206 MASTER SKYLARK

she shrugged her shoulders, illy pleased, and turning to.
ward Colley, took him by the hand and drew him closer
to her, smiling at his guise. “Thy comradc hath more
wit.”

“He hath no mother,” Nick said quietly, loosing his hold
at last on Colley’shand. “I would rather have my mother
than his wit.”

Elizabeth turned sharply back. Her keen eyes were
sparkling, yet soft.

“Thou art no fool,” said she.

A little murmur ran through the room.

She sat a moment, silent, studying his face. “Or if
thou art, upon my word I like the breed. It is a stub-
born, froward dog; but Hold-fast is his name. Ay, sirs,”
she said, and sat up very straight, looking into the faces
of her court, “Brag is a good dog, but Hold-fast is better
A lad who loves his mother thus makes a man who loveth
his native land—and it ’s no bad streak in the blood.
Master Skylark, thou shalt have thy wish; to London thou
shalt go this very night.”

“TJ do na live in London,” Nick began.

“What matters the place?” said she. ‘Live whereso-
ever thine heart doth please. It is enough—so. Thou
mayst kiss our hand.” She held her hand out, bright
with jewels. He knelt and kissed it as if it were all a
doing in a dream, or in some unlikely story he had read.
But a long while after he could smell the perfume from
her slender fingers on his lips.

Then a page standing by him touched his arm as he