After a few kindly
words the Duchess said, "The poor child is to have a stepdame so soon
as the year of mourning is passed. May she be good to her! Hath the
rumour thereof reached you in the city, Maid Griselda, that my son is
in treaty with your English King, though he loves not the house of
York? But princely alliances must be looked for in marriage."
"Madge!" exclaimed Grisell; then colouring, "I should say the Lady
Margaret of York."
"You knew her?"
"Oh! I knew her. We loved each other well in the Lord of
Salisbury's house! There never was a maid whom I knew or loved like
her!"
"In the Count of Salisbury's house," repeated the Duchess. "Were you
there as the Lady Margaret's fellow-pupil?" she said, as though
perceiving that her lace maker must be of higher quality than she had
supposed.
"It was while my father was alive, madame, and before her father had
fixed his eyes on the throne, your Highness."
"And your father was, you said, the knight De--De--D'Acor."
"So please you, madame," said Grisell kneeling, "not to mention my
poor name to the lady."
"We are a good way from speech of her," said the Duchess smiling.
"Our year of doole must pass, and mayhap the treaty will not hold in
the meantime. The King of France would fain hinder it. But if the
Demoiselle loved you of old would she not give you preferment in her
train if she knew?"
"Oh! madame, I pray you name me not till she be here! There is much
that hangs on it, more than I can tell at present, without doing
harm; but I have a petition to prefer to her.
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