’Twas a soft, white, clinging gown, high-necked and long-sleeved, with the perfume of incense in its folds, Janet vested her mistress in.  The thick rolls of hair framing her face glinted with bronze and amber sheen.  Her warm youthful blood coloured her countenance with the tints of the peach blossom.  Thus she stood gloriously beautiful; ready for conquest.

Janet went below, nor was she gone long ere she came again to her mistress’ side.

“Didst see any signs of petticoats.  Janet?”

“Nay, mistress,” and her voice was sober and intense.  “I tried to find a servants’ stairway, but it seemed all were grand and confusing.  And every moment lackeys rushed by me bearing trays of smoking viands, and not even so much as looking my way.  At last I found one I thought would take the time to answer a question and I asked him the way below.  He answered me civilly and conducted me saying the while, that ’twas a grand party his Lord Cedric was having; members of the Royal family being present; he even mentioned the Dukes of Buckingham and Monmouth.  The boy was so filled with good sense I am sure, Mistress, he spoke truly and that we are within a very great man’s house.  I found old flabby, and she took me to a cosy little room with a table ready spread.  So come, my Lambkin, when his Lordship finds not a baby but a rare gem for his costly setting, his heart will bound with pleasure and he will regret he did not prepare for a great lady instead of an infant.”

Timorously the maid followed Janet through intricate windings to the broad stairway.

“Janet, take me through the servants’ passage for this once!”

“Nay, thou art a lady, and as such must keep to the grand aisles.”  So on they went traversing lofty corridors.  In one of these they suddenly came upon a young gallant of youthful beauty; a mould of elegance and strength; his countenance was flushed and shaded by curling black hair that fell loose upon his shoulders.  In his shapely, white, bejewelled fingers he held a blood-red rose, and as his eyes fell upon the most beautiful face he had ever beheld, he caught his breath and held the rose to his face to hide his devouring glances as she swept by him under the soft light cast by the sconces above her head.  In a moment he was upon the stairway, breathless and panting, and leaning over, dropped the rose at her feet.  Her face grew as rosy as the thing itself, but passing on made none other sign.

“’Tis a conquest thou hast made the first hour, and thou acknowledged thy victory with naught but a modest maiden blush.  But, Lambkin, his body was not a match for thine; ’twas inclined to be too slender.  I shall pick for thee a beau like Sir Williams’s Romeo.”

They had now come to where the table awaited Katherine, and Janet bustled about handing things for her mistress’ convenience; then hurried out to send in the warm food from the oven.

“Janet, didst say the bird was a pheasant?—­’Tis grand tasting!”