“Oh, let me see the rapiers,” said Aline. “Ah, here they are,--and helmets and leather jerkins and gloves. I am going to dress up,” she added, laughing. “There now, what do I look like? You must dress up too; I want to see how they suit you.” Ian put on a helmet and the other things while Aline executed a graceful little dance round the room. When he had finished she said roguishly, “Do you know anything about fencing? I have seen people fence. They stand something like this,” putting her right foot rather too far forward and turning it outward and not bending the knee sufficiently. “Shall I teach you?” “No, but I might teach you,” said Ian, quite innocently. “Well, but do you know anything about it?” and Aline smiled mischievously. “I ought to do; when I was a wanderer in Italy I learned a great deal that is entirely unknown here.” “Stand on guard then, and show me something.” As he moved, she appeared to copy his attitude. “Engage,” and mechanically from long use he brought down his sword. In a flash she disengaged and cut over. He parried; she made a remise, and was in upon him with a hit over the heart. Aline burst out laughing while Ian was thunder-struck. She took off her helmet saying, “We must not have any more to-day as I am not well enough, but we shall have some fine times later on. It was rather a shame though, but I could not help it, it was such fun. I was a little afraid that you would be too taken aback to parry at all, and that would have been very dull. I hope you are a good fencer really; there was said to be no one in Scotland who could come anywhere near my father.” “Oh, that is how you come to know so much about it,” said Ian, sitting down. Even the slight effort had been too much. “Yes, my father taught me and told me that I was getting on very well, but I have had no practice since I came to Holwick some eight months ago. Things are much harder than they used to be. Father used to give me much of his time. You see he had no boys and so he always said that he would like me to know the things that boys know. And yet I do not know that I am altogether fond of them. But I have always loved swimming, and fencing is delightful. Somehow I never cared particularly about riding, but I have come to like it in the last week or two, since I have started again. It takes me away from the Hall and that is a great thing.” “I always loved riding,” said Ian. “There is nothing like a good horse at a canter and the wind rushing over one’s face.” “Yes, I do not know why it was. Of course we never had good horses after I was eight years old.” “Why do you want to get away from the Hall?” Aline did not speak at first; then she said, “Well, you see it makes a change.” “Is it Mistress Mowbray that is the real cause? Come, little one, tell me truthfully, doesn’t she treat you well?” “There is always a great deal to do, cleaning and mending and, when there is nothing else, there is always spinning and carding.”