“Then, little Maude, have here thy treasure”—and she held forth the leaf to her—“and thy wish. Follow this dame, and she will see if thou canst guard gowns. If so be, and thou canst be willing and gent, another may cleanse the pans, for thou shalt turn again to the kitchen no more.”
Little Maude clasped her hands in ecstasy.
“Our Lady Mary, and Peter and Paul, bless your Ladyship’s mistresshood! Be you good enough for to ensure me of the same?”
“Thou shalt not win back, an’ thou do well,” repeated the lady, smiling. “Now follow this dame.”
Dona Juana was not at all astonished. Similar sudden transformations were comparatively of frequent occurrence at that time; and to call in question any act of the King of Castilla’s daughter would have been in her eyes the most impossible impropriety. She merely noted mentally the extremely dirty state of Maude’s frock, calculated how long it would take to make her three new ones, wondered if she would be very troublesome to teach, and finally asked her if she had any better dress. Maude owned that she possessed a serge one for holidays, upon which Dona Juana, after a minute’s hesitation, looked back into the room she had left, and said, “Alvena!” A lively-looking woman, past girlhood in age, but retaining much of the character, answered the call.
“Hie unto Mistress Ursula Drew, that is over the kitchen, and do her to wit that her Grace’s pleasure is to advance Maude, the scullion, unto room (situation) of tire-woman; bid her to give thee all that ’longeth unto the maid, and bear it hither.”
Alvena departed on her errand, and Maude followed Dona Juana into fairy land. Gorgeous hangings covered the walls; here and there a soft mossy carpet was spread over the stone floor—for it was not the time of year for rushes. The guide’s own dress—crimson velvet, heavily embroidered—was a marvel of art, and the pretty articles strewn on the tables were wonders of the world. They had passed through four rooms ere Maude found her tongue.
“Might it like your Madamship,” she asked timidly, her curiosity at last overcoming her reserve, though she felt less at home with Dona Juana than with the other lady, “to tell me the name of the fair mistress that did give me into your charge?”
“That is our Lady’s Grace, maiden,” said Juana rather stiffly, “the Lady Infanta Dona Isabel, Countess of Cambridge.”
“What, she that doth bear rule over us all?” said Maude amazedly.