The green shade of the trees was welcome after the glare of the sunlight on the lawn. A breeze rustled amongst the overhanging leaves. Hidden away, somewhere, high up amongst the tree tops, a couple of jays chattered raucously in the sultry stillness.
In a minute or two, the King caught a glimpse, through the trees, of the picturesque, crudely thatched roof of the summer house.
A moment later, he saw Judith.
Judith was sitting in a wicker work chair, at the entrance to the summer house, with her hands lying idle, for once, on her lap, gazing at the superb panorama of green fields, and wooded heights, which lay spread out before her in the sunshine.
So intent was her gaze, she did not hear the King's approach.
The King halted, abruptly, on the edge of the clearing, and watched her.
A smile flickered about Judith's lips. The play of thought across her beautiful, vivid face reminded the King of the play of light and shade across some sunny hillside. He had never seen Judith alone with her own thoughts, like this, before. A kind of awe stole over him as he watched her. And yet, he soon grew impatient, and jealous, of these thoughts of Judith's, which he could not share.
Stepping back, in under the trees, he trod, with intention, on a broken branch which lay on the paths at his feet.
The snapping of the branch served to recall Judith to her immediate surroundings.
She did not start. She turned her head, slowly; and saw him.