And he lifts her to him, and saith, "Sweetheart, my Queen hath bidden me
come fight for her and for my country."
And she saith naught, only clasps him.
But by-and-by she cries out, saying, "Go not! Go not! Else wilt thou
kill me." And so speaking, falls like one dead at her lord's feet.
Then I, running like one distraught to fetch Marian, do tilt pell-mell
into Lord Robert, who hath come down to Amhurste for a week or so of
rest.
"Heydey!" quoth he. "What Jack-a-lent hath frighted thee?" And I told
him all. Never a word said he, but went straightway and got upon his
horse, and clapped spurs to its sides, and so out of sight.
And all that night my lady lay nigh to death, so that there was ne'er a
thought in the breast of any for another soul. Therefore Lord Robert was
not missed.
Ere two days were past came a man with despatches, and we found out how
that Lord Robert had substituted himself for the earl (having acquainted
the Queen with the circumstances--and he being, moreover, so great a
favorite), and how the Queen had granted Lord Denbeigh leave to remain
in England a while longer.
And so his lordship was with his lady when their child was born, but
Lord Robert was killed in the wars.
They grieved sore for him, and for many weeks would not be comforted.
And even it was said that the Queen mourned for him, and did banish all
festivities from court for the space of several days.
But like as the stars do pale in the morning sky, so pales the orb of
sorrow before the rays of the great sun, happiness.
And though he was ne'er forgotten, and though the tears would spring to
my lady's eyes heard she but his name mentioned, yet she did smile again
and was happy.
It chanced but this morning that Marian and I, leaning from the window
that overlooks the east terrace, did see a most winsome sight.
'Twas a fair morning, and May again, and on such mornings as these my
lady would go forth on the east terrace with the child. And there grow
all such sweet flowers as my lady loves--the red mule-pinks, and
dame's-violets, such as are sweet o' evenings, but marvellous fair to
look upon both by sunlight and moonlight. And the south wall was all
thick with the yellow violets, so that my lady's head looked like the
head o' a saint against a golden platter. And there did my lady sit, on
a quaintly wrought bench, with the little lord.
And this morning, when she was seated, and the babe curled against her
bosom, and Marian and myself thinking o' the pictures o' the Virgin Mary
and the blessed Jesus (saving that my lady's kirtle was all of white and
gold, like the lilies, knotted in her waistband), she looked up on a
sudden, and lo! there was the master coming along over the grass towards
her. When he saw who it was that sat there, he doffed his plumed hat
like as though it had been the Virgin Mary for very truth, and he paused
a minute, but then came on.
When my lady saw him who he was, there came a fair red o'er all the
white o' her throat and face; ay, and withal over her very bosom. And
she put up one white hand, with her wedding-ring on't, and made as
though she would shield the sun from the babe's eyes.
And all this time my lord came slowly over the grass, as though the
sweet sight did pleasure him both far and near. And when he was
approached, he stood, still with his hat in his hand, and looked down at
the babe and its mother, and was silent.
Then the child, feeling mayhap that its father was near, twisted over
towards him, reaching out its waxen arm, and smiled right knowingly;
whereat my lord did pluck the great plume out o' his hat and lay it
across my lady's bosom; moreover, he knelt and put an hand on the babe,
but his arm he held about his wife.
Then did she draw both my lord and the child to her, and pressed them
against her, but her face she lifted Godwards.
And something spoke within our hearts that we turned and left the
window.