Dominica sank back into her chair, almost stunned with relief. Joshua was making for the door. "Ay, ay, thus it goes," he said. "Briskly, recklessly, with never a thought to who may be listening. Ah, madcap!" He went out, and Dominica heard him clatter down the stairs and draw back the bolts of the door below, shouting to the awakened landlord as he did so that all was well. Then a light step sounded on the stairs, the door was opened, and the next instant Dominica was folded in Beauvallet's arms. CHAPTER XXV They were up at cock-crow next morning, and away upon their long ride north just as soon as they had broken their fast, and procured fresh horses. Dominica felt herself to be moving in a dream; events had marched so swiftly that she was dazed by them. She awoke to hear Joshua scratching on her door, and for a moment imagined the previous day's wild work to be a figment of her fancy. But Joshua's voice, unmistakably his brisk voice, was bidding her rise up, and she knew herself to be living in no dream. Breakfast in a small parlour leading off the taproom downstairs awaited her. She found Sir Nicholas there, neat as ever, and because she was suddenly shy and tongue-tied she could only give him her little hand to kiss, and say in a voice that tried to hide her shyness: "Ah, Señor Nicholas, I see you have that clean ruff Joshua spoke of, so I suppose you did not leave your pack behind." He flung up a hand. "A' God's Name, let me hear no more of that pack!" he said in comic dismay. "I have heard of little else from that tickle-brain behind you since my coming last night." She looked round at Joshua's disapproving face. Joshua pulled out a stool for her from under the table, but fixed a wintry look upon Sir Nicholas. "Ay, master, no doubt it is very well to talk in such careless wise, but I shall take leave to say that to throw away a new doublet of murry taffeta and a pair of stocks broidered with gold quirks about the ankles, not to make mention of a set of silver aiglets and a pair of trunk hose scarce worn, passeth the bounds of prodigality." "Peace, froth!" said Sir Nicholas, and sat him down opposite to his lady at the table. His eyes smiled at her across the covers. "It is in my mind, ladybird, that we have not sat at table together since you were aboard the _Venture_." The twinkle deepened. "Do you remember that you were loth to take wine from my hands?" He picked up the bottle at his elbow and regarded it with uplifted brows. "You might well be loth to take this from me," he remarked. "What is it, Joshua?" "Scarce potable, I allow," said Joshua gloomily. "A very vile drink, sir, but what would you?" Dominica's tongue became loosened. She must tell Sir Nicholas of the curious fancy that had come to her when Don Diego offered her wine of Alicante, and when that was done she found she had left her shyness behind her.