Dame Hilda came forward into the night nursery.
“Hold you there, young ladies!” saith she: “at the least, I would say my three elder young ladies—Dame Margaret, Dame Joan, and Dame Isabel. Pray you, don you once more, but of your warmest gear, for a journey by night.”
“Are we not to go to bed?” asked Joan in surprise: but our three sisters donned themselves anew, as Dame Hilda had said, of their warmest gear. Dame Hilda spake not word till they were all ready. Then Meg saith—
“Whither be we bound, Dame?—and with whom?”
“With my Lady, Dame Margaret, to Southampton.”
I think we all cried out “Southampton!” in diverse tones.
“There is news come to her Ladyship, as she herself may tell you,” said Dame Hilda, mysteriously.
“Aren’t we to go, Dame?” saith Blanche’s little voice.
Dame Hilda turned round sharply, as if she went about to snap Blanche’s head off; and Blanche shrank in dismay.
“Certainly not, Dame Blanche! What should my Lady do to be worried with babes like you? She has enough else on her mind at this present, without a pack of tiresome children—holy saints be her help! Eh dear, dear, this world!”