“There seems to have been a great deal that Chris did not tell us—” began Ralph.
Sir James glanced swiftly from his seat under the canopy.
“He told us all that was needed,” he said.
“Aha!” broke out Nicholas again, “but the Holy Maid said that the King would not live six months if he—”
Chris’s face was full of despair and misery, and his father interrupted once more.
“We had better not speak of that, my son,” he said to Nicholas. “It is best to leave such things alone.”
Ralph was smiling broadly with tight lips by now.
“By my soul, Nick, you are the maddest wind-bag I have ever heard. All our heads might go for what you have said to-night. Thank God the servants are gone.”
“Nick,” cried Mary imploringly, “do hold your tongue.”
Lady Torridon looked from one to the other with serene amusement, and there was an odd pause such as generally fell when she showed signs of speaking. Her lips moved but she said nothing, and ran her eyes over the silver flagons before her.