Two Penniless Princesses | Page 9

by the marriage of the young King
of England to the daughter of King Rene and the cession of Anjou and

Maine to her father.
'Solid dukedoms for a lassie!' cried young James. 'What a craven to
make such a bargain!'
'Scarce like his father's son,' returned Sir Patrick, 'who gat the bride
with a kingdom for her tocher that these folks have well-nigh lost
among them.'
'The saints be praised if they have.'
'I cannot forget, my liege, how your own sainted father loved and
fought for King Harry of Monmouth. Foe as he was, I own that I shall
never look on his like again.'
'I hold with you in that, Patie,' said Bishop Kennedy; 'and frown as you
may, my young liege, a few years with such as he would do more for
you--as it did with your blessed father--than ever we can.'
'I can hold mine own, I hope, without lessons from the enemy,' said
James, holding his head high, while his ruddy locks flew back, his eyes
glanced, and the red scar on his cheek widened. 'And is it true that you
are for going through false England, Patie?'
'I made friends there when I spent two years there with your Grace's
blessed father,' returned Sir Patrick, 'and so did my good wife. She
longs to see the lady who is now Sister Clare at St. Katharine's in
London, and it is well not to let her and Annis brook the long sea
voyage.'
'There, Jean! I'd brook ten sea voyages rather than hold myself
beholden to an Englishman!' quoth James.
'Nevertheless, there are letters and messages that it is well to confide to
so trusty and wise-headed a knight as Glenuskie,' returned the Bishop.
The meal over, the silver bowls were carried round with water to wash
the hands by the two young Drummonds, sons of Glenuskie, and by the
King's pages, youths of about the same age, after which the Bishop and
Sir Patrick asked licence of the King to retire for consultation to the
Bishop's apartment, a permission which, as may well be believed, he
granted readily, only rejoicing that he was not wanted.
The little ones were carried off by Mary and Nurse Ankaret; and the
King, his elder sisters, and the other youths of condition betook
themselves, followed by half-a-dozen great dogs, to the court, where
the Drummonds wanted to exhibit the horses procured for the journey,
and James and Jean to show the hawks that were the pride of their

heart.
By and by came an Italian priest, who acted as secretary to the
Bishop--a poor little man who grew yellower and yellower, was always
shivering, and seemed to be shrivelled into growing smaller and
smaller by the Scottish winds, but who had a most keen and intelligent
face.
'How now, Father Romuald,' called out James. 'Are ye come to fetch
me?'
'Di grazia, Signor Re', began the Italian in some fear, as the dogs
smelted his lambskin cape. 'The Lord Bishop entreats your Majesty's
presence.'
His Majesty, who, by the way, never was so called by any one else,
uttered some bitter growls and grumbles, but felt forced to obey the call,
taking with him, however, his beautiful falcon on his wrist, and the two
huge deer-hounds, who he declared should be of the council if he was.
Jean and Eleanor then closed upon David and Malcolm, eagerly
demanding of them what they expected in that wonderful land to which
they were going, much against the will of young David, who was sure
there would be no hunting of deer, nor hawking for grouse, nor riding
after an English borderer or Hieland cateran--nothing, in fact, worth
living for! It would be all a-wearying with their manners and their
courtesies and such like daft woman's gear! Why could not his father be
content to let him grow up like his fellows, rough and free and ready?
'And knowing nothing better--nothing beyond,' said Eleanor.
'What would you have better than the hill and the brae? To tame a horse
and fly a hawk, and couch a lance and bend a bow! That's what a man
is made for, without fashing himself with letters and Latin and manners,
no better than a monk; but my father would always have it so!'
'Ye'll be thankful to him yet, Davie,' put in his graver brother.
'Thankful! I shall forget all about it as soon as I am knighted, and make
you write all my letters--and few enough there will be.'
'And you, Malcolm!' said Eleanor, 'would you be content to hide within
four walls, and know nothing by your own eyes?'
'No indeed, cousin,' replied the lad; 'I long for the fair churches and
cloisters and the learned men and books that my father tells