“Ha, Doll, dearest,” said a voice, as she turned the corner of the terrace, “I have been searching for thee.”

Dorothy turned round and met the gaze of Sir Henry de la Zouch.

“For me!” she exclaimed, without pausing.

“Nay, prithee, now don’t hurry so,” he replied, catching hold of her arm, “I would ask thee a weighty question.”

“But I am in a great hurry,” she replied.

“Then I shall not keep thee long, but thou canst stay a little while, surely?”

“Indeed, I cannot, Sir Henry,” she replied.  “There are some visitors awaiting my return.”

“John Manners for one,” sneered the knight.

Dorothy blushed deeply, and bit her lip to repress the sharp retort which came readily to her tongue.  Sir Henry saw that he had committed an error, and he endeavoured to recover his position.

“Sir Thomas has wooed thy sister Margaret,” he exclaimed, “and I have long been wooing thee, and now the time has come when I am to offer you my hand.”

Dorothy struggled to get away, but her suitor held her fast.

“Nay, cruel one,” he continued, “I must have an answer.  I shall be an earl in good time, perchance, and if you will but say ‘aye’ to my proposal you may be a countess—­think of it, Dorothy, a countess—­and the hostess of Ashby Castle.”

He let go his hold of her, and dropping down upon his knee, he raised his clasped hand in the most approved fashion of the time, and continued his suit.

“Dorothy,” he went on, “will you—?”

“Never,” she replied, cutting him short in the middle of his speech, and, finding herself at liberty, she rushed precipitately into the Hall.

De la Zouch gazed after her in mute astonishment, and, staggered as he was, he remained in the same position until he was startled by a voice behind him.

“At prayers, sir knight?” asked the baron.  “Father Phillip’s grace at the table was long enough to serve me through the day.”

“No, Sir George,” replied the crestfallen lover, “I have been pleading my suit with Dorothy.”

“And what said she?”

“She is bashful.”

“What!  My Doll bashful?  That were hardly polite to thee, methinks.”

“Perchance I should have more success with thee?” pleaded Sir Henry, as pathetically as he could.

“Let us withdraw into the bower, then,” replied Sir George, “we can talk it over there, and we shall not be disturbed.  Ha! here comes Lady Vernon, she will know what to do.”

Lady Vernon came up at the bidding of her lord.  The lover would fain have seen Sir George alone, but there was no help for it, and he had to brave the circumstances with the best grace possible.

“Maude, we must take your counsel,” began the baron.  “Sir Henry de la Zouch would take advantage of to-day’s festivity to ask for the hand of Doll.  What think you; can we spare her too, as well as Margaret?  We should lose them both together then.  What dost thou advise?”