"Life is a chain of ifs, dear _Joyce_," saith he.

"Truth," saith she, and stood a moment as if meditating. "Well," saith
she at last, "`half a loaf is better than no bread at all,' so I reckon
I must be content with what I have. But if I send thee an whole flock
of sheep one day, and to _Lettice_ the next an hundred ells of velvet,
prithee be not astonied."

_Father_ laughed, and said nought of that sort should ever astonish him,
for he knew Aunt _Joyce_ by far too well.

SELWICK HALL, MARCH YE IX.
We were sat this morrow all in the little chamber at work, and I
somewhat marvelled what was ado with _Mother_, for smiles kept ever and
anon flitting across her face, as though she were mighty diverted with
the flax she was spinning: and I guessed her thoughts should be
occupying somewhat that was of mirthful sort. At last saith Aunt
_Joyce_:--

"_Lettice_, what is thy mind a-laughing at? I have kept count, and thou
hast smiled eleven times this half-hour. Come, give us a share, good
fellow."

_Mother_ laughed right out then, and saith--

"Why, _Joyce_, I knew not I was thus observed of a spy. Howbeit, what
made me smile, that shall you know. Who is here to list me?"

All the women of the house were there but _Milisent_; of the men none
save _Ned_.

"Aubrey hath had demand made of him for our _Milly_," saith _Mother_.

"Heave he!" cries _Ned_. "Who wants her?"

"Good lack, lad, hast no eyes in thine head?" quoth Aunt _Joyce_.
"_Robin Lewthwaite_, of course. I can alway tell when young folks be
after that game."

"Eh deary me!" cries Cousin _Bess_. "Why, I ne'er counted one of our
lasses old enough to be wed. How doth time slip by, for sure!"

"I scarce looked for _Milly_ to go the first," saith Mistress _Martin_.

I reckon she thought _Nell_ should have come afore, for she is six years
elder than _Milly_: and so she might, would she have taken _Nym
Lewthwaite_, for _Father_ and _Mother_ were so rare good as leave her
choose. But I would not have taken _Nym_, so I cannot marvel at
_Helen_.

"You see, _Aunt_," saith _Ned_, answering Aunt _Joyce_, "I am not yet up
to the game."

"And what wilt choose by, when thou art?" saith Aunt _Joyce_, with a
little laugh. "I know a young man that chose his wife for her comely
eyebrows: and an other (save the mark!) by her _French_ hood. Had I had
no better cause than that last, I would have bought me a _French_