“Home again, my child,” spoke Lord Stafford cheerily. “Right glad am I to enter 86 its gates once more. How is it with thee, Francis? Thou hast fared widely. Dost still revere thy home?”
“More than ever, my father. Never have I seen it look so beautiful. Even the stones seem to smile a welcome.”
“Marry, there stands my lady wife! Look, she sees us.”
With a cry of joy the lady ran to greet them.
“Ye are safe,” she cried embracing them. “Ah, but it hath been long, long since ye left. Methought something had befallen you.”
“No; my sweet wife. Weary we may be with the journey, and ready for the good cheer which we know awaits us, but well otherwise. How now, sweet chuck? Thou art pale, and even though thou hast us safe with thee, yet doth thy lip still quiver, and thy form tremble. What is it? Speak, madam, I beseech thee.”
“My lord, I wot not what to think of it, but to-day a messenger came from the queen saying that Elizabeth in her royal progress through Hampshire would honor us with a visit.” 87
“Elizabeth here?” cried Lord Stafford in astonishment. “Art sure?”
“Sure, my lord. What doth it portend? Is there hidden menace in the fact? Doth she suspect, think you, that Ballard hath been here? My lord, what can it mean?”
“Madam, I know not. We are her subjects. If Her Majesty chooses to visit us we can but receive her. But look not so pale. ’Tis but a matter of a few days’ entertainment, and surely we would do ill to be churlish of them. It is not the first time that royalty hath honored Stafford. Right well do I remember that Henry, Elizabeth’s bluff old father, favored us with a visit. With his own hand he brought down many a fat buck in yon forest park. Right well pleased was my father with that visit.”