Cedric left Lady Constance, he sought Janet and poured into her
willing ears his woes. He feared lest some gallant should win his
Kate's love, and Janet must tell him of some way to win it for
himself.

Janet now loved Lord Cedric as if he were already Katherine's lord;
and she, knowing 'twould be one of the best matches in all England,
vowed 'twas best for them to marry at once; beside, Kate, being wilful
and having a tendency for men of foreign birth, with nothing in their
favour but a small share of good looks and some musical ability, might
see fit to plant her affections with such, and 'twas plain mischance
would kill Cedric outright, for he was passionate to self-destruction;
so when he said: "'Twould be instant death to me, Janet. What wouldst
thou advise me to do--thou dost so fully understand her?" she answered
him:

"'Tis somewhat the way with maidens to sigh for that not easily
attained, and it might serve thee to put forth an indifferent air and
incline thy attentions toward another and act a mighty cold lord and
coddle not her desires."

"That would take so long a time; I cannot wait. I will speak to her
once more, then I will be cold and indifferent as thou sayest. When
shall I have an opportunity to speak with her?"