"Good-night, Mother. You may go sweetly to sleep, for I will find out all about Edgar. You shall be at rest before dinner-time to-morrow." Then the mother stooped and tucked in the bedclothing, not because it needed it, but because it was a natural and instinctive way to express her care and tenderness. Very softly she stepped to the door, but ere she reached it, turned back to the bed, and laying her hand upon Kitty's head whispered, "Lord Exham is home again. He is coming here to-morrow." And Kate neither spoke nor moved; but when she knew that she was quite alone, a sweet smile gathered round her lips, and with a gentle sigh she went quickly away to the Land of Happy Dreams. CHAPTER SECOND CECIL AND EDGAR Early the next morning the Squire was in the parlour standing at the open lattices, and whistling to a robin on a branch of the cherry-tree above them. The robin sang, and the Squire whistled, scattering crumbs as he did so, and it was this kindly picture which met Kate's eyes as she opened the door of the room. To watch and to listen was natural; and she stood on the threshold doing so until the Squire came to the last bars of his melody. Then in a gay voice she took it up, and sang to his whistling: "_York! York! for my money!_"[1] ------ [Footnote 1: "York! York for my monie Of all the places I ever did see This is the place for good companie Except the city of London."] "Hello, Kate!" he cried in his delight as he turned to her; and as joyously as the birds sing "Spring!" she called, "Good-morning, Father!" "God bless thee, Kate!" and for a moment he let his eyes rest on the vision of her girlish beauty. For there was none like Kate Atheling in all the North-Riding; from her sandalled feet to her shining hair, she was the fairest, sweetest maid that ever Yorkshire bred,--an adorable creature of exquisite form and superb colouring; merry as a bird, with a fine spirit and a most affectionate heart. As he gazed at her she came close to him, put her fingers on his big shoulders, and stood on tiptoes to give him his morning greeting. He lifted her bodily and kissed her several times; and she said with a laugh,-- "One kiss for my duty, and one for my pleasure, and all the rest are stolen. Put me down, Father; and what will you do for me to-day?" "What wouldst thou like me to do?" "May I ride with you?" "Nay; I can't take thee with me to-day. I am going to Squire Ayton's, and from there to Rudby's, and very like as far as Ormesby and Pickering." "Then you will not be home to dinner?" "Not I. I shall get my dinner somewhere." "Can I come and meet you?" "Thou hadst better not." At this moment Mrs. Atheling entered, and Kate, turning to her, said, "Mother, I am not to ride with father to-day. He is going a visiting,--going to get his dinner 'somewhere,' and he thinks I had better not come to meet him."