greeted by Sir Patrick Drummond and his sons, as were also her
sisters, with a grace and deference to their rank such as they
hardly ever received from the nobles, and whose very rarity made
Eleanor shy and uncomfortable, even while she was gratified and
accepted it as her due.

The Bishop inclined his head and gave them a kind smile; but
they had already seen him in the morning, as he was residing in
the castle. He was the most fatherly friend and kinsman the
young things knew, and though really their first cousin, they
looked to him like an uncle. He insisted on due ceremony with
them, though he had much difficulty in enforcing it, except with
those Scottish knights and nobles who, like Sir Patrick
Drummond, had served in France, and retained their French
breeding.

So Jean, hawk and all, had to be handed to her seat by Sir
Patrick as the guest, Eleanor by her brother, not without a
little fraternal pinch, and Mary by the Bishop, who answered
with a paternal caress to her murmured entreaty that she might
keep wee Andie on her lap and give him his brose.

It was not a sumptuous repast, the staple being a haggis, also
broth with chunks of meat and barleycorns floating in it, the
meat in strings by force of boiling. At the high table each
person had a bowl, either silver or wood, and each had a private
spoon, and a dagger to serve as knife, also a drinking-cup of
various materials, from the King's gold goblet downwards to
horns, and a bannock to eat with the brose. At the middle table
trenchers and bannocks served the purpose of plates; and at the