"Then I shall present myself before you, Lady Vernon, at the conclusion of the tourney," he loftily replied, "and I will have my answer then."
"If so be, that is, that there be aught left of thee to come," supplemented Sir George, considerably nettled at the other's tone, "for I hear that Manners is terrible with the sword."
"Thank you, sir baron," was the proud retort, "but I have learnt ere now how to hold the lance, and can wield the mace;" and without deigning to cast a look behind him he strode away in an ill humour with himself and everybody else, to scowl in silence at the group of merrymakers on the green.
"There, a pretty lover!" exclaimed Dorothy, as her suitor walked away, "but I have given him his answer."
"Hush, my lady," whispered the maid.
"We shall be able to get it all arranged for a week to-day, and you shall be queen of the tourney, Maude, if it so please you."
"I, Sir George? I indeed!" replied the dame. "Pooh! my queening days are gone. It must be either Margaret or Dorothy."
"Fancy," whispered Lattice, "you the queen of the tournament!"
"Hush!"
"But I hear he is likely to lose the Ashby estates. Think of that, Sir
George; think of that. He would be a poor man directly."