'Nay? Though he holds himself like a lout untrained! Would that I
could have thee in hand, my son, to make thee meet to tread in thy
brave father's steps! But now, comrade of sheep thou art, and I fear
me thou wilt ever be! But that maid, I trust that she perceived
nothing in thy bearing or speech?'

'She will not betray whatever she perceived,' said Hal stoutly.

The wood was by this time nearly past, and the moment of parting had
come. The lady had decided on going on foot to the little grey stone
church whose low square tower could be seen rising like another rock.
Thither she could repair in her plaid, and by-and-by throw it off,
and return in her own character to the castle, as though she had gone
forth to worship there. When lifted off the shaggy pony she threw
her arms round Hal, kissed him passionately, and bade him never
breathe a word of it, but never to forget that a baron he was, and
bound to be a good brave knight, fit to avenge his father's death!

Hal came to understand from Dolly's explanations that his recent
abode had been on the estate of his grandfather, Baron de Vesci, at
Londesborough, but his mother had since married Sir Lancelot
Threlkeld, and had intimated that her boy should be removed thither
as soon as might be expedient, and therefore the house on the
Yorkshire moor had been broken up.




CHAPTER VI. A CAUTIOUS STEPFATHER