IT was a beautiful late autumn day and the sun was shining on the moat and the old walls of Holwick. Some few weeks previously news had arrived in that remote corner of the death of Queen Mary and the accession of Elizabeth, and Audry was sitting as she often did, in the bay window of Mistress Mowbray’s bower, looking down toward Middleton, when four riders and a pack horse were seen approaching the gates.
Audry had noticed their coming and, as they drew nearer, she recognised two of them and ran eagerly out to meet them. “Oh, how I have hoped for you to come,” she said, “and somehow I knew it would not be long before you were here.”
Ian dismounted and helped his sister and Aline to alight, while the serving man took the horses. Aline was in perfect health, but Ian was still worn and thin. She had not been long in recovering; but he had hovered between life and death for some time.
“This is the Lady Shiona, Ian’s sister,” said Aline. Audry came forward a little shyly, but Shiona said, “Oh, I have heard so much about you,” and kissed her warmly.
Audry then flung her arms round Aline as though she would never let her go.
“You must not leave Ian in the cold,” said Aline.
“No, indeed, I should think not,” exclaimed Audry; “why, if it were not for him you would not be here at all,” and she held up her face to be kissed.
“She is getting too big to be kissed, is she not?” said Ian.
“Not at all,” said Aline, “you kiss me.”
“That is a different matter,” said Ian, laughing, as he kissed Audry, “you are my ward, you see.”