Humfrey was not the only one to remark them. Lady Shrewsbury nodded
once or twice to herself as one who had discovered what she sought,
and the next morning a mandate arrived at Bridgefield that Master
Richard and his wife should come to speak with my Lady Countess.

Richard and his son were out of reach, having joined a party of the
guests who had gone out hunting. Susan had to go alone, for she
wished to keep Cicely as much as possible out of her Ladyship's
sight, so she left the girl in charge of her keys, so that if father
brought home any of the hunters to the midday meal, tankards and
glasses might not be lacking.

The Countess's summons was to her own bower, a sort of dressing-room,
within her great state bed-room, and with a small glazed window
looking down into the great hall where her ladies sat at work, whence
she could on occasion call down orders or directions or reproofs.
Susan had known what it was to stand in dread of such a window at
Chatsworth or Hardwicke, whence shrill shrieks of objurgation,
followed sometimes by such missiles as pincushions, shoes, or combs.
However the window was now closed, and my Lady sat in her arm-chair,
as on a throne, a stool being set, to which she motioned her
kinswoman.

"So! Susan Talbot," she said, "I have sent for you to do you a good
turn, for you are mine own kinswoman of the Hardwicke blood, and have
ever been reasonably humble and dutiful towards me and my Lord."

Mrs. Talbot did not by any means view this speech as the insult it
would in these days appear to a lady of her birth and position, but