She informed her father that the Duke had been sent for express the evening before, on the death of Philip II. and ere Sebastian reached Messina, had gone for Spain with his only son Don Hyppolito, in order to appear at the first council of their new sovereign. This circumstance, though it robbed Sebastian of that Nobleman’s advice, was yet to be considered as replete with advantages, since in quality of counsellor to the new monarch, he might add his influence to the Portuguese party, when England and the other allies should openly proclaim in his favor. Eager to introduce her protectress, Blanche now hastened away for that purpose; she returned, preceded by the Duchess. Her resemblance to Don Emanuel deeply affected Sebastian, he kissed her hand in silence, and as he lifted up his head again, the Duchess saw that tears were on his cheek; interpreting their cause, she too, turned aside to hide rising emotion. It is only a half-sorrow which seeks to display itself: true grief, like true virtue, courts the shade. Not a heart there, but was full of De Castro’s memory, yet not a lip trusted itself to breathe his name. The conversation flowed less on the past, than the future. Sebastian found that the Duchess possessed an acute and penetrating mind: she had entered into all the views of her brother and husband; and though the latter had never consented to act in rebellion against his own lawful sovereign, he was forward to avow his abhorrence of usurpation, and to prove it, by entering his protest against a detention of the Portuguese crown, should Philip refuse to resign it on the appearance of Sebastian. She stated these principles with perfect candour, professing no more in her husband’s name, than she knew him earnest to perform. She offered Sebastian the protection of her house, and the use of the revenues attached to it; for the family of Medina Sidonia was the richest in Spain, and this Sicilian estate made but a small part of their wealth. Impressed by her generous conduct, both Sebastian and Kara Aziek renewed those protestations of eternal gratitude which they had first uttered, while acknowledging all they owed to her for her maternal care of their daughter, but they neither required nor accepted any additional favors beyond that of shelter for awhile. Happy were the days that now flowed away at the villa Rosolia; in the enjoyment of life’s most hallowed affections, the parents and the child refused to allow any moment of their time to distracting cares; they were all absorbed in each other.