"
"With the first stirrings of Spring in forest and pasture, I felt moved
to ride south to the Court, and report my return to the King; yet
waited, strangely loath to go abroad where any turn of the road might
bring me face to face with Humphry. I doubted, should we meet, if I
could pass, without slaying him, the man who had stolen my betrothed
from me. So I stayed in my own domain, bringing things into order,
working in the armoury, and striving by hard exercise to throttle the
grim demon of despair.
"April brought a burst of early summer; and, on the first day of May, I
set off for Windsor.
"Passing through Carnforth on my way, I found the town keeping high
holiday. I asked the reason, and was told of a Tourney now in progress
in the neighbourhood, to which the Earl had that morning ridden in
state, accompanied by his Countess, who indeed was chosen Queen of
Beauty, and was to sit enthroned, attended by her little daughter, two
tiny sons acting as pages.
"A sudden mad desire came on me, to look upon thy face again; to see
thee with the man who stole thee from me; with the children, who should
have been mine own.
"Ten minutes later, I rode on to the field. Pushing in amid the gay
crowd, I seemed almost at once to find myself right in front of the
throne.
"I saw the Queen of Beauty, in cloth of gold. I saw the little maiden
and the pages in attendance. I saw Humphry, proud husband and father,
beside them.
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