This could not last for aye, and when two more years were sped, his
uncle sent the little lord to a place o' learning; and afterwards to
travel to and fro upon the earth, after the manner of Satan in the Book
of Job (God forgive me! but 't has ever seemed like that to me). And we
set not eyes on him for eight years. Now in that time, lo! I was
married, and my little lady and Mistress Marian in long kirtles, and
their hair looped up upon their heads. Mistress Marian was yet full
head and shoulders above my little lady, and her skin as brown as ever.
But my little lady was as bright and slender as a sun-ray.
They would speak to me sometimes of Lord Radnor, and how that great
folks were saying great things of him, and how he was become a soldier
and a marvellous person altogether; but as the years went by they seemed
not so ready to talk o' him, only sometimes my little lady would pull
down my head as I smoothed the bedclothes over her at night, and quoth
she, "Nurse, dost think he will be much changed? My hair hath not
darkened much, hath it? Dost think his curls will be different from what
they were when he was a lad?" And I would have to tell her "No" a dozen
times ere she would let me go. But Mistress Marian said never a word.
One day I learned of my lady how that Lord Radnor was to return the next
week, and meseemed in truth the whole castle was waxed distraught.
It is not in my power to tell o' th' doings, but suffice it to say, my
lord did cozen them all, and come a full day ere he was expected.
When he came, Mistress Marian was standing i' th' great door o' th'
castle, in her hawking gown o' green velure cloth laced all with silver
cord; her plumed hat was on her curls, and her hawk, Beryl, on her fist.
And she turned and beheld him. Ne'er did I see verier light in earth or
sky, than flashed into her face as their eyes met. And he doffed his
hat, and came up beside her on the step, and saith, with the old laugh,
but gentler, "Well met, comrade."
Now when he called her "comrade," 'twas as when Jock did call me
"sweetheart" in the days o' our wooing. She went red as the ribbon in
his sleeves; and when the falcon fretted and shook its bells, he did put
out his hand and stroke it, and, lo! it was still, and seemed to feel
him as its master. And I wondered all this time where could be my little
lady.
To this day I have ne'er seen so handsome a man as the young lord. He
was tall and straight as an oak, with curls the color of frost-touched
oak-leaves i' th' sunlight, and eyes like the amber drink when men hold
it aloft ere quaffing, and his whole countenance bright and eager, and
narrow like that o' a fox, but without a fox's cunning. Then he seemed
fashioned to run, and ride, and war, as doth become all men, whether of
high or low estate.
Then went I within to inquire after my little lady; and Jock, who was
become a footman i' th' castle, did tell me of how he had seen her set
forth to walk i' th' park an hour gone. So straightway I went in search
of her.
I had gone some six hundred paces when, at a sudden turning, I came upon
her, where she held a little urchin a-straddle of her big deer-hound
"Courage." The child gave chuckles o' delight as he slipped from side to
side, and the sun through the beech-leaves made their heads as like as
two crown pieces. Even as I was about to lift up my voice to halloo unto
her, lo! my lord doth part the thick branches, and steps forth a little
behind her, and stands watching her. And as he did stand there, behold,
a look came o'er his face, that was stranger than any look I had e'er
seen on th' face of man or of woman, and his eyes were no more bright
and eager, but deep and soft. Then she turned and went direct towards
him unknowing.
When she was beside him, still laughing and half out o' breath with
balancing o' th' heavy boy, he saith these two words, "My lady," and
methought there was a whole year's love-making o' ordinary men crammed
into them. Quoth I to myself: "Ah, my little lord, so thou hast that
trick with thee! God keep my little ladies! for if the tongue be a
fire, how must it burn when such a wit doth wag it!" And I determined in
my heart that by some means I would warn my little lady of his sweet
speecheries. Yet was I tender towards him for the sake o' by-gone days.
Mayhap, moreover, his comely face had something to do with it, for, i'
fecks, ne'er saw I a goodlier countenance on Roundhead or Cavalier.
Now when my lady heard his voice at her ear, first gives she such a
start as doth a mettlesome filly when a hare jumps out before it, then
stock-still stands she, and her face whiter than a wind-flower, and her
lips a-tremble as if to speak, but no word comes from them.