"Nay; rise, fair Leoline," said the king, holding out his hand to assist
her. "It is my place to kneel to one so lovely instead of having her
kneel to me. Think again. Will you reject the king as you did the
count?"
"Pardon, your majesty!", said Leoline, scarcely daring to look up; "but
I must!"
"So be it! You are a perfect miracle of troth and constancy, and I think
I can afford to be generous for once. In fifteen minutes, we start for
Oxford, and you must accompany us as Lady Kingsley. A tiring woman will
wait upon you to robe you for your bridal. We will leave you now, and
let me enjoin expedition."
And while she still stood too much astonished by the sudden proposal to
answer, both were gone, and in their place stood a smiling lady's maid,
with a cloud of gossamer white in her arms.
"Are those for me?" inquired Leoline, looking at them, and trying to
comprehend that it was all real.
"They are for you--sent by Mistress Stuart, herself. Please sit down,
and all will be ready in a trice."
And in a trice all was ready. The shining, jetty curls were smoothed,
and fell in a glossy shower, trained with jewels--the pearls Leoline
herself still wore. The rose satin was discarded for another of bridal
white, perfect of fit, and splendid of feature. A great gossamer veil
like a cloud of silver mist over all, from head to foot; and Leoline was
shown herself in a mirror, and in the sudden transformation, could
have exclaimed, with the unfortunate lady in bother Goose, shorn of her
tresses when in balmy slumber: "As sure as I'm a little woman, this is
none of it!" But she it was, nevertheless, who stood listening like one
in a trance, to the enthusiastic praises of her waiting-maid.
Again there was a tap at the door. This time the attendant opened
it, and George reappeared. Even he stood for a moment looking at the
silver-shining vision, and so lost in admiration, that he almost forgot
his message. But when Leoline turned the light of her beautiful eyes
inquiringly upon him, he managed to remember it, and announced that he
had been sent by the king to usher her to the royal presence.
With a feet-throbbing heart, flushed cheeks, and brilliant eyes, the
dazzling bride followed him, unconscious that she had never looked so
incomparably before in her life. It was but a few hours since she had
dressed for another bridal; and what wonderful things had occurred since
then--her whole destiny had changed in a night. Not quite sure yet but
that she was still dreaming, she followed on--saw George throw open the
great doors of the audience-chamber, and found herself suddenly in
what seemed to her a vast concourse of people. At the upper end of the
apartment was a brilliant group of ladies, with the king's beautiful
favorite in their midst, gossiping with knots of gentlemen. The king
himself stood in the recess of a window, with his brother, the Duke of
York, the Earl of Rochester, and Sir Norman Kingsley, and was laughing
and relating animatedly to the two peers the whole story. Leoline
noticed this, and noticed, too, that all wore traveling dresses--most of
the ladies, indeed, being attired in riding-habits.