"Ah! ah!" and Katherine's eyes grew wide. "Thou hast said naught of this--as it appears here before me now; and it might have been too late." "Too late! What meanest thou?" "The noble--nay, now I cannot tell thee, for 'tis a secret but half mine." "My God! who dares have secrets with thee save thy nurse and guardian; whose damned heart hath played the lover to thee?" His hand fell upon his sword and he drew it half way. "What guest hath so dishonoured name as to make profit of that I have already made known as my espoused? Tell me, Kate!" Seeing her frightened eyes, that were justly so, he pushed back the jewelled hilt and threw his arm about her and drew her close, so close she was well-nigh crushed by his warm and passionate embrace and choked by pulverulent civet as her face was pressed against the folds of his steenkirk. She felt the tumultuous beating of his heart, and 'twas a great, new feeling came to her and she trembled and swayed, and loved and hated both, in one brief moment and drew from him and looked with angry eyes. "Kate, Kate, what saidst the false lover; tell me every word. Did he ask thee for espousal?" Now Mistress Penwick faltered and flushed, for she dare not tell him who her suitor was and thought if she told him well what was said, he would not press her for name, and 'twas meet she should tell him truthfully. She feared his hot temper not a little, for she had heard that one time he locked Lady Constance in the tower for two whole days for telling him a falsehood. "Aye, he asked me to espouse him." "And what didst thou say?" "I said him nay, 'twas too soon to wed, 'twould be wiser to speak a year hence." "And what answer did he make thee?" "He said the king's sister, Princess Mary, when but ten married William, Prince of Orange, and--" "And what?" said Cedric, leaning forward his hand upon his sword, a curse between his white teeth and a line of light from between his half-closed lids like the flashing of a two-edged sword. "What--'sdeath?" And Kate trembled forth-- "And fifteen was none too soon to wed." "And did he say naught else appertaining thereto?" "Nay, I know naught else he could say!" and the innocence of her inquiring face proved his evil imagining a perjury. He caught his breath in a flutter of sheer heart's-ease. "Now who is this swain who hath taken advantage of my invitation and come up from among the rustics yonder to make love to thee? I will run him through the first time I meet his insolence. Who is he, Kate; what's his name?" She vouchsafing no answer, aroused his suspicion. "'Sdeath! what ails thy tongue? Haste thee, what is his name?" and he glared at her, furiously, 'til she was well nigh cold with fright. "Sooth, thou art strong with temper for the very meagre cause a maiden will not bewray a poor man's name."