“And now upwards and onwards for the lair of the wolf,” cried Alphonso; “we have lost time enough already.  Who knows the way to his favourite haunts?  Methinks they cannot be very far away now.”

“I should have thought we had had enough of Welsh wolves for one day,” muttered Raoul sullenly to Godfrey; but the latter gave him a warning glance, and he forbore to speak more on the subject.

Gertrude had watched the whole scene with dilated eyes, and a feeling of sympathy and repulsion she was perfectly unable to analyze.  When the party moved on again she stole up to Wendot’s side, and said as she glanced into his troubled face: 

“He did not mean it? he will not do it again?”

Wendot glanced down at her with a start, and shook his head.

“He knew not that it was the king’s son —­ that I verily believe; but I know not what Llewelyn may say or do at any time.  He never speaks to me of what is in his head.  Lady Gertrude, you know the king and his ways.  Will he visit this rash deed upon my brother’s head?  Will Llewelyn suffer for what he did in an impulse of mad rage, provoked to it by yon haughty youth, whose words and bearing are hard for any of us to brook?”

“Not if Alphonso can but get his ear; not if this thing is kept secret, as he desires, as he has commanded.  But I fear what Raoul may say and do.  He is treacherous, selfish, designing.  The king thinks well of him, but we love him not.  I trust all will yet be well.”

“But you fear it may not,” added Wendot, completing the sentence as she had not the heart to do.  “I fear the same thing myself.  But tell me again, Lady Gertrude, what would be the penalty of such an act?  Will they —­”

“Alphonso has great influence with his father,” answered Gertrude quickly.  “He will stand your brother’s friend through all; perchance he may be detained in some sort of captivity; perchance he may not have his lands restored if this thing comes to the king’s ears.  But his person will be safe.  Fear not for that.  Methinks Alphonso would sooner lay down his own life than that harm should befall from what chanced upon a day of sport planned by him and Joanna.”

And Gertrude, seeing that a load lay upon the heart of the young Lord of Dynevor, set herself to chase the cloud from his brow, and had so far succeeded that he looked himself again by the time a warning shout from those in advance showed that some tracks of the wild creature of whom they were in pursuit had been discovered in the path.

“Do not run into danger,” pleaded Gertrude, laying a hand on Wendot’s arm as he moved quickly forward to the front.  “You are so brave you never think of yourself; but do not let us have more bloodshed today, save the blood of the ravenous beast if it must be.  I could find it in my heart to wish that we had not come forth on this errand.  The brightness of the day has been clouded over.”