and there it was that Mary asked her, "Well, mignonne, and how fares
it with thine ardent suitor? Didst say that he rode with thee?"

"As far as the Manor gates, madam."

"And what said he? Was he very pressing?"

'Nay, madam, I was ever with my father--Mr. Talbot."

"And he keeps the poor youth at arm's length. Thine other swain, the
sailor, his son, is gone off once more to rob the Spaniards, is he
not?--so there is the more open field."

"Ay! but not till he had taught Antony a lesson."

The Queen made Cis tell the story of the encounter, at which she was
much amused. "So my princess, even unknown, can make hearts beat and
swords ring for her. Well done! thou art worthy to be one of the
maids in Perceforest or Amadis de Gaul, who are bred in obscurity,
and set all the knights a sparring together. Tourneys are gone out
since my poor gude-father perished by mischance at one, or we would
set thee aloft to be contended for."

"O madame mere, it made me greatly afraid, and poor Humfrey had to go
off without leave-taking, my Lady Countess was so wrathful."

"So my Lady Countess is playing our game, is she! Backing Babington
and banishing Talbot? Ha, ha," and Mary again laughed with a
merriment that rejoiced the faithful ears of Jean Kennedy, under her
bedclothes, but somewhat vexed Cicely. "Indeed, madam mother," she