“That would he never, with the Douglas lances to prick you a way out and the Douglas gold to buy the good-will of traitorous judges!”

Half unconsciously the Earl sighed as he looked at the fair lake growing rosy in the light of the sunset.  His boyish face was overspread with care, and for the moment seemed all too young to have inherited so great a burden.  But the next moment he was himself again.

“I know, Malise,” he said, “that I cannot offer you gold in return for your admirable handicraft.  But ’tis nigh to Keltonhill Fair, do you divide this gold Lion betwixt those two brave boys of yours.  Faith, right glad was I to be Earl of Douglas and not a son of his master armourer when I saw you disciplining for their souls’ good Messires Sholto and Laurence there!”

The smith smiled grimly.

“They are good enough lads, Sholto and Laurence both, but they will be for ever gnarring and grappling at each other like messan dogs round a kirk door.”

“They will not make the worse soldiers for that, Malise.  I pray you forgive them for my sake.”

The master armourer took the hand of his young lord on which he was about to draw a riding glove of Spanish leather.  Very reverently he kissed the signet ring upon it.

“My dear lord,” he said, “I can refuse naught to any of your great and gracious house, and least of all to you, the light and pleasure of it—­aye, and the light of a surly old man’s heart, more even than the duty he owes to his own married wife!  Oh, be careful, my lord, for you are the desire of many hearts and the hope of all this land.”

He hesitated a moment, and then added with a kind of curious bashfulness—­

“But I am concerned about ye this nicht, William Douglas—­I fear that ye could not—­would not permit me—­”

“Could not permit what—­out with it, old grumble-pate?”

“That I should saddle my Flanders mare and ride after you.  Malise MacKim would not be in the way even if ye went a-trysting.  He kens brawly, in such a case, when to turn his head and look upon the hills and the woods and the bonny sleeping waters.”

The Earl laughed and shook his head.

“Na, na, Malise,” he said, “were I indeed on such a quest the sight of your grey pow would fright a fair lady, and the mere trampling of that club-footed she-elephant of yours put to flight every sentiment of love.  Remember the Douglas badge is a naked heart.  Can I ride a-courting, therefore, with all my fighting tail behind me as though I besought an alliance with the King of England’s daughter?”

Silently and sadly the strong man watched the young Earl ride away to the south along that fair lochside.  He stood muttering to himself and looking long under his hand after his lord.  The rider bowed his head as he passed under the rich blazonry of the white May-blossom, which, like creamy lace, covered the Three Thorns of Carlinwark, now deeply stained with rose colour from the clouds of sunset.