"Beyond all question, madam. It is near three months since the abduction and a trace of her has yet to be discovered;" and was going on when the Countess of Ware stopped him.
"Can you tell us what detains the King?" she asked.
"I have no notion," he replied. "I saw him an hour or so ago and he was in the best of health and humor."
"Your news is stale," she laughed; "a King's humor an hour old is very ancient."
"True," said Darby, "true indeed, yet here comes one who can doubtless answer fittingly… Sir Ralph, what delays His Majesty?"
But De Wilton looked him straight in the face, and with never a word in reply, passed on.
And at that moment the Black Rod entered, and behind him came the King.
Save for the crimson lining of his short gown, he was clad in white from head to foot, an ivory boar with eyes of rubies and tusks of sapphires, pinned the feather in his bonnet, about his neck hung the George, and his only weapon was the diamond hilted dagger at his girdle. With it he toyed, looking neither to the right nor to the left, nor yet to the front; but rather at the mental picture of one engrossed in thought.
Slowly and with the impressive dignity that was the natural heritage of the Plantagenets, he mounted the steps to the Throne and turning faced his Court; and all bowed low, and then in silence waited, while his dark eyes searched them through.
"You may take your places, my Lord Cardinal and Lord Chancellor," he said. "Her Majesty will not join us until later."