Slowly, and with a step no louder than the beating of his own heart,
he went upwards, glancing in midway upon the banquet hall, where the
dim light from the postern without revealed a number of dark forms
wrapped in slumber lying on the dining-table and on the floor;
ascending yet higher he came to the floor where slept the Countess of
Douglas, the Lady Sybilla, and in the Earl's own chamber the Marshal
de Retz, ambassador of the King of France.

Sholto stood a moment with his hand raised in a listening attitude,
before he ventured to ascend those narrower stairs which led to the
uppermost floor of all, on which were the chambers occupied by the
little Maid Margaret and her companion and gossip Mistress Maud
Lindesay.

He told himself that it was his duty to see to the safety of the whole
castle; that he had special instructions to visit three times, during
the course of each night of duty, all the passages and corridors of
the fortress. But nevertheless it needed all his courage to enable
Sholto to perform the task which had been laid upon him. As he dragged
one foot after the other up the turret stairs, it seemed as if a
leaden clog had been attached to each pointed shoe.

He had also a vague sense of being watched by presences invisible to
him, but malign in their nature. Again and again he caught himself
listening for footsteps which seemed to dog his own. He heard
mysterious whisperings that flouted his utmost vigilance, and mocking
laughter that lurked in unseen crevices and broke out so soon as he
had passed.

Sholto set his hand firmly upon his sword handle and bit his lips,