flower for the young lady, scabious and globe flowers, and once a
very pink wild rose, mingled with white ones. Lady Anne took them
with a meaning smile, and a merry gesture, as though she were going
to brush Hal's face with the petals. Hal laughed, and said, 'You
will make them shed.'

'Well and good, so the disputes be shed,' said Anne, with more
meaning than perhaps Hal understood. 'And the white overcomes the
red.'

'May be the red will have its way with spring--'

But there Hob looked round on them, and growled out, 'Have done with
that folly! What has a herd boy like thee to do with roses and
frippery? Come away from the lady's rein. Thou art over-held to
thrust thyself upon her.'

Nevertheless, as Hal fell back, the dark eyes shot a meaning glance
at him, and the party went on in silence, except that now and then
Hob launched at Hal an order that he endeavoured to render savagely
contemptuous and harsh, so that Lady Anne interfered to say, 'Nay,
the poor lad is doing no harm.'

'Scathe enough,' answered Hob. 'He always will be doing ill if he
can. Heed him not, lady, it only makes him the more malapert.'

'Malapert,' repeated Anne, not able to resist a little teasing of the
grim escort; 'that's scarce a word of the dales. 'Tis more like a
man-at-arms.'