"The while I am glad to see you thus well, sir. And how does the
good lady, your wife, and my sweet playfellow, your daughter?"

"Well, madam, I thank your Grace, and Cicely has presumed to send a
billet by mine hand."

"Ah! the dear bairnie," and all the Queen's consummate art could not
repress the smile of gladness and the movement of eager joy with
which she held out her hand for it, so that Richard regretted its
extreme brevity and unsatisfying nature, and Mary, recollecting
herself in a second, added, smiling at Sadler, "Mr. Talbot knows how
a poor prisoner must love the pretty playfellows that are lent to her
for a time."

Sir Ralf's presence hindered any more intimate conversation, and
Richard had certainly committed a solecism in giving Cicely's letter
the precedence over the Earl's. The Queen, however, had recalled her
caution, and inquired for the health of the Lord and Lady, and, with
a certain sarcasm on her lips, trusted that the peace of the family
was complete, and that they were once more setting Hallamshire the
example of living together as household doves.

Her hazel eyes meantime archly scanned the face of Richard, who could
not quite forget the very undovelike treatment he had received,
though he could and did sturdily aver that "my Lord and my Lady were
perfectly reconciled, and seemed most happy in their reunion."

"Well-a-day, let us trust that there will be no further disturbances
to their harmony," said Mary, "a prayer I may utter most sincerely.