"I do not believe Harleston need fear the Scottish arrows; for, unless I be a false prophet, he will leave the most vital part of his body, namely, the heart, here at Windsor. And yet," I continued, becoming bolder, and heaving a heavy sigh, "he shall not be the only one to do so." "No," she replied; "the Duke of Gloucester said he was leaving his heart here." "To whom said he that?" cried I, for the one danger of this accursed court life was the chance of men in high places casting a jealous eye on the maidens of the court. "I heard him tell the Queen that he would leave his heart with the King and his family," answered Hazel, and she laughed at my apprehension of the danger which I thought threatened her. "Why dost thou like to torment me so?" I asked. "Because thou art so easily teased." Why, oh why, did the Creator arm these fair creatures with such a power to make us happy or miserable, good or bad, send us to Heaven or to Hell, make us sensible men or the veriest of fools as best doth please their whims? "But look, here cometh the Queen," said my fair companion. "I fear I shall get a scolding for leaving her, to walk with thee." "Tell her that the Duke of Gloucester kept thee talking with him, the which is the truth," I said. But when we met her Majesty, who was walking with her daughters and some others of her suite, she most kindly did receive us, and no thoughts of scolding were in her gracious mind. When we had spoken for some time, the Queen enquired as to where Mary was. "She came on ahead of us, your Majesty," replied I, "and I had surely thought that thou must have met her." "Do thou go, Hazel dear, and when thou hast found her, tell her that I wish to speak to her." Hazel courtesied, I bowed, and we passed on, searching for Mary and Harleston. "The Queen is the best mistress that any servant could wish for," said Hazel, when we had gone a few paces. "She is never angry, and so kind; she treats both Mary and me as though we were her own daughters." I did not wonder that the Queen did use them both go well; for who could help loving either of those dear, dainty maidens? We had not gone far ere we met Mary and Harleston returning. "They seem to be getting on famously," observed Hazel; "for they are so preoccupied that they do not see us coming." When they came near, Mary, who had evidently been listening with great attention to something that Harleston was telling to her, burst forth into her rippling, childlike laugh. Then, as she caught sight of us, she stopped suddenly and said:-- "Oh, here they come now!" Then, as we met them:--"We thought that ye must have turned back; so we were just coming to search for you." "And what has Sir Frederick been telling thee that was so amusing?" I asked.