"Good-night, Maester Leicester," said the two men, or rather shouted it, for they had to make themselves heard above the mad ravings of their companion.
Leicester, calm and unconcerned, gravely walked on.
The two men exchanged glances as they looked at the dark mark of the last blow upon the drunken man's face and grinned appreciatingly.
Nat, the carrier's cottage was but a little distance from the spot, and they succeeded in getting Jem to bed without farther disturbance of her majesty's peace.
In the morning it was soon over the village that there had been another scene between Mr. Leicester and Jem Starling, and when the man appeared at the "Blue Lion" about noon they expected to hear a second edition of the dreadful threats which had broken the stillness of the preceding night.
But Jem came in silently, with the dark bruise upon his face, and sullenly kept that silence.
And so the day passed, and the little incident had before night sunk into insignificance.
But it was doomed to bear bitter fruit, and that before many weeks should pass.
"I have been thinking," said the captain, as he entered the breakfast-room on the same morning, "that this is the very day for a ride. It is not so hot and there is a delicious little breeze."
Violet looked up with an indifferent smile.