ent condition.

The King in the meantime was not to be duped by Lady Constance. She
prided herself upon being discreet, but she was not enough so for the
King's sharp eyes.

"Odd's fish," said he, "the boy is a woman!" And though he had a
saturnine and harsh countenance, his disposition was both merry and
lenient. He teased her unmercifully, threatening to promote so fine
a lad to a gentleman of his bed-chamber. He bade a woman bring some
clothing suitable for a female and gave the lady into the hands of
female attendants.

The easy manner of the time gave the courtiers license to taunt her.
This made her very uncomfortable. The queen's ladies' eyes were upon
her. The King's mistresses, not recognizing her as a rival, poked fun
at her from behind their fans. But Lady Constance would bear a great
deal for the sake of gaining her point. She had posted herself upon
the King's affairs with the Duke of Ellswold, and was in a state of
great expectation when she heard that the latter was to be brought to
the Tower immediately after his uncle's funeral. His entire demesne
was out of his hands, he was sadly impoverished; this she bought from
Buckingham's menials. It greatly delighted her, for she had more
wealth than she knew what to do with, and Cedric, seeing her so
pampered by his Majesty, would surely begin to see what a great lady
she was, and perhaps would offer her some attention. She did not know
that Katherine was already the Duchess of Ellswold. She heard from
Monmouth that Mistress Penwick was to be brought to the palace at the
same time Cedric was brought to London, and that 'twas not altogether
sure whether his Grace of Ellswold would be taken to the Tower or be
made a Royal guest, as the King was first cursing, then praising the
new Duke. So Constance began to picture Cedric standing before her,
his face flushed as she remembered it to be, his eyelids that he knew
so well how to lower, then raise ever so slightly, sending forth from
beneath an amorous glance that made her tremble with a sweet thrill
of pleasure. Thus she lived from hour to hour, waiting for his Grace,
little guessing the awful disappointment that awaited her. She fairly
counted the moments.

To her great joy she saw him again. He was brought to the palace,
instead of to the Tower. When the King saw the Duke, he forgot, or
appeared to forget, that the Duke was a prisoner, and openly embraced
him and had him placed near his own apartments. His M