I pray you to
forget them, quite."
I returned his bow, but my eyes traveled past him.
"I will allow you no words with my Lord Carnal," he said. "With
your wife, - that is different." He moved aside with a smile.
She was standing, pale, with downcast eyes, where my lord had
left her. "Jocelyn," I said. She turned toward me, crimsoned
deeply, uttered a low cry, half laughter, half a sob, then covered
her face with her hands. I took them away and spoke her name
again, and this time she hid her face upon my breast.
A moment thus; then - for all eyes were upon her - I lifted her
head, kissed her , and gave her to Lady Wyatt, whom I found at my
side. "I commend my wife to your ladyship's care," I said. "As you
are woman, deal sisterly by her!"
"You may trust me, sir," she made answer, the tears upon her
cheeks. "I did not know, - I did not understand. . . .Dear heart,
come away, - come away with Margaret Wyatt."
Clayborne opened the door of the cabin, and stood aside with a
low bow. The men who had sat to judge me rose; only the King's
favorite kept his seat. With Lady Wyatt's arm about her, the King's
ward passed between the lines of standing gentlemen to the door,
there hesitated, turned, and, facing them with I know not what of
pride and shame, wistfulness of entreaty and noble challenge to
belief in the face and form that were of all women's most
beautiful, curtsied to them until her knee touched the floor.
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