"Under the table, Sabrino—hide, hide," said Leslie; "I would not for my helmet full of gold pieces, thou wert seen with us—quick!"
Sabrino dived below the table, and again the knock was heard.
"Who is there without?—come in," said Sir John.
Carrying in his hand his bonnet, which was adorned by a long white feather, a graceful young man, attired in the most gorgeous and extreme of the fashion of that age, a doublet of peach-coloured velvet, sewn with seed pearls, and stiff with silver lace, a Genoese mantle of blue velvet, and trunks and hose of the palest yellow satin, appeared.
"My Lord David Lindesay!" said the two officers of the guard, as they started from their seats.
"A message from the cardinal," said the young lord, who was soon to become the primate's son-in-law. "His eminence sets out to-morrow for Falkland Palace, to visit the king, and begs the favour of some twenty arquebusiers, under your guidance, Laird of Balquhan, as the roads are neither safe nor sure at this time."
Leslie looked at his captain.
"Half the guard are at Falkland already, under the other lieutenant, the Laird of Bute," replied Forrester: "but my friend Balquhan will be at the disposal of his eminence to-morrow with twenty arquebusiers. At what time do you mount and ride?"
"After morning prayer," said the young lord: "you know how unsafe the country is around Falkland—for his eminence, at least."
"True; the Kirkaldies of Grange, the Melvilles of Raith, and the Seatons of Clatto, are no friends of his."