adge pointed to the marks of her jump, deep in flower-bed earth under
an open window.

Gower measured the height with sensational shanks.

She smote at the door. Carinthia nodded from her window. Close upon
that, Kit Ines came bounding to the parlour window; he spied and stared.
Gower was known to him as the earl's paymaster; so he went to the
passage and flung the door open, blocking the way.

'Any commands, your honour?'

'You bring the countess to my lord immediately,' said Gower.

Kit swallowed his mouthful of surprise in a second look at Madge and the
ploughed garden-bed beneath the chamber window.

'Are the orders written, sir?'

'To me?--for me to deliver to you?--for you to do my lord's bidding?
Where's your head?'

Kit's finger-nails travelled up to it. Madge pushed past him. She and
her mistress, and Kit's mate, and the old woman receiving the word for
a cup of tea, were soon in the passage. Kit's mate had a ready obedience
for his pay, nothing else,--no counsel at all, not a suggestion to a
head knocked to a pudding by Madge's jump and my lord's paymaster here
upon the scene.

'My lady was to go down Wales way, sir.'

'That may be ordered after.'

'I 'm to take my lady to my lord?' and, 'Does it mean my lady wants a
fly?' Kit asked, and harked back on whether Madge had seen my lord.

'At five in the morning?--don't sham donkey with me,' said Gower.

The business looked inclined to be leaky, but which the way for proving
himself other than a donkey puzzled Kit: so much so, that a shove
made him partly grateful. Madge's clever countermove had stunned his
judgement. He was besides acting subordinate to his patron's paymaster;
and by the luck of it, no voice of woman interposed. The countess and
her maid stood by like a disinterested couple. Why be suspicious, if
he was to keep the countess, in sight? She was a nice lady, and he
preferred her good opinion. She was brave, and he did her homage. It
might be, my lord had got himself round to the idea of thanking her for
saving his nob that night, and his way was to send and have her up, to
tell her he forgave her, after the style of lords. Gower pricked into
him by saying aside: 'Mad, I suppose, in case of a noise?' And he could
not answer quite manfully, lost his eyes and coloured. Neighbours
might have required an explanation of shrieks, he confessed. Men have
sometimes to do nasty work for their patrons.

They were afoot, walking at Carinthia's p