“’Tis wisely said; for his desires are inclined in the right direction.  ’Twas but last night when he was well-nigh distraught with thy absence with the Russian Jew that doth ogle thee, that Angel brought his riding-cloak and threw it over his shoulders as he tore up and down his chamber; and she said, lowly,—­’Go, my lord, ’twill ease thy mind to ride,’ and he flew to horse.  She is ever helping him to thee.”

“And now I would have thee to help me to my lord’s good graces and my desires; but thou art evil bent.”

“Nay, my precious Lambkin, if I could I would help thee this night to the nuptial altar; but as to helping thee to thy desires, ’twould be helping thy peace of mind and him to utter ruin; and such calamity would render thy young life incomplete; for without this noble lord thy perfectness will be unfinished.”

“Cease carving epitaphs, Janet, and help me assist this poor unfortunate.  How long will my lord be gone?”

“He has only gone to the village to meet the workmen who were to renovate the nurseries and ride home with Lady Constance, who rode away early this morning when thou were dreaming of Russia.”

“Then I will write him my petition, and thou shalt give it to Angel to give my lord, immediately upon his return.”  She sat down with parchment and quill and wrote rapidly; and as Janet noticed not, she wrote two letters instead of one.  The first she folded evenly and put beneath a book, the other she gave to Janet, who took it and left the chamber to seek Angel.  Mistress Penwick, thus left alone, wondered how she should convey her other letter to Count Adrian.  She approached the window, and lo! upon the upper terrace paced her Grace of Ellswold and Cantemir.  ’Twas not the first hour that day the latter had so paraded the sward, ever and anon casting glances toward Mistress Penwick’s windows.  Again he glanced up and saw her wave a white paper and immediately leave the window.  He guessed at once ’twas something more than indisposition that held her to her room.  Again she looked; they had turned from the window.  She flung forth the paper and it floated down as Janet came into the room.

’Twas late that evening Katherine sat in peignoir and unbound hair, ready for retiring, when there came a soft rap and a pleading voice asking for admission.  Now Janet was not one whit afraid of double dealing when she was present, and being proud of Mistress Penwick and not wishing it to appear that she was a prisoner, she opened the door and in came Lady Constance smiling and shy, a hollow-hearted creature of the world.  Now it so happened that Lady Constance had kept herself from Katherine for some little time, wishing not to be disturbed by the maid’s beauty; as it usually stirred her to frenzy and she wanted perfect quiet for calm reasoning.  It took some time to plan her campaign that was already full started, and she now came forth from her chamber refreshed, the course