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"But I pray you let us retire, lest we intrude upon your lady." "Never fear for that," said Halfman. "My lady is busy enough in-doors to-day, setting her house to rights, and you should not miss the comeliest nook in all the domain."
Master Hungerford, protesting his readiness to attend upon her pleasure, was promptly ushered by Halfman into an adjoining room, where he left him, and having closely shut the door, came back shaking with suppressed laughter to Brilliana. Evander, looking from the mirthful man to the mirthful maid, felt constrained to question. "Why are you so merry?"
Brilliana condescended approval. "He amends his plea," she noted to Halfman. Master Paul went on, fractiously, "But that does not make me love to be plundered." Brilliana rose and, resting the tips of her fingers on the table, addressed Master Hungerford sternly. "Master Hungerford, one of two things.
Evander inquired again, somewhat anxiously, if he had been expected to appear before, which again Halfman denied. "Since you have passed your parole," he affirmed, "Harby Hall is Liberty Hall for you as far as to the park limits. I would have battered at your door ere this, but I respected your first sleep in a strange bed, wherein often a bad night makes a late matins. Can you break your fast?"
Halfman endeavored by dexterous questionings to get some further information than this of the Lady of Harby from her sturdy servant, but Thoroughgood's blunt brevity baffled him, and he soon reconciled himself to tramp in silence by his guide.
"He talks treason at Westminster; he is the King's enemy." Halfman leaned a little nearer to her across the table and spoke with a well-managed air of mystery. "Captain Cromwell is not only the King's enemy; he is also the enemy of the Lady Brilliana Harby." Brilliana shook her dark head proudly, and Halfman thought that her curls glanced like the arrows of Apollo.
"I protest you make too much of me," she pleaded, while Halfman and the Cavaliers quickly filled their glasses again and lifted them high in air. A chorus of "The Lady of Loyalty House!" rang out, and again the toast was honored. "I thank you with all my heart," Brilliana panted, blushing and excited at the tumult and the praise. There was a moment's silence.
Evander knew him for Halfman knew, too, that Halfman watched there for him, for the moment the curtains parted the sitter rose and, advancing towards the edge of the moat, waved and voiced salutation to Evander. "Give you good-morning, gallant capitano," he called. "Jocund day stands on the top of yon high eastern hill. Will it please your worthiness to be stirring?"
In little it comes to this: if you want a thing done, do it yourself." "You are in the right," Sir Rufus agreed, gloomily. "This fellow was doomed long since. It is no more than common justice to put him out of the way. But I ride with the King." "You need not ride very far," Halfman suggested. "A little way on the road you can slip aside unseen and get back here by a bridle-path.
"But you may nose out some theologies in odd corners, as a pig noses truffles." "I shall rout out something to fill my leisure I doubt not," Evander answered. "Then hey for the kitchen-garden," cried Halfman, taking Evander's arm, and the two men, passing through a yew arch opposite to that by which they had entered, left my lady's pleasaunce as solitary as they had found it.
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