Sir Nicholas loosed the cloak from about his shoulders and tossed it aside. It fell over one of the chairs against the wall, and Margery, peeping round a corner of the screens, frowned to see the fine thing so rudely used. My lady caught sight of that puckered face and smiled kindly. "Come you in, Margery. You will say it is a good day that sees Sir Nicholas come riding home." "Good indeed, my lady." Margery dropped a curtsey. "But a feckless, heedless boy! Ah, is there never one to school him?" She picked up the cloak and folded it carefully. "Tut, the brave hat upon the floor! Two feathers in it, i'faith!" She looked a fond reproof at such extravagance. "Heed old Margery, my cosset, and get ye a wife!" "What need?" Sir Nicholas asked, and disposed his graceful limbs at ease along the settle. "What need while I still have Margery to scold, and a fair sister to shake her head at me?" "Oh, Nicholas, for shame!" my lady said. "I shake my head? Though, indeed, ye often deserve that I should. Ah, my lord, in good time! Here is your brother says we scold, poor Margery and I." My lord came to sit beside Nicholas on the settle. "Dawson is gone to fetch the March beer for you, Nick. He is sure it is what you need." He smiled. "It is a rare thing, faith, to see the house turned upside down for a graceless rogue that heeds naught that concerns it." Sir Nicholas threw back his head, and laughed. "The old tale! I irk you sorely, Gerard, alack!" "Nay, nay." My lord looked on him with some kindness. "So ye be come home now to stay...." "Patience, Gerard, patience!" Nicholas said mischievously. Dawson came in preceding a lackey, bearing the famous beer upon a salver. "Sir, at your pleasure!" "In good sooth!" Sir Nicholas stretched out a hand for the tankard. "Give you my word I have yearned often for this. My lady, I drink to your better health." "Ah!" sighed my lady, and shook her head. My lord took the second tankard. "You will wish to hear news of my Lady Stanbury," he said. "I had a letter from her lord last Friday se'n night, telling me she had been brought to bed of a fair son." "What, a son at last?" quoth Sir Nicholas, tossing off the rest of his beer. "Marry, I lost count of poor Adela's daughters long since! Dawson, another tankard, man, to drink my nephew's health!" He looked at Gerard. "How doth my sister? Who stands sponsor?" "Well, very well. I am asked to stand, with my lady, and another. Ye should journey into Worcester to visit them; Adela would be glad of it. You will not have heard that our cousin Arnold is wedded to Groshawk's second daughter? A fair match, no more than fair. The elder girl favoured her mother too much for Arnold, so I heard." Talk ran awhile on family matters; my lady went away presently to see to the preparation of the heir's chamber, and Nicholas must needs be off to the stables to greet old servants, and inspect new horses. My lord went with him, willingly enough.