Mr. Rivers bowed low, and said, in French: "Madame, I commend her to your good care." Then to me: "Margaret, the Governor's lady offers you the protection of her roof."
His eyes bade me accept it, and I turned slowly to the imperious stranger and murmured: "Madame, I thank you."
"So!" she exclaimed, "you can speak, then? You are not dumb? I had thought it was a pretty waxen effigy of Our Lady, for the padre here," and she laughed mockingly, with a glance over her shoulder.
Another had joined our group, but his bare feet had sounded no warning tread. The sight of the coarse habit and the tonsured head struck a chill through me. Two sombre eyes held mine for a moment, then their owner turned silently away and re-entered the chapel door.
Melinza was standing by, with a gathering frown on his forehead.
"Such condescension on your part, Doña Orosia, is needless. We can provide accommodations for all our English guests here in the castle."
"What! Would Don Pedro stoop to trick out a lady's boudoir?—Nay, she would die of the horrors within these gloomy walls. Come with me, child, I can furnish better entertainment."
I turned hastily toward my dear love.
"Go!" said his eyes to me.
Then I thought of Barbara, and very timidly I asked leave to keep her by me.