When Percy reached the castle he found Cordelia all ready for her ramble, with her maid in waiting to attend her. Mary Seymour was this maid’s name, a cheery-faced, intelligent, pretty girl, just a year older than was her mistress. She had flaxen hair and blue eyes--eyes full of good-nature and frolic; straightforward, truthful and honest. The friendship between Percy Maitland, the smuggler’s son, and the daughter of Sir William Chester was something curious. It had commenced within a month after the girl’s first appearance at Allerdale--shortly before she had completed her twelfth year of life. One of the first impressions made upon the baronet, after he had accepted a home at the castle, had been in relation to the earl’s grandson--Matthew Brandon--who, as we remember, had then entered upon his sixteenth year; or he was about entering upon it when the baronet and his daughter arrived. Instinctively--in spite of his love and esteem for the boy’s noble father; in spite of his love and deep reverence for the good old grandfather, he conceived a strong, shuddering dislike toward that boy. He fought against it, but without avail. Under these circumstances little Cordelia chanced to fall in with Percy Maitland, and a mutual attachment, as strong and enduring as it was sudden and unbidden, was the result. Percy took her in his boat, and led her by the banks of the river, and taught her to fish, and he guided her through the wild passes of the crag, and gathered for her all the beautiful flowers he could find. At length the boy of the stone cottage came under the eye of Sir William. Cordelia brought him. She had told so much about him that her father had become eager to see and know him. In a very short time the keen-eyed, observing baronet had read the boy’s character without mistake. In fact, it was one of those characters--and the character was written on a face and stamped in a voice--which could not be mistaken. And the baronet had, from the very first, felt it in his heart to thank his good fortune that had brought such a companion and playmate for his sweet child: and when, later, he had discovered that the low-born boy was competent to teach all that his loved one could wish to know, his thankfulness was increased to a degree that rendered him happily content. And so, as we have already seen, matters had gone on during the few remaining months of the parent’s life. And since that time there had been no change. Percy had remained the lady’s true and loyal knight, teaching her all that she knew of school studies, and attending faithfully upon her whenever need required, or opportunity offered. In truth, the earl had appointed the youth to the post of teacher. When the question had arisen concerning a resident tutor for the young girl, she had herself decided. She had put her foot down emphatically, and had said: “I will have Percy Maitland for my tutor, and none other.”