After their return from hunting, they remained for another fortnight at Bearn; and then started, the countess and Francois to return home, and Philip to pay a visit to the Count de Valecourt, at his chateau in Dauphiny, in accordance with the promise he had given him to visit him on his return to France.

Here he remained for a month.

The count treated him with the warmest hospitality, and introduced him to all his friends as the saviour of his daughter.
Claire had grown much since he had seen her, when he had ridden over with her father to Landres, a year before.

She was now nearly sixteen, and was fast growing into womanhood.
Philip was already acquainted with many of the nobles and gentry of Dauphiny who had joined the Admiral's army and, after leaving Valecourt, he stayed for a short time at several of their chateaux; and it was autumn before he joined Francois at Laville.

The inhabited portion of the chateau had been enlarged and made more comfortable, for the king was still firm in his decision that peace should be preserved, and showed marked favour to the section of the court that opposed any persecution of the Huguenots.