The chirurgeon skipped to the door, and for a moment she hoped that she was rid of him, but he had only gone to bring in a neat case with which his groom was in waiting outside, whence he extracted a lotion and sponge, speaking rapidly as he did so.

“Now, madam,” said Jean Kennedy, “lift the lassie, there, turn back her boddice, and we will bathe her shouther.  So!  By my halidome!”

“Ah!  Mort de ma vie!”

The two exclamations darted simultaneously from the lips of the Scottish nurse and the French doctor.  Susan beheld what she had at the moment forgotten, the curious mark branded on her nursling’s shoulder, which indeed she had not seen since Cicely had been of an age to have the care of her own person, and which was out of the girl’s own sight.  No more was said at the moment, for Cis was reviving fast, and was so much bewildered and frightened that she required all the attention and soothing that the two women could give, but when they removed the rest of her clothing, so that she might be laid down comfortably to rest, Mrs. Kennedy by another dexterous movement uncovered enough of the other shoulder to obtain a glimpse of the monogram upon it.

Nothing was spoken.  Those two had not been so many years attendants on a suspected and imprisoned queen without being prudent and cautious; but when they quitted the apartment after administering a febrifuge, Susan felt a pang of wonder, whether they were about to communicate their discovery to their mistress.  For the next quarter of an hour, the patient needed all her attention, and there was no possibility of obeying the summons of a great clanging bell which announced dinner.  When, however, Cis had fallen asleep it became possible to think over the situation.  She foresaw an inquiry, and would have given much for a few words with her husband; but reflection showed her that the one point essential to his safety was not to betray that he and she had any previous knowledge of the rank of their nursling.  The existence of the scroll might have to be acknowledged, but to show that Richard had deciphered it would put him in danger on all hands.

She had just made up her mind on this point when there was a knock at the door, and Mrs. Kennedy bore in a salver with a cup of wine, and took from an attendant, who remained outside, a tray with some more solid food, which she placed on the broad edge of the deep-set window, and coming to the bedside, invited Mrs. Talbot to eat, while she watched the girl.  Susan complied, though with little appetite, and Mrs. Kennedy, after standing for a few minutes in contemplation, came to the window.  She was a tall woman, her yellow hair softened by an admixture of gray, her eyes keen and shrewd, yet capable of great tenderness at times, her features certainly not youthful, but not a whit more aged than they had been when Susan had first seen her fourteen years ago.  It was a quiet mouth, and one that gave a sense of trust both in its firmness, secrecy, and kindness.