'A lady wanting me, and on very urgent business! This was strange. Could it be Lady Mountfort? I thought; and my spirits sank at the idea. But when I suggested this in an undertone to Hal Verney, my chief friend among the pages, he only laughed, and vowed that when I died the words "Lady Mountfort" would be found graven on my heart, as "Calais" was on that of Queen Mary.
"Far more likely," he said, "that it is only some one with a petition to the Queen for grace to some of the rebels. There have been so many here lately seeking pardons for their friends."
'"Oh! 'tis that, depend on it," said another. "Only it seems strange that they should have admitted her at this hour."
'"Well, whoever it may be, make haste to come back," called out Hal, as I walked reluctantly off to see this mysterious visitor of mine.
'"Did she give no name?" I asked of the lacquey.
'"No. She had refused to give any name," the man said. He could only tell me that she seemed of middle age, but that her face was so concealed by hood and muffler that not a glimpse of it was to be seen. I felt no good will towards her as I made my way through the noisy group of pages, gentlemen-ushers, Roman Catholic priests, and Protestant chaplains, that filled the doorway of the Queen's ante-chamber. Nevertheless it was with decided relief that I glanced at the tall, stately figure, standing in a corner of the room, which was pointed out to me as the lady. She was not Lady Mountfort, that was quite clear, in spite of the veil and muffler; so I was able to bow, and ask what her commands might be, with all the ease and self-possession I had learnt of late, and which would have been quite impossible to me six months before.
'"Can Lord Desmond let me have a few words with him in private?" she said in a very low and rather tremulous tone.
'But though she spoke almost in a whisper, I knew the voice directly. It was that of my mother-in-law, Lady Dalrymple.
'"Oh! find some place where I can speak with you alone," she repeated earnestly, as I looked round the room, considering where I should take her. "There is something that I must say to you—something that may be a matter of life or death."
'These words fairly startled me, and drove the game of bowls completely out of my head. Without any more hesitation, I pushed open a side door, close to where we were standing, and led the way to the Queen's private oratory, which I knew at that hour we were likely to have to ourselves. Lady Dalrymple threw back her veil as I shut the door of the little chapel, and held out both hands to me. She looked much older and thinner than when I had last seen her on my wedding day; and the kind, bright, cheerful face, of which I still kept such a pleasant recollection, had a look of melancholy which I had never seen there before.