But Maud Lindesay sat pale and motionless, looking towards the north, from which she hoped for help to come.
"Our brother, the Earl of Douglas, will bring an army from his dukedom of Touraine, and sweep you and your castle from the face of the earth, if your master dares to lay so much as a finger upon us." La Meffraye laughed a low, cackling laugh, and in the act showed the four long eye-teeth which were the sole remaining dental equipment of her mouth.
"Oh, Great Barran--" she chuckled, "listen to the pretty fool! Our brother will do this--our brother will do that.

_Our_ brother will lick the country of Retz as clean as a dog licks a platter.

Know you not, silly fool, that both your brothers are long since dead and under sod in the castle of your city of Edinburgh.

I tell you my master set his little finger upon them and crushed them like flies on a summer chamber wall!" Maud Lindesay rose to her feet as La Meffraye spoke these words.
"It is not true," she cried; "you lie to us as you have done from the first.

The Earl of Douglas is not dead!" It was now little Margaret who showed the spirit of her race, and put out her hand to clasp that of her elder comrade.
"Do not let her even know that she has power to hurt us with her words," she whispered low to Maud Lindesay.