Mary coughed and shivered. She turned to Madame Nienhuys.
"When is your cousin coming to Court?" she asked.
"Not yet, Madam. I had a letter from The Hague yesterday from her mother saying she would send her in the spring."
"Why not sooner?" asked the Queen.
"She saith she is frightened by the reports of the plague in London."
"They say it is worse this year," assented Mary. "And the smallpox."
"And the smallpox, Madam. But it is foolish of my cousin to be so timid."
"Yes," said Mary gravely; "since timidity will save no one. God doth His will, despite our fears."
She opened the work-table beside her and took out a chair-cover she was working with a design of birds and flowers on a black ground. She made a languid attempt to thread the needle, then dropped the sewing as she had the book.
"I will try that gown on," she said, "and then we will make tea in the little antechamber—this is so large."