" asked Wendot; and the little maid answered, with
becoming gravity and importance:

"I am called Lady Gertrude Cherleton; but you may call me Gertrude if
you like, because you are kind and I like you. Are there any more of
you? Have you any sisters?"

"No; only two brothers."

"More brothers! and what are their names?"

"Llewelyn and Howel."

"Llewelyn? Why, that is the name of the Prince of North Wales that the
king is going to fight against and conquer. Do you think when he has
done so that he will come here and conquer you, too?"

Wendot's cheek burned a sudden red; but he made no reply, for at that
moment a head suddenly appeared round an angle of the wall, and a heavy
grip was laid upon the shoulder of the child. A wild face and a pair of
flashing black eyes were brought into close proximity with hers, and a
smothered voice spoke in fierce, low accents.

CHAPTER II. THE BROTHERS

"What is that you dare to say?"

The voice was harsh, the words were spoken with a rough accent, unlike
the gentler tones of Wendot and Griffeth. The child uttered a little cry
and shrank back away from the grip of the strong hand, and might have
been in some danger of losing her balance and of falling over the
balustrade, had not Wendot thrown a protecting arm round her, whilst
pushing back with the other hand that of the rude interloper.

"Llewelyn! for shame!" he said in his own tongue. "Art thou a man, and
claimest the blood of princes, and yet canst stoop to frighten an
inoffensive child?"

"She spoke of conquest -- the conquest of our country," cried Llewelyn
fiercely, in the hated English tongue, scowling darkly at the little
girl as he spoke. "Thinkest thou that I will stand patiently by and hear
such words? What right hath she or any one besides to speak of that
tyrant and usurper in such tones?"

"He is not a tyrant, he is not a usurper!" cried the little Lady
Gertrude, recovering herself quickly, and, whilst still holding Wendot
by the hand, turning fearlessly upon the dark-faced lad who had startled
and terrified her at the first. "I know of whom you are speaking -- it
is of our great and noble King Edward. You do not know him -- you cannot
know how great and good he is. I will not hear you speak against him. I
love him next best to my own father. He is kind and good to everybody.
If you would all give your homage to him you would be happy and safe,
and he would protect you, and --"

But Llewelyn's p