"Anything is better than suspense," said Jane, sobbing. "Would that the king were here."
"I will bring him if you wish it," said Roland, rising and taking both her hands in his; "he would come in a moment, for to him a lady's message is paramount to one from the parliament. But would you say that the earl is in Scotland—here among us in Edinburgh?"
"I would, Roland—yes, for such is my confidence in the honour and generosity of the king."
"'Tis not misplaced, for James is alike good and merciful; but 'twere better to ask his French bride, whom he loves too well to refuse her anything—even to become the ally of his uncle, English Henry; and certes! the pardon of a gallant Scottish noble is no great boon to crave of a generous Scottish king."
Roland started, for at that moment the voice of James was heard at one of the open windows of the hall just above them.
"Vipont! Sir Roland Vipont!" he said.
"I am here, at your grace's service," replied Sir Roland, raising his bonnet.
"Wilt thon favour us a moment? here, my lord the bishop of Limoges and I have a dispute as to whether our old gun of Galloway, Mollance Meg, or the Devil of Bois le Duc, carry the largest ball. I say Meg; the bishop says the Devil; and as 'tis thy office to know all points of gunner-craft, come hither, if that fair dame will do us the honour to spare thee for one moment, for we have laid a hundred lions Scots on the matter."
Loth to leave Jane, and anxious to please the king, Roland hesitated, till she said—
"Obey the king, and I will wait your return; luckily, yonder is my cousin Sybil and Louis Leslie of the king's guard."