with her father's horses as he himself, though he knew nothing of the
matter, it being always contrived that she should be out of sight when he
visited his hunters.

It so chanced that the horse he rode the oftenest was her favourite, and
many were the tempests of rage she fell into when she went to the stable
to play with the animal and did not find him in his stall, because his
master had ordered him out. At such times she would storm at the men in
the stable-yard and call them ill names for their impudence in letting
the beast go, which would cause them great merriment, as she knew nothing
of who the man was who had balked her, since she was, in truth, not so
much as conscious of her father's existence, never having seen or even
heard more of him than his name, which she in no manner connected with
herself.

"Could Sir Jeoffry himself but once see and hear her when she storms at
us and him, because he dares to ride his own beast," one of the older men
said once, in the midst of their laughter, "I swear he would burst forth
laughing and be taken with her impudent spirit, her temper is so like his
own. She is his own flesh and blood, and as full of hell-fire as he."

Upon this morning which proved eventful to her, she had gone to the
stables, as was her daily custom, and going into the stall where the big
black horse was wont to stand, she found it empty. Her spirit rose hot
within her in the moment. She clenched her fists, and began to stamp and
swear in such a manner as it would be scarce fitting to record.

"Where is he now?" she cried. "He is my own horse, and shall not be
ridden. Who is the man who takes him? Who? Who?"