In the evening, when we were all together in the great hall of the castle, my mistress also being of the company, he was in a boisterous humour, and bade his harpers sing of the glories of the house of Desmond. He sat beside Grace O’Malley, and I saw him, under cover of the music, speaking to her very earnestly; and presently he called me up to them.
“What think you, Ruari?” said my mistress, and her eyes danced and smiled, “what think you, does the President of Munster ask from the Earl of Desmond?”
“What is his demand?” cried I.
“Nothing less or more,” said she, and the laughter suddenly went out of her face, “than that he should instantly deliver up a certain Grace O’Malley, as a notable traitress to the Queen and a spoiler of ships, at present lodged in his castle of Askeaton, and should forthwith cause her to be conveyed to him at the city of Limerick, to be there dealt with according to her deserts and the pleasure of her Highness. What think ye of that?”
“What says the Earl of Desmond?” cried I.
“What, indeed!” said she, answering for him, and turning to him with a smile.
“Ay—what, indeed!” said he, meeting her look, and smiling back at her.
At that instant there was a commotion at the further end of the hall, and there entered a man, with his garments stained with travel and befouled with mire.
As soon as de Vilela saw him he sprang forward with a great cry of delight, and, careless of us all, embraced him, while a sort of silence came upon us, and the bards ceased their singing; but the whisper soon and quickly ran among us that the Spaniards at last were come.