The White Lady of Hazelwood Part 2

The Duke of Lancaster having married the heiress of Castile, he and his wife were commonly styled King and Queen of Castile.

Mr Tynneslowe laughed. "Nay, there you fly your hawk at somewhat too high game," said he; "nathless [nevertheless], Master Altham, it is a lady whom she shall serve, and a lady likewise who shall judge if she be meet for the place. But first shall she be seen of a certain gentlewoman of my lady's household, that shall say whether she promise fair enough to have her name sent up for judgment. I reckon three n.o.bles [one pound; present value, 6 pounds] by the year shall pay her reckoning."

"Truly, I would be glad she had so good place. And for plenis.h.i.+ng, what must she have?"

"Store sufficient of raiment is all she need have, and such jewelling as it shall please you to bestow on her. All else shall be found. The gentlewoman shall give her note of all that lacketh, if she be preferred to the place."

"And when shall she wait on the said gentlewoman?"

"Next Thursday in the even, at Master Goldsmith's."

"I will send her."

Mr Tynneslowe declined a second helping of hypocras, and took his leave. The patty-maker saw him to the door, and then went back into his shop.

"I have news for you, maids," said he.

Ricarda, who was arranging the fresh patties, looked up and stopped her proceedings; Alexandra brought her head in from the window. Amphillis only, who sat sewing in the corner, went on with her work as if the news were not likely to concern her.

"Phyllis, how shouldst thou like to go forth to serve a lady?"

A bright colour flushed into the pale cheeks.

"I, Uncle?" she said.

"A lady!" cried Alexandra in a much shriller voice, the word which had struck her father's ear so lightly being at once noted by her. "Said you a _lady_, Father? What lady, I pray you?"

"That cannot I say, daughter. Phyllis, thou art to wait on a certain gentlewoman, at Master Goldsmith's, as next Thursday in the even, that shall judge if thou shouldst be meet for the place. Don thee in thy best raiment, and mind thy manners."

"May I go withal, Father?" cried Alexandra.

"There was nought said about thee. Wouldst thou fain be put forth? I never thought of no such a thing. Maybe it had been better that I had spoken for you, my maids."

"I would not go forth to serve a city wife, or such mean gear," said Alexandra, contemptuously. "But in a lady's household I am well a.s.sured I should become the place better than Phyllis. Why, she has not a word to say for herself,--a poor weak creature that should never--"

"Hush, daughter! Taunt not thy cousin. If she be a good maid and discreet, she shall be better than fair and foolish."

"Gramercy! cannot a maid be fair and discreet belike?"

"Soothly so. 'Tis pity she is not oftener."

"But may we not go withal, Father?" said Ricarda.

"Belike ye may, my maid. Bear in mind the gentlewoman looks to see Amphillis, not you, and make sure that she wist which is she. Then I see not wherefore ye may not go."

Any one who had lived in Mr Altham's house from that day till the Thursday following would certainly have thought that Alexandra, not Amphillis, was the girl chosen to go. The former made far more fuss about it, and she was at the same time preparing a new mantle wherein to attend the tournament, of which Amphillis was summoned to do all the plain and uninteresting parts. The result of this preoccupation would have been very stale pastry on the counter, if her father had not seen to that item for himself. Ricarda was less excited and egotistical, yet she talked more than Amphillis.

The Thursday evening came, and the three girls, dressed in their best clothes, took their way to the Dolphin. The Court goldsmith was a more select individual than Mr Altham, and did not serve in his own shop, unless summoned to a customer of rank. The young men who were there had evidently been prepared for the girls' coming, and showed them upstairs with a fire of jokes which Alexandra answered smartly, while Amphillis was silent under them.

They were ushered into the private chamber of the goldsmith's daughter, who sat at work, and rose to receive them. She kissed them all, for kissing was then the ordinary form of greeting, and people only shook hands when they wished to be warmly demonstrative.

"Is the gentlewoman here, Mistress Regina?"

"Sit you down," said Mistress Regina, calmly. "No, she is not yet come.

She will not long be. Which of you three is de maiden dat go shall?"

"That my cousin is," said Alexandra, making fun of the German girl's somewhat broken English, though in truth she spoke it fairly for a foreigner. But Amphillis said gently--

"That am I, Mistress Regina; and I take it full kindly of you, that you should suffer me to meet this gentlewoman in your chamber."

"So!" was the answer. "You shall better serve of de three."

Alexandra had no time to deliver the rather pert reply which she was preparing, for the door opened, and the young man announced "Mistress Chaucer."

Had the girls known that the lady who entered was the wife of a man before whose fame that of many a crowned monarch would pale, and whose poetry should live upon men's lips when five hundred years had fled, they would probably have looked on her with very different eyes. But they knew her only as a Lady of the Bedchamber, first to the deceased Queen Philippa, and now to the Queen of Castile, and therefore deserving of all possible subservience. Of her husband they never thought at all.

The "chiel amang 'em takin' notes" made no impression on them: but five centuries have pa.s.sed since then, and the chiel's notes are sterling yet in England.

Mistress Chaucer sat down on the bench, and with quiet but rapid glances appraised the three girls. Then she said to Amphillis--

"Is it thou whom I came to see?"

Amphillis louted, and modestly a.s.sented, after which the lady took no further notice of the two who were the more anxious to attract her attention.

"And what canst thou do?" she said.

"What I am told, Mistress," said Amphillis.

"_Ach_!" murmured Regina; "you den can much do."

"Ay, thou canst do much," quietly repeated Mistress Chaucer. "Canst dress hair?"

Amphillis thought she could. She might well, for her cousins made her their maid, and were not easily pleased mistresses.

"Thou canst cook, I cast no doubt, being bred at a patty-shop?"

"Mistress, I have only dwelt there these six months past. My father was a poor gentleman that died when I was but a babe, and was held to demean himself by wedlock with my mother, that was sister unto mine uncle, Master Altham. Mine uncle was so kindly as to take on him the charge of breeding me up after my father died, and he set my mother and me in a little farm that 'longeth to him in the country: and at after she departed likewise, he took me into his house. I know somewhat of cookery, an' it like you, but not to even my good cousins here."

"Oh, Phyllis is a metely fair cook, when she will give her mind thereto," said Alexandra with a patronising air, and a little toss of her head--a gesture to which that young lady was much addicted.

A very slight look of amus.e.m.e.nt pa.s.sed across Mistress Chaucer's face, but she did not reply to the remark.

"And thy name?" she asked, still addressing Amphillis.

"Amphillis Neville, and your servant, Mistress."

"Canst hold thy peace when required so to do?" Amphillis smiled. "I would endeavour myself so to do."

"Canst be patient when provoked of other?"