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Poor Thurstan, who was only a child of about ten years old, mistook Alvena's jesting for earnest, and began to sob. "But what can I, Mistress?" urged the terrified urchin. "Master Adam saith he hath never a nail thereof, never name an ell." "Alvena, trouble not the child," interposed Sybil.
"Master Adam saith he is unfurnished at this time of the peltry you would have, Mistress, and without fox will serve your turn " "Fox me no fox, as thou set store by thy golden locks!" said Alvena, advancing towards the luckless Thurstan in a threatening attitude, with the scissors open in her hand. "I'll fox him, and thee likewise.
"You never signify, Mistress, that the blessed recluse was an hypocrite?" "The blessed recluse was mighty fond of sweetbreads," said Alvena, taking a pin out of her mouth, "and many an one smuggled I in to her under my cloak, when Father Luke thought she was a-fasting on bread and water. And I, oping the door to see if it rained, trow! found these birds a-lying there.
His stockings were white silk, his boots red leather, fastened with white buttons. The brother and sister were alike, but the small, delicately-cut features of both were the more delicate in the boy, and on his dark brown hair was a golden gloss which was not visible on that of his sister. "Give you good morrow, Mistress Alvena," said Dame Margaret pleasantly.
"The Lady Custance may one have speech of her?" Before Alvena could reply, the curtain which shrouded the door leading to the Countess's rooms was drawn aside, and Constance came forward herself. "Good morrow, Meg," said she, kissing the young lady. "Thou hast mistaken thy road, Tom."
Thou mayest do aught with her, an' thou wist how to take her." "How take you her?" demanded Maude gravely. "But, Mistress Alvena! that were to be an hypocrite, an' you felt it not." "Hu-te-tu! We be all hypocrites. Some of us feign for one matter, and some for other. By our dear Lady her girdle! saw I nothing of hypocrisy there!"
"Ay me! I am sore aweary of all this gear snipping, and sewing, and fitting. If I would not as lief as forty shillings have done with broidery and peltry, then the moon is made of green cheese. Is that strange unto thee, child?" "Verily, Mistress Alvena, methinks you be aweary of Fairy Land," said little Maude in surprise. "Callest this Fairy Land?" laughed Alvena.
But Sybil's gentle intercession would have availed little if it had not been seconded by the unexpected appearance of the only person whom Alvena feared. "What is this?" inquired Dona Juana, in a tone of authority. Thurstan, with a relieved air, subsided into his recess, and Alvena, with a rather abashed one, began to explain that no ermine could be had for the trimming of the blue satin dress.
How long Alvena might have proceeded to shock Maude's susceptibilities and outrage her preconceived opinions, it is impossible to say; for at this moment Thurstan opened the door and announced in a rather consequential manner "The Lord Le Despenser, to visit the Lady Custance, and Dame Margaret his sister."
"And what like is my Lord our master?" asked Maude. Alvena laughed. "Sawest ever Ursula Drew bake bread, child?" "Oh ay!" sighed the ex-scullery-maid. "And hast marked how the dough, ere he be set in the oven, should take any pattern thou list to set him on?" "Ay." "Then thou hast seen what the Lord Earl is like."
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