s grief
was spent, he saith unto her,

"I sail for Spain with Essex on the morrow, as thou knowest; but it doth
remain for me to tell thee why I go. It is for that I think the lad, thy
brother, hath been a prisoner of war these many years, and I go to bring
him to thee."

And she sat and looked at him as though her heart had leaped from her
breast into his body; but she spake no words save only, "God keep thee;
God go with thee."

And suddenly he saith unto her, as though the words would forth,

"I loved thee from the moment that I saw thee. Let me but tell thee
that."

She whispered, saying, "It was even so with me." And he lifted his eyes
and looked at her. Then fled I, as though I had drawn away the veil from
the sanctuary, for I thought that God would surely smite me for having
beheld that look.

* * * * *

So Lord Denbeigh sailed with the Earl of Essex for the war in Spain, and
my lady's soul left her body and went with him; for surely 'twas but her
body that remained at Amhurste. All day long would she sit silent, nor
move, nor look, and her hands the one upon the other before her, as who
should say, "I am done with all things, whether of work or of play." So
passed the months, and ever and anon some report would reach the village
of the wild earl's deeds in Spain, and of how he would fight ten men
with one arm wounded and the blood in his eyes, and such like tales. But
no word came direct, either through letters or friends. So passed the
months, and it was nigh to August, and the fighting was over for the
time, when one day, with a clattering as of a horsed army, there comes
dashing into the court two cavaliers on horseback, and one of them was
my Lord of Denbeigh. Ere I could look at the other he had leaped to the
ground, and had me about the neck a-kissing me as roundly as ever a
wench in the market-place. And lo! when I looked, it was Lord Robert in
very truth. He was grown out of all knowledge, and as brown as a nut,
but as big and as bonny a lad as ever clapped hand to sword.

When I could turn my eyes from him upon the earl, I saw that he was
waxed as pale as death, and wore his arm in a kerchief, and that there
was a great red streak adown his temple, clean through his right
eyebrow. And his splendid flanks and chest were hollow, like those of a
good steed that lacketh fodder. But when he stood and leaned against his
horse's neck and smiled at us, methought he was b