tle the winter was to be spent.

There Sir Patrick and his wife were holding a consultation. Their means
were well-nigh exhausted. What they had collected for their journey
was nearly spent, and so was the sum with which Cardinal Beaufort had
furnished his nieces. It was true that Eleanor and Jean were reckoned
as guests of the French King, and the knight and lady and attendants as
part of their suite; but the high proud Scottish spirits could not
be easy in this condition, and they longed to depart, while still by
selling the merely ornamental horses and some jewels they could pay
their journey. But then Jean remained a difficulty. To take her back to
Scotland was the most obvious measure, where she could marry George of
Angus as soon as the mourning was ended.

'Even if she will have him,' said Dame Lilias, 'I doubt me whether her
proud spirit will brook to go home unwedded.'

'Dost deem the lassie is busking herself for higher game? That were an
evil requital for his faithful service and gallant daring.'

'I cannot tell,' said Lilias. 'The maid has always been kittle to deal
with. I trow she loves Geordie in her inmost heart, but she canna thole
to feel herself bound to him, and it irks her that when her sisters are
wedded to sovereign princes, she should gang hame to be gudewife to a
mere Scots Earl's son.'

'The proud unthankful peat! Leave her to gang her ain gate, Lily. And
yet she is a bonny winsome maid, that I canna cast off.'

'Nor I, Patie, and I have gi'en my word to her sister. Yet gin some
prince cam' in her way, I'd scarce give much for Geordie's chance.'

'The auld king spake once to me of his younger son, the Duke of Berry,
as they call him,' said Sir Patrick; 'but the Constable told me that was
all froth, the young duke must wed a princess with a tocher.'

'I trust none will put it in our Jeanie's light brain,' sighed Lily, 'or
she will be neither to have nor to hold.'

The consultation was interrupted by the sudden bursting in of Jean
herself. She flew up to her friends with outstretched hands, and hid her
face in Lilias's lap.

'Oh, cousins, cousins! tak' me away out of his reach. He has been the
death of poor Meg, now he wants to be mine.'

They could not understand her at first, and indeed shame as well as
dismay made her incoherent--for what had been proposed to her was at
that time unprecedented. It is hard to believe it, yet French historians
aver that the Dauphin Louis actually tho