“This is your room,” said the woman.  “Your mails arrived earlier in the day, and your things have been put away in the cupboard there and in the bureau yonder.  My lady gave orders you were to be served with something to eat and drink in your own room, and that she would visit you later.  There is another young lady visiting in the house; she will come and see you if you will permit her.”

“Very willingly,” answered Kate, who was always ready for company, and very curious to know something about these great aunts of hers, whom she had never seen as yet.  “I shall be glad of food, as I liked not what they served us with at the inn in the forest.  As for the young lady, albeit I know not who she can be, I should gladly welcome her.  I have no love for too much of my own company; wherefore the sooner she comes the better shall I be pleased.”

The woman withdrew, and Kate removed her hat and gloves, and looked about her with quick, searching glances.

“A good room in sooth, and no bad prison, if prisoner I am to be.  And since I may have company, I can scarce be in such dire disgrace as that.  I wonder who this visitor may be?  Some Wyvern, belike; but doubtless we shall learn to take pleasure in each other.

“Soft! are those steps without?  Yes; and some one knocks at the door.

“Enter, enter, I pray.  I am right glad—­What! do my eyes deceive me?  Sure I am in some strange dream!  Petronella!  Surely it cannot be Petronella!  The features are the same; but the Petronella I once knew was wan and frail as a fair wood lily, and thou—­nay, but it cannot be!”

“But it is—­it is!” cried the girl, making a bound forward and flinging her arms round Kate’s neck in an ecstasy of happiness; “and, O Kate, I have seen him again!  I saw him ride to the door by thy side!  Perchance I shall even have words with him ere he journey forth again!  Ah, how rejoiced was I when I heard that thou wert coming!  O Kate, I have such news for thee—­such news, such news!”

The two girls were folded in each other’s arms.  Between every few words they paused to kiss and laugh in the very exuberance of their happiness.  It seemed like a dream to Kate; she could scarce believe her eyes.

“Petronella—­but how earnest thou here?”

“I came when the weather grew so inclement that Cuthbert would no longer let me share his forest life.  He brought me to this house, and our aunts, when they heard our story, opened their doors to me; and I have been here three whole weeks—­ever since the summer’s heats broke in storms of rain.  But here I go by the name of Ellen Wyvern, lest haply it should come to my father’s ears that I am here, and he should fetch me away.  But I have almost ceased to quake at that thought; I have had my freedom so long.”

“I scarce know thee, thou art so changed—­so full of sunshine and courage,” cried Kate.  “Erstwhile thou wert like a creature of moonlight and vapour; a breath seemed as though it would blow thee away.  What has befallen to change thee so?  What hast thou been doing all this while?  And where is Cuthbert?”