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And one day he brought his beautiful young wife home to Falworth Castle, which his father had given him for his own, and at the gateway of which he was met by Sir James Lee and by the newly-knighted Sir Francis Gascoyne.
Yonder stands the young knight of whom we spake; this is his father, Gilbert Reginald, whilom Lord Falworth, who craves mercy and justice at thy hands." "Falworth," said the King, placing his hand to his head. "The name is not strange to mine ears, but I cannot place it. My head hath troubled me sorely to-day, and I cannot remember."
But it was also a part of the Earl's purpose that the King and Myles should not be brought too intimately together just at that time. Though every particular of circumstance should be fulfilled in the ceremony, it would have been ruination to the Earl's plans to have the knowledge come prematurely to the King that Myles was the son of the attainted Lord Falworth.
"What is to do?" called one of those who were still looking out of the windows as the crowd of boys passed beneath. "Blunt and Falworth are going to fight it out hand to hand in the armory," answered one of the bachelors, looking up. The brawling of the squires was a jest to all the adjoining part of the house. So the heads were withdrawn again, some laughing at the "sparring of the cockerels."
Suddenly, as though stirred by an impulse, the same lad who had just created the laugh arose from the bench, and came directly across the room to where Myles and the bowman sat. "Give thee good-den," said he. "What be'st thy name and whence comest thou, an I may make bold so to ask?" "My name is Myles Falworth," said Myles; "and I come from Crosbey-Dale bearing a letter to my Lord."
He was still advancing towards Myles, with two or three of the older bachelors at his heels, when Gascoyne spoke. "Thou hadst best stand back, Blunt," said he, "else thou mayst be hurt. We will not have ye bang Falworth again as ye once did, so stand thou back!"
"Never!" cried Myles, hoarsely "never will I yield me! Thou mayst slay me, Walter Blunt, and I reck not if thou dost do so, but never else wilt thou conquer me." There was a tone of desperation in his voice that made all look serious. "Nay," said Blunt; "I will fight thee no more, Myles Falworth; thou hast had enough."
He is, as my Lord of Mackworth said, the whilom Baron Falworth, the outlawed, attainted traitor; so declared for the harboring of Sir John Dale, who was one of those who sought your Majesty's life at Windsor eleven years ago. Sire, he is mine enemy as well, and is brought hither by my proclaimed enemies. Should aught occur to my harm, I rest my case in your gracious hands."
He was naturally of a generous, forgiving nature, but Lord Falworth in his time of power had been an unrelenting and fearless opponent, and his Majesty who, like most generous men, could on occasions be very cruel and intolerant, had never forgiven him.
A long time passed in silence while he stood there, gazing out of the window into the garden beyond with his back to the young man. Suddenly he swung around again. "Sir Myles," said he, "the family of Falworth is as good as any in Derbyshire.
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