"She was colouring up finely and holding tight to my master's hand. She felt herself stared at it, and maybe feared they might look coldly on her. But my lady had the word then. 'Oh, my dear!' cries she out, and took my mistress into her arms and well-nigh wept over her. You ask me why she should do so? I am bound to say I do not understand these women's coils. She bore my mistress off into the house, and that was the last I saw of them until the dinner-hour. "My lord had me in then to the winter-parlour. It was pretty to see my mistress, pranked out in a gown of my lady's, lisping her broken English to my lord, and ever and anon looking to Sir Nicholas to give her a word she needed. "My lord was pleased to speak me very comfortable words, which had not often been his wont towards me. I had a fat purse from him at a more convenient time, but at this present he gave me thanks for having brought his brother off safe. You may lay your life my master let out a laugh at this, but my mistress gave me a rare smile, and vowed my lord had reason. When I consider, I must allow he had. But modesty forbids me to dwell on this. "What more? Little enough. We were off to London not so long after, and I leave you to judge what Sir Francis said when he heard our tale. I speak of Drake, the Admiral: you will have heard of him, maybe. What my master told Master Secretary is a matter not revealed to me. Suffice it that lean Walsingham rubbed his hands over it. Of that I am assured. "As I remember, the Court lay at Nonesuch, and thither we went. I warrant you the Queen's Grace fairly crowed to see my master back, and, as I heard, thought it a rare jest he should lay down Don Cristobal's Golden Fleece at her feet. "'Is this the best that Spain can show, rogue?' says she. She hath a merry, boisterous way when she is in the humour. "'Why, no, madam,' says my master, and brings her up his lady. 'This is the best, madam, and as such I present her to you: your Grace's newest subject.' "Maybe she was not so well pleased with that. I have heard it said that her Grace never liked to see a personable man wed. Be that as it may, she could not well turn pettish now. My mistress had a hand to kiss, and got a tap on the cheek from her Grace's fan. 'How now, mistress?' says her Grace. 'Do you shackle my bold mad Beauvallet?' "After which she had very little more to say to my lady, but kept my master beside her a full hour, telling her how it had fared with us in Spain. "In my opinion, the affair passed off better than might have been hoped for, considering her Grace's high temper.