But Rupert would have her with them in every sport and study in which she could bear a part. He liked her in her girl's dress, and told her so.
"Thou art fairer than any girl or woman in all the world," he said, "except it be my aunt Sybil."
Rupert was very proud of the beautiful kinswoman that had taken him for her own. At first he was half ashamed to show his pride and love, but very soon, of his own will, he imitated Merrylips, as he did in many things, and would come with her to sit by Lady Sybil in the twilight and ask questions and talk of what was near his heart.
One evening, the eve of Christmas, as it chanced, they three were together. They sat in the great oriel window of the long gallery. Merrylips was at Lady Sybil's side, where she could look out and see the frosty stars, and Rupert was on a cushion at her feet. They had been speaking, as they sometimes did, of how, when Rupert had had lessons for a couple of years, as was fitting for such a young boy, he should have a commission as an officer of the king, and of all the fine things that he should have and do in years to come.
Then after a silence Rupert spoke, in the darkness:—
"Good Aunt Sybil, I ha' been thinking, if 'twere not for what Merrylips did and I did mock her for, I should never ha' been more than a horseboy all my life."
And he went on, with his head against Lady Sybil's knee:—
"For if she had not had the heart to pity Dick Fowell, why, then, she had never known him. And so, at Ryeborough, he had been but as any rebel officer, and she had never dared call on him for help. And," he said truthfully, "I know not what would ha' happened me then, there at the Spotted Dog. But surely we should never have come into Lord Caversham's presence, and there would 'a' been none to say with surety that I was my father's son. So 'tis all thanks to Merrylips that I am here, because she had pity on Dick Fowell. Had you thought on that, good aunt?"
"Why, indeed, I may have thought it, Robin, lad," said Lady Sybil, and in the darkness Merrylips felt her cheeks burn hot.
Now the next day was Christmas, and when Merrylips woke, she went to the wardrobe to take down her Tibbott clothes. But just then Lady Sybil came into the chamber, and with her came Mawkin. Across her arm Mawkin bore a little gown of russet velvet. It had puffed sleeves and a short bodice, and the square neck and short sleeves were edged with deep lace.