within the
castle walls, as becomes their station. It has been told me that amongst
them are four sons of one Res Vychan, lately dead, and that he was Lord
of Dynevor, which honour has descended to his eldest son. I was telling
what I knew to Lady Gertrude when she broke away to speak to you."

"Eleanor, it must be he -- it must be they!" cried Gertrude, with
flushing cheek and kindling eye -- "Res Vychan, Lord of Dynevor, and his
four sons. It could be none else than they. O Eleanor, sweet Eleanor,
bid them be brought hither to see us! Thou hast heard the story of how
we went thither, my father and I, two years agone now, and of what
befell me there. I have never heard a word of Wendot since, and I have
thought of him so oft. Thou art mistress here now; they all heed thy
lightest word. Bid that the brothers be brought hither to us. I do so
long to see them again!"

Gertrude was fairly trembling with excitement; but that was no unusual
thing for her, as she was an ardent, excitable little mortal, and ever
in a fever of some kind or another. The young knight who had brought the
news looked at her with unmistakable admiration and pleasure, and seemed
as though he would gladly have obeyed any behest of hers; but he was
fain to wait for the decision of the stately Eleanor, the king's eldest
and much-beloved child, who in the temporary absence of her parents
occupied a position of no little importance in the household, and whose
will, in the royal apartments at any rate, was law.

But there were other listeners to Gertrude's eager words. At the far end
of the long gallery, which was occupied by the royal children as their
private apartment, a group of three young things had been at play, but
the urgency of Gertrude's tones had arrested their attention, and they
had drawn near to hear her last words. One of these younger children was
a black-eyed girl, with a very handsome face and an imperious manner,
which gave to onlookers the idea that she was older than her years.
Quick tempered, generous, hasty, and self willed was the Lady Joanna,
the second daughter of the king; but her warm affections caused all who
knew her to love her; and her romantic temperament was always stirred to
its depths by any story that savoured of chivalry or heroism.

"What!" she cried; "is Wendot here -- Wendot of Dynevor, who held the
Eagle's Crag against half a hundred foemen to save thee, sweetest
Gertrude, from captivity or death? -- Eleanor, t