some way, and leaving the impression that others were of the party
that evening?"

That was a mistake, for it gave Mary an opportunity to retaliate: "The
best way to go around the truth, as you call it, is by a direct lie.
My lie was no worse than yours. But I did not stop to argue about such
matters. There is something else I wished to say. I want to tell you
that you have greatly pleased the king with the new dance. Now teach
him 'honor and ruff' and your fortune is made. He has had some Jews
and Lombards in of late to teach him new games at cards, but yours is
worth all of them." Then, somewhat hastily and irrelevantly, "I did
not dance the new dance with any other gentleman--but I suppose you
did not notice it," and she was gone before he could thank her.




_CHAPTER VI_

_A Rare Ride to Windsor_


The princess knew her royal brother. A man would receive quicker
reward for inventing an amusement or a gaudy costume for the king than
by winning him a battle. Later in life the high road to his favor was
in ridding him of his wife and helping him to a new one--a dangerous
way though, as Wolsey found to his sorrow when he sank his glory in
poor Anne Boleyn.

Brandon took the hint and managed to let it be known to his