The ladies rose with a pretty rustle of skirts, folded up their work, and followed Mary through Sir Christopher's noble apartments to her chamber, which was very exactly furnished but cold.
On the canopied bed of blue and yellow damask lay the Queen's new gown, and two sewing-girls sat on low stools and stitched the lace into the sleeves.
At Mary's approach they rose silently.
"How cold it is!" shivered Mary. "Put me down a grumbler, but we had warmer houses at The Hague."
"But the dress is beautiful!" cried Lady Nottingham, and the five ladies gathered about the bed with exclamations of admiration.
It was of white velvet, embroidered with little wreaths of coloured silk flowers opening over a silver petticoat trimmed with flounces of lace. The sewing-maidens eyed it shyly, and blushed at the compliments bestowed.
"I must dance in that," smiled Mary. "Dancing used to be one of my prettiest pleasures, as you may remember, my Lady Temple!"
"Will Your Majesty try it on?" asked Basilea de Marsac.
"Yes," laughed Mary, "the sewing-girls will help me; get you into the other room and make the tea——"
The ladies trooped off, and the two sempstresses timidly helped Mary out of her brown velvet and laced her into the state dress.