"Our poor father!" said Gabrielle sadly, as the tears rose again to her eyes, and she turned towards the sea.
"He deputed me to be your guardian."
"You!" said Gabrielle, with a sunny smile of wonder in her bright blue eyes.
"You!" added Ernestine, with a flash of astonishment in her dark orbs, which were red with weeping, although she proudly endeavoured to conceal it.
"I—there is nothing so surprising in that surely, except to myself—that I should have so great an honour, so supreme a happiness.
"A rare guardian—as if we were mere children, who could not look after ourselves!" they said, laughing.
"Besides, there is that dear old queen," added Gabrielle.
"Nay, ladies, if the wild musketeers of Merodé, or Tilly's savage Walloons—if some exasperated Holsteiners or discomfited Danes, paid a visit in the dark to this castle by the sea; or if the boors revolted under some popular ruffian, as they do at times, and assailed the dowager's court, because her son the king will not make peace with an emperor, who has sworn to conquer Denmark as he has conquered Bohemia, you might find there were worse protectors than Philip Rollo and his company of kilted musketeers."
"And your tall kinsman that wears the eagle's-wing," said Gabrielle, with a faint blush.
"I thank you for remembering me, though he in his vanity forgot me," said Ian laughing, as he stepped forward and saluted the ladies, while Phadrig Mhor, his tall henchman, remained a few paces behind; "but harkee, Philip, here hath Phadrig Mhor just learned from a fisherman, that the king is concentrating forces in Laaland to attack Pehmarn."