“Nay, I am no dreamer,” was the smiling answer; and a slight access of colour came slowly into John’s face.  “I have not seen fair Mistress Joan of late; yet unless I be greatly mistaken in her, I am very sure that by no deed of her own will she ever mate with one of the Sanghurst brood.  I have known her from childhood.  Once it was my dream that I might wed her myself; but such thoughts have long ago passed from my mind never to enter it again.  Yet I know her and I love her well, and to me she has spoken words which tell me that she will never be a passive tool in the hands of her haughty parents.  She has the spirit of her sire within her, and I trow he will find it no easy task to bend the will even of a child of his own, when she is made after the fashion of Mistress Joan.  If Peter Sanghurst has gone a-wooing there, I verily believe that the lady will by this time have had more than enough of his attentions.  It may be that she would be able to give us good counsel; at least I would very gladly ask it at her hands.”

“How can we see her?” asked the brothers quickly.

“So soon as I can make shift to ride once more we will to horse and away to Woodcrych.  It is time I paid my respects to fair Mistress Joan, for I have not seen her for long.  I would that you twain could see her.  She is as fair as a lily, yet with all the spirit of her bold sire, as fearless in the saddle as her brother, as upright as a dart, beautiful exceedingly, with her crown of hair the colour of a ripe chestnut.  Ah! if she were but taken to the King’s Court, she would be its fairest ornament.  But her sire has never the money to spend upon her adornment; and moreover if she appeared there, she would have suitors and to spare within a month, and he would be called upon to furnish forth a rich dower —­ for all men hold him to be a wealthy man, seeing the broad lands he holds in fief.  Wherefore I take it he thinks it safer to betroth her to this scion of the Sanghurst brood, who will be heir to all his father’s ill-gotten wealth.  But if I know Mistress Joan, as I think I do, she will scarce permit herself to be given over like a chattel, though she may have a sore fight to make for her liberty.”

Raymond’s eyes brightened and his hands closely clinched themselves.  Surely this quest after Basildene was bringing strange things to light.  Here was a miserable child to be rescued from bondage that was worse than death; and a maiden, lovely and brave of spirit, to be saved from the clutches of this same Sanghurst faction.  What a strange combination of circumstances seemed woven around the lost inheritance!  Might it not be the very life’s work he had longed after, to fulfil his mother’s dying behest and make himself master of Basildene again?

That night his dreams were a strange medley of wizards, beauteous maidens, and ruinous halls, through which he wandered in search of the victim whose shrill cries he kept hearing.  He rose with the first of the tardy light, to find that Gaston was already off and away upon some hunting expedition planned overnight.  Raymond had not felt disposed to join it; the attraction of John’s society had more charm for him.