ht."

"I hear her Grace loves the play," said Mistress Margaret.

"Indeed she does. I saw her at Whitehall the other day, when the children
of the Chapel Royal were acting; she clapped and called out with delight.
But Mistress Corbet can tell you more than I can--Ah! here she is."

Isabel looked up, and saw a wonderful figure coming briskly along the
terrace and down the steps that led from the house. Miss Corbet was
dressed with what she herself would have said was a milkmaid's plainness;
but Isabel looked in astonishment at the elaborate ruff and wings of
muslin and lace, the shining peacock gown, the high-piled coils of black
hair, and the twinkling buckled feet. She had a lively bright face, a
little pale, with a high forehead, and black arched brows and dancing
eyes, and a little scarlet mouth that twitched humorously now and then
after speaking. She rustled up, flicking her handkerchief, and exclaiming
against the heat. Isabel was presented to her; she sat down on a settle
Mr. James drew forward for her, with the handkerchief still whisking at
the flies.

"I am ashamed to come out like this," she began. "Mistress Plesse would
break her heart at my lace. You country ladies have far more sense. I am
the slave of my habits. What were you talking of, that you look so
gravely at me?"

Mr. James told her.

"Oh, her Grace!" said Miss Corbet. "Indeed, I think sometimes she is
never off the stage herself. Ah! and what art and passion she shows too!"

"We are all loyal subjects here," said Mr. James; "tell us what you
mean."

"I mean what I say," she said. "Never was there one who loved play-acting
more and to occupy the centre of the stage, too. And the throne too, if
there be one," she added.

Miss Corbet talked always at her audience; she hardly ever looked
directly at any one, but up or down, or even shut her eyes and tilted her
face forward while she talked; and all the while she kept an incessant
movement of her lips or handkerchief, or tapped her foot, or shifted her
position a little. Isabel thought she had never seen any one so restless.

Then she went on to tell them of the Queen. She was so startlingly frank
that Lady Maxwell again and again looked up as if to interrupt; but she
always came off the thin ice in time. It was abominable gossip; but she
talked with such a genial air of loyal good humour, that it was very
difficult to find fault. Miss Corbet was plainly accustomed to act as
Court Circular,