or him.

The uncle was absent from home on the King's business. The two cousins
had the house to themselves. They had established themselves beside the
glowing hearth within their favourite room containing all the books,
when the horn at the gate announced the arrival of some guest, and a
message was brought to John saying that Mistress Joan Vavasour was even
then dismounting from her palfrey, and was about to pay him a visit.

"Nay now, but this is a lucky hap!" cried John, as he went forward to be
ready to meet his guest.

The next moment the light footfall along the polished boards of the
anteroom announced the coming of the lady, and Raymond's eager eyes were
fixed upon a face so fair that he gazed and gazed and could not turn his
eyes away.

Mistress Joan was just his own age -- not yet seventeen -- yet she had
something of the grace and dignity of womanhood mingling with the fresh
sweet frankness of the childhood that had scarcely passed. Her eyes were
large and dark, flashing, and kindling with every passing gust of
feeling; her delicate lips, arched like a Cupid's bow, were capable of
expressing a vast amount of resolution, though now relaxed into a merry
smile of greeting. She was rather tall and at present very slight,
though the outlines of her figure were softly rounded, and strength as
well as grace was betrayed in every swift eager motion. She held John's
hands and asked eagerly after his well-being.

"It was but two days ago I heard that you lay sick at Guildford, and I
have been longing ever since for tidings. Today my father had business
in the town, and I humbly sued him to let me ride with him, and rest,
whilst he went his own way, in the hospitable house of your good uncle.
This is how I come to be here today. And now tell me of thyself these
many months, for I hear no news at Woodcrych. And who is this fair youth
with thee? Methinks his face is strange to me, though he bears a look of
the De Brocas, too."

A quick flush mounted in Raymond's cheek; but John only called him by
the name by which he was known to the world, and Mistress Joan spoke no
more of the fancied likeness. She and John, who were plainly well
acquainted, plunged at once into eager talk; and it was not long before
the question of Joan's own marriage was brought up, and he plainly asked
her if the news was true which gave her in wedlock to Peter Sanghurst.

A change came over Joan's face at those words. A quick gleam shot out