'I have had but one glimpse of him since the morning, and if he looks now as he looked then, I fear your lordship would be minded rather to drive him from your table than welcome him to a seat beside you.' As she spoke, lady Margaret caught a glimpse of a peculiar expression on Scudamore's face, where he stood behind his master's chair.
'Your page, my lord,' she said, 'seems to know something of him: if it pleased you to put him to the question--' 'Hey, Scudamore!' said the marquis without turning his head; 'what have you seen of my lord Herbert ?' 'As much as could be seen of him, my lord,' answered Scudamore.

'He was new from the powder-mill, and his face and hands were as he had been blown three times up the hall chimney.' 'I would thou didst pay more heed to what is fitting, thou monkey, and knewest either place or time for thy foolish jests! It will be long ere thou soil one of thy white fingers for king or country,' said the marquis, neither angrily nor merrily.

'Get another flask of claret,' he added, 'and keep thy wit for thy mates, boy.' Dorothy cast one involuntary glance at her cousin.

His face was red as fire, but, as it seemed to her, more with suppressed amusement than shame.

She had not been much longer in the castle before she learned that, in the opinion of the household, the marquis did his best, or worst rather, to ruin young Scudamore by indulgence.