“Mother, do you mind a gentleman, by name Tregarvon?”
“What name saidst, Edith?” asks Mother.
“Tregarvon,” quoth she. “Sir Edwin Tregarvon, of Cornwall.”
“Nay, I never knew no gentleman of that name,” saith Mother. “Where heardst of him, child?”
“’Twas when we went o’er to Saint Hubert’s Isle, Mother,” she made answer,—“what day were it, Milly?—about ten days gone—”
“Aye, I mind it,” saith Mother.
“Well, while I sat of the rock a-drawing, come up a gentleman to me,” saith she, “and asked at me if Louvaine were not my name. (Why, then, he knew us! thought I.) I said ‘Aye,’ and he went on to ask me if Father were at home, for he had list to have speech of him: and he said he knew you, Mother, of old time, when you were Mistress Lettice. I told him Father was at home, and he desired to know what time should be the best to find him: when I told him the early morrow, for he was oft away in the afternoon. And then—”
“Well, my lass?” saith Mother, for Edith was at a point.
“Well, Mother, methinks I had better tell you,” saith she, a-looking up, “for I cannot be easy till I have so done, and I wis well you will not lay to my charge a thing that was no blame of mine. So—then he ’gan to speak of a fashion that little liked me, and I am assured should have liked you no better: commending my drawing, and mine hair, and mine eyes, and all such matter as that: till at the last I said unto him, ‘Sir, I pray you of pardon, but I am not used to such like talk, and in truth I know not what to answer. If your aim be to find favour with me, you were best hold your peace from such words.’ For, see you, Mother, I thought he might have some petition unto Father, and might take a fantasy that I could win Father to grant him, and so would the rather if he talked such matter as should flatter my foolish vanity. As though Father should be one to be swayed by such a fantasy as that! But then, of course, he did not know Father. I trust I did not aught to your displeasance, Mother?”
“So far as I can judge, dear child, thou didst very well,” saith Mother: “and I am right glad thou wert thus discreet for thy years. But what said he in answer?”