CHAPTER XII
DESCRIBETH THE DUPLICITY OF INNOCENCE
Mr. Thomas Levitt, the landlord, received them beaming hearty welcome, and with many nods and winks anent “true-believers” one and all; and himself conducted them upstairs where, after sundry ablutions, they sat down to viands that amply justified Sir Hector’s prophecy. And a very excellent, though somewhat silent, meal they made of it; even when hunger was appeased they spoke little—Sir Hector because he was comfortably drowsy, my lady because she was far too busy scheming out her next course of procedure, and Sir John because he was content to study her half-averted face as she sat, staring out of the open lattice. Thus he noted how her gaze turned suddenly from the sunny landscape without to her cloak, where it hung across an adjacent chair-back, and thence once more to the window, almost furtively, while her foot began to tap with restless impatience.
At last, Sir Hector chancing to snore gently, my lady started, glanced swiftly from the sleeper to Sir John and, meeting his whimsical glance, flushed suddenly and grew immediately angry in consequence.
“Well, sir,” she demanded, frowning.
“I rejoice to know it, my Rose, for I——”
“I am not ‘your’ Rose!” she retorted petulantly, whereat he smiled gently. Quoth he:
“Nay, Rose, who knows what the future may disclose? Shy Rose, sly Rose, though thou seek’st to fly, Rose——”
“To fly?” she repeated, with startled look. “What—what do you mean?”