“Gracious, I grant thee, cousin; but lovely, no. My mother is fairer by far than she.”
“Hark ye, lad,” said a courtier who had 100 overheard the girl’s words, “a hint in thine ear: repeat not that speech. Nay; think it not even. It behooves thee, and me, and all of us to believe that the queen is the loveliest, the fairest, and the most learned of all women, bar none; which she is. God bless her!”
“God bless Elizabeth,” echoed Greville fervently, but Francis, with a haughty look at the speaker, turned upon her heel, and entered the hall.
CHAPTER X
THE QUEEN TAKES OFFENSE
The queen at length reached the great hall of the castle, gorgeously hung with tapestries for her reception, and resounding to the strains of soft and delicious music. At the upper end of the chamber was a throne and beside it a door which opened into a suite of apartments for the queen whenever it should be her pleasure to be private. The hall was thronged with spectators, for a masque was to be given, and menials as well as courtiers were interested in the pageant.
Francis mingled with the crowd purposing to retire very soon to her bower to don habit more befitting her sex, but enjoying for the nonce the freedom which her garb gave her. Presently she felt her cloak twitched as some one said:
“Where is your sister, sir? I see her not among those who attend the queen.”