THE MAIDENS
The next morning after Harleston had come unto my rooms I called at his
apartments to see how he did like the way that he had been placed. I
found him in the act of completing his toilet, and therefore, as he had
not broken his fast, I invited him to come and breakfast with me; which
invitation he did readily accept.
During our meal he asked me many questions as to the manner in which
people conducted themselves at court, to which questions I gave him
very complete answers, so that he might be able to manage without any
breach of etiquette, which thing to do, at Edward's court, was not so
easy as one might imagine.
"Now, in regard to your ladies," said he, "do they insist upon being
worshiped, as do the ones of France, or are they cold and chilling, as
are the fogs of mine almost forgotten native land?"
"Thou shalt have an opportunity for the satisfying of thyself as to
that same, to-day; for I am about to take thee with me to see two of
England's fairest primroses; the one, my cousin, Lady Mary Atherby, to
whose tender care I will leave thee, and the other, Lady Hazel
Woodville, to whose mercy I do entrust my soul--if she be pleased to
take the present at my hands."
"Do these ladies live at court?"
"Yes," I replied. "They are both ladies-in-waiting to the Queen. And
now, having done all the damage we can to the present repast, what dost
thou say to a stroll through the park, where we are like to meet the
ladies, and there satisfy thy curiosity as to their dispositions?"
"With all my heart," said he. "I have never been known to be elsewhere
than in the front rank in such an attack, though ever do I meet with a
repulse."
We then strolled forth into the park, and wandered through the walks,
among the grand old trees, for some time, without meeting anyone.
"I fear that we are not destined to fall in with the enemy," said
Harleston, after we had walked in silence for some time.
"Fear not," I replied; "we shall soon commence the encounter; for
there, unless mine eyes do deceive me, is the first sign of danger."
"Thou meanest that fair outpost yonder, where those two oaks do meet
above the path?"
"The same," I replied; "but it now looketh as though there are others
there before us."
While this conversation was going on we had gradually approached a
bench, placed behind a clump of bushes, through which we saw some fair,
fresh, faces, watching our approach. Upon the bench, and talking with
the girls, were two men, in which, as we drew closer, I recognized the
Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Buckingham. Richard was dressed--as
was his wont--in the extreme of fashion and in the richest of
materials. Buckingham, though not so showily attired, was
magnificently dressed in black, figured velvet, with dark maroon
facings.
After saluting the Prince, the ladies, and Buckingham, I introduced my
new friend to them all. I then said unto his Royal Highness--"Sir
Frederick, here, hath but yesterday been made a brother officer, by his
Majesty."
"Yes," said Harleston, "the King did command me to report to your Royal
Highness for service with thee in your expedition into Scotland."
"Much am I joyed, Sir Frederick, to have thy noble assistance in our
chastisement of the insolent Scot: for England can ill afford to spare
any brave knight from her expeditions, now that they have become so
thinned out by our late, unhappy wars," said the Prince, with that
heartiness he so well could use, and of which he knew the power.
"But let me warn ye both," he continued, with a mock gravity and a
quick glance at the maidens, "that ye shall have short time in which to
enjoy the pleasures of the court; for we march next week. Therefore
make the most of your opportunities."
Buckingham, who ever smiled, but said little, though he was no mean
orator, merely agreed with the Prince's remark, and with a pleasant bow
they left us, the limping Prince leaning on the arm of Buckingham.
"Thank God!" I cried, with a sigh, when the two were out of earshot.
"Is he not most disrespectful?" laughed Hazel, as she turned to
Harleston.
"Nay, of that I cannot judge, fair lady," replied he, with a smile.
"The customs of the court I have yet before me to master. 'Tis
possible that ere I have been here a week I will commend Sir Walter's
act."
"Indeed thou shalt," cried both of the girls at once.
"Oh! those two are simply unbearable," said Hazel with a force that
left no doubt as to her opinion. But then she hath ever been one which
feared not to express her dislikes, and they are ever as passionate as
are her likes.
"And so, Sir Frederick, thou hast come all the way from France merely
for the pleasure of marching off to battle and slaughtering poor
Scotchmen, or of being killed thyself?" said gentle cousin Mary.
"Alas, when will ever you men learn that there are other things to live
for, in which there is more glory, far, than in the cruel wars and
slaughters."
Both Hazel and I did laugh at the little maid for the solemn way in
which she said this; but Harleston did not smile, and on the contrary
listened with attention. Mary without noticing us continued--"Look at
Lord Rivers and behold what he hath accomplished: introduced printing,
and by that one act hath done more real good for England than if he had
won the greatest of all battles."
"I quite agree with thee, Lady Mary," Sir Frederick replied; "but
battles are also necessary, in order that our homes and country may be
protected, and that we may be permitted to enjoy those luxuries such as
is the one which Lord Rivers hath taken the pains to introduce."
"Mayhap thou art right; I never looked at it in that way before; but
still I do not like them," said Mary, wrinkling her little forehead,
and shaking her pretty head in the most bewitching way, and causing
some little golden curls to dance and lightly kiss her cheeks. I could
tell by the look on Harleston's face, that he did envy those curls
their position. And who would not? Had ye but seen Mary at that time,
ye should have been changed from freemen into Mary's slave, and that
quite freely, that is, had the Lady Hazel not been there: for had she
been ye would love the one on which your eyes first fell.
Whilst the afore-put-down conversation was taking place we had been
walking slowly through the park; and now Hazel and I began, gradually,
to drop behind. Of course we had naught whatever to do with this; it
must have been that Harleston and Mary did quicken their pace.
"What dost thou think of my new friend?" I asked, when they were out of
ear-shot.
"Quite an acquisition to the court," Hazel replied. "Indeed 'tis time
we had another handsome gentleman at court," (here my chest did begin
to swell, and at least two inches were added unto my stature, which did
not need it;) "besides the King," she added.
Since that day I have had the greatest sympathy with Lucifer. Verily,
I never fell from such a height before, nor since. I have been thrown
from my horse in battle, and had hundreds ride over me, yet have I felt
better than I did that morning in the park. I stopped and stared at
her, with my mouth open, like a bumpkin gazing at an army passing.
Now at that time (and I say it without conceit) there were few men at
court who would not have been glad to change their looks with Walter
Bradley; therefore the blow did fall with more stunning force. When I
had somewhat recovered myself, I walked on, wishing every woman at the
bottom of the sea, and swearing revenge on her, which was now walking
by my side; yet cursing myself, silently, for having made a fool of
myself by showing my surprise. Hazel, instead of laughing, which would
have made me feel better, wore the most innocent look that it is
possible to imagine: yet methought the look was overdone. However, I
was now determined not to show my disappointment any more; so I
continued the conversation, using the same subject.
"I do not believe Harleston need fear the Scottish arrows; for, unless
I be a false prophet, he will leave the most vital part of his body,
namely, the heart, here at Windsor. And yet," I continued, becoming
bolder, and heaving a heavy sigh, "he shall not be the only one to do
so."
"No," she replied; "the Duke of Gloucester said he was leaving his
heart here."
"To whom said he that?" cried I, for the one danger of this accursed
court life was the chance of men in high places casting a jealous eye
on the maidens of the court.
"I heard him tell the Queen that he would leave his heart with the King
and his family," answered Hazel, and she laughed at my apprehension of
the danger which I thought threatened her.
"Why dost thou like to torment me so?" I asked.
"Because thou art so easily teased."
Why, oh why, did the Creator arm these fair creatures with such a power
to make us happy or miserable, good or bad, send us to Heaven or to
Hell, make us sensible men or the veriest of fools as best doth please
their whims?
"But look, here cometh the Queen," said my fair companion. "I fear I
shall get a scolding for leaving her, to walk with thee."
"Tell her that the Duke of Gloucester kept thee talking with him, the
which is the truth," I said.
But when we met her Majesty, who was walking with her daughters and
some others of her suite, she most kindly did receive us, and no
thoughts of scolding were in her gracious mind. When we had spoken for
some time, the Queen enquired as to where Mary was.
"She came on ahead of us, your Majesty," replied I, "and I had surely
thought that thou must have met her."
"Do thou go, Hazel dear, and when thou hast found her, tell her that I
wish to speak to her."
Hazel courtesied, I bowed, and we passed on, searching for Mary and
Harleston.
"The Queen is the best mistress that any servant could wish for," said
Hazel, when we had gone a few paces. "She is never angry, and so kind;
she treats both Mary and me as though we were her own daughters."
I did not wonder that the Queen did use them both go well; for who
could help loving either of those dear, dainty maidens?
We had not gone far ere we met Mary and Harleston returning.
"They seem to be getting on famously," observed Hazel; "for they are so
preoccupied that they do not see us coming."
When they came near, Mary, who had evidently been listening with great
attention to something that Harleston was telling to her, burst forth
into her rippling, childlike laugh. Then, as she caught sight of us,
she stopped suddenly and said:--
"Oh, here they come now!" Then, as we met them:--"We thought that ye
must have turned back; so we were just coming to search for you."
"And what has Sir Frederick been telling thee that was so amusing?" I
asked.
"Oh!" replied Harleston, "the Lady Mary hath been completing mine
education, which thou, Sir Walter, didst start last night, and then I,
in order to, in some small way, repay part of the debt, was telling her
some of the stories that I had heard in France, where indeed they are
most expert in story-telling, though not so accomplished with regard to
the truth."
Here Hazel delivered the Queen's message, and we all started back to
the Palace, laughing and chattering, like nothing more than school
children. Upon reaching the castle I found some orders from Duke
Richard, the fulfillment of which did keep me busy for the remainder of
the day.
The next few days, Harleston and I spent in making ready for the march;
so we did not see much of the ladies. However, the morning before we
left Windsor, we met them in the park, whither we had gone in search of
them. When they beheld us, they came forward to meet us, and methought
that Hazel did not look as happy as was her wont; but it may have been
that I was hoping to see her look sorrowful, and therefore, I did
imagine it.
"We have come to receive the benediction," said Sir Frederick.
"And also a charm that will give unto us both charmed lives," I
laughingly put in.
"Indeed thou needst not to laugh, Walter," said Mary, solemnly, and
with reproof in her tone and manner. "I know that thou dost not
believe in such things, and therefore they are worthless to thee; for
in order to be protected by these mysterious benefactors, one must have
unquestioned faith in their ability to protect. Now, Sir Frederick,"
she continued, with a slight hesitation, "if thou art not so skeptical
as Walter there, and if thou wilt promise to keep it safe, and not to
lose it, I will lend thee a charm that will indeed protect thee from
all harm. I always have it with me, and nothing hath ever harmed me."
"'Twould truly be a fiendish fate which could send harm unto one so
fair," said he. Then, as she did hand unto him, the charm (which was a
scarf of scarlet silk, and had been given to her by her father, who had
obtained it from a Turk,) he thanked her, and placing his hand over his
heart, he swore to protect it as he would his life, and never to permit
a thought of doubt, as to its ability to protect, to cross his mind.
"Wilt thou not give unto me a charm that I may take with me, Lady
Hazel?" I asked, coaxingly, when we had gone some little way.
"Thou dost not believe in them, and therefore, as Mary doth say, it
would do thee no good," she replied, with a toss of her pretty head, as
much as to say, "Now, thou wouldst be skeptical."
"Do but give it me, and I do hereby swear to trust in it, and no doubt
as to its virtues shall ever cross my mind; yes, this do I swear by all
the saints of paradise." Now this did I consider an exceeding fine
speech, and therefore I was not prepared for the reception that it did
receive, which was a burst of laughter, and clapping of the hands from
Hazel.
"Excellent! excellent!" laughed she; "Oh, Sir Walter, thou hast missed
thy calling; thou wouldst have made such a splendid priest; thou saidst
those words with such a religious tone, and looked so saintly." Then,
as I showed my disappointment and annoyance, "Come, come," she added,
"do not sulk; here is my glove, which I do now command to protect thee
through all the dangers of this war. Now, am I not kind to thee?"
I nearly went wild with delight. I kissed that glove so fondly that
Hazel had to warn me not to eat it, as it would not protect me if I
did. And then I said a lot of things which all my male readers either
have said or are only awaiting an opportunity to say. Presently I was
interrupted in my avowals by coming suddenly upon Harleston and Mary,
who were sitting on a bench beside the path.
"Is Sir Frederick telling thee some more stories, Mary?" asked Hazel,
when we saw them.
"Not the kind I heard Walter telling thee, just now," replied Mary, as
she looked at me, with a wicked little smile playing over her fair
features. Then, as I reddened to the ears, both Harleston and Mary
burst out a-laughing, and I, after stammering out some explanation
about some messages I was leaving with Hazel, to deliver to the
Queen,--which set them laughing louder than ever, thought it best to
keep quiet.
However, as we were bidding good-by to the girls, Hazel said something
that made me to forget mine embarrassment. It was just as we were
leaving them that she called me back and said, as she kept her eyes
staring fixedly at the ground:--"Remember, Walter, I think a great deal
of that same glove, and do not want any harm to come to it; therefore
try and keep it out of danger."
"Oh, fear not; I now do know that I shall return again." And ere she
could prevent me I seized her hand and kissed it.
I went back to my rooms with my toes scarce touching the ground.
Our time was now but short; and soon we did mount our horses and set
out in the train of the Duke of Gloucester, on our march to Scotland,
and had soon left the castle behind.
However, so long as we could see the left wing, we watched two scarfs
waving, to which we waved our lances in return.
And so we rode off to the wars.