Maude under her breath.

"`Would it were true!'" repeated Constance, laughing. "Nay, by the head
of Saint John Baptist, but this Maude would have me an heretic!
Prithee, turn thy wit to better use, woman. I may be taken for a
Gospeller, yet not be one."

"But, sweet Lady," said Maude, earnestly, "wherefore will ye take the
disgrace, and deny yourself of the blessing?"

"When I can see the blessing, Maude, I will do thee to wit," replied
Constance, laughingly.

"Methinks it is scarce seen," returned Maude, thoughtfully. "Madam, you
never yet saw happiness, but ye have felt it, and ye wit such a thing to
be. And I have felt the blessing of our Lord's love and pity, though ye
no have."

"Fantasies, child!" said Constance.

"If so be, Dame, how come so many to know it?"

"By reason the world is full of fantastical fools," answered Constance,
lightly. "We be all nigh fools, sweeting--big fools and little fools--
that is all."

Maude gave up the attempt to make her understand. She only said, "Would
your Grace that I read unto you a season?" privately intending, if her
offer were accepted, to read from the gospel of Saint Luke, which she
had with her. But Constance laughingly declined the offer; and Maude
felt that nothing more could be done, except to pray for her.

Time rolled away wearily enough till the summer was drawing to its
close. And then a new interest awoke for both Maude and her lady. For
the leaves were just beginning to droop on the trees around Kenilworth
Castle, when the disinherited heiress of Kent, a prisoner from her
birth, opened her eyes upon the world which had prepared for her such
cold and cruel welcome.

There was plenty to do and to talk about after this. Constance was
perplexed what name to give her baby. She had never consulted any will
but her own before, for she had not cared about pleasing Le Despenser.
But she wanted to please Kent, and she did not know what name would
gratify him. At length she decided on Alianora, a name borne by two of
his sisters, of whom the eldest, the Countess of March, she believed to
be his favourite sister.

A few weeks after the birth of Alianora, on a close, warm autumn
afternoon, Constance was lying on her bed to rest, feeling languid and
tired with the heat; and Maude sat by the window near her, singing
softly to the baby in her arms. Hearing a gentle call from Bertram
outside, Maude laid the child down and opened the door. Bertram was