"Brava!" cried Gilles de Retz when Laurence had finished; "that is
truly well sung indeed! You shall sing it alone in my chapel next
feast day of the Holy Innocents."

He paused as if to consider his words.

"And now for this time go. But remember that this Castle of Machecoul
is straiter than any prison cell, and better guarded than a fortress.
It is surrounded with constant watchers, secret, invisible,
implacable. Whoso tries to escape, dies. You are a bold lad, and, as I
think, fear not much death for yourself. But come hither, and I will
show you something which will chain you here."

With a kind of solicitous familiarity the Marshal de Retz took the lad
by the arm and drew him to another window on the further side of the
keep.

"Look forth and tell me what you see," he said.

Laurence set his head out of the window. He looked upon an intricate
mass of building, composing the western wing of the castle, and it was
some moments before he could distinguish what the Sieur de Retz wished
him to see. Then, as his eyes took in the details, he saw on the flat
roof of a square tower beneath him two maidens seated, and when he
looked closer--lo! they were Margaret Douglas and, beside her, his
brother's sweetheart Maud Lindesay. These two were sitting hand in
hand, as was their wont, and the head of the child was bowed almost to
her friend's knee. Maud's arm was about Margaret's neck, and her
fingers caressed the childish tangle of hair. Presently the elder
lifted the younger upon her knee and hushed her like a mother who
puts a tired child to sleep.

Immediately behind this group, in the shadow of a buttress, Laurence
saw a tall man, masked, clad in a black suit, and with a drawn sword
in his hand.

The marshal looked out over the lad's shoulder.

"The day you are missed from the Castle of Machecoul, or the day that
the rest of your company arrives here, that sword shall fall, but in a
more terrible fashion than I can tell you! That sentinel can neither
hear nor speak, but he has his orders and will obey them. I bid you
good night. Go to your singing in the choir. It is time for the
chanting of vespers in the chapel of the Holy Innocents."

CHAPTER LII

THE JESTING OF LA MEFFRAYE

It was in the White Tower of Machecoul that the Scottish maidens were
held at the mercy of the Lord of Retz. At their first arrival in the
country they had been taken to the quiet Chateau of Pouzauges, the
birthplace of Poito