Whilst the two sisters welcomed the lady and responded to her voluble communications in a tone of affectionate intimacy, the contents of the work-bag were thrown open to view, and successively gave rise to sundry discussions relating not only to the objects presented, but also collaterally to the thousand matters of detail connected with the festival, thus engrossing the first hour of their interview, until the subject was changed by an exclamation from Blanche, as she looked through the window upon the river-- "Oh, but here is a gallant sight!--see yonder hawk following a heron. He will strike presently--the heron cannot get away. Poor bird! how he doubles and drops in his flight to escape the swift hawk;--but it is of no avail. I should almost say it was sinful,--if it was not approved and followed by those I love best--I should hold it sinful to frighten and torture a harmless heron by such pursuit. There, the hawk has struck, and down comes hawk and quarry to the water." "It is his Lordship's hawk," said the Lady Maria, as she looked out upon the river. "Derrick the falconer must be abroad to-day with his birds:--and now whilst I speak, there he is walking along the beach. And he is not alone neither:--by that short mantle and that feather, Blanche, you may know a friend." The colour rose on the maiden's cheek as she said, "it is Albert, his Lordship's secretary." "His eyes are turned this way," said the sister of the Proprietary. "A wager he comes to the house in the next ten minutes!--He would fain find some business with the Collector--I know Master Albert's occasions: nay, do not flurry thyself, my sweet Blanche." "I wish the Secretary _would_ come," returned the maiden; "we have need of him; he promised to show me how I were best to arrange my flower vases." "Then thou shouldst do well to despatch a messenger to him," interrupted the Lady Maria, playfully; "dost thou not think he might forget?" "Oh no, my dear lady," replied Blanche, "Master Albert never forgets a promise to me." "Indeed! Well, I should have thought that having occasion to make you so many promises--for he is here at the Rose Croft thrice a week at least--and every visit has its promise, or I mistake--he would forget full one half." "I deal but scantily in promises with the Secretary," replied Blanche. "Master Albert's errands here are for pastime mostly." "Ah, he doth not forget," exclaimed the Lady Maria; "for there I see the feather of his bonnet as he climbs up the bank,--and now we have his head and shoulders; we shall get the whole man anon,--and Master Benedict Leonard in the bargain, for I see _him_ trudging in the Secretary's footsteps, as he is wont to do; his young Lordship hath become the Secretary's shadow. And there is Derrick behind. They are all bound for this haven."