The captain smiled; for, if court scandal could be trusted, he stood high in favour with more than one of them; so he said evasively,—
"You seek to discover of whose letter you are bearer?"
"Nay, on my honour I do not!"
"Her ladies?" queried the cunning captain, pausing for a reply.
"Yes, what countesses has she about her?"
"There are the countesses of Huntly, Monteith, Mar, and Crawford."
"Pshaw! all these are old, or well up in years."
"Well, I said not otherwise," replied the arquebusier, laughing.
"The young and beautiful?"
"Are Errol, Orkney, and Argyle."