"I am to leave Gracedieu and come with you, ma'am?"
"Yes. Are you afraid?"
For answer Isoult fell flat down and kissed Maulfry's silver hem.
"I will follow you to death!" she cried.
Maulfry shivered, then arched her brows.
"It will not be so bad as all that," she said. "Come then, we will
find the horses."
Isoult looked down confusedly at her grey frock.
"You little jay bird, who's to see you here among the trees? Come with
me, I'll set you strutting like a peacock before I've done with you,"
said Maulfry, in her mocking, good-humoured way.
They went together. Maulfry had hold of Isoult by the hand. Presently
they came to an open glade where there were two horses held by a
mounted groom. As soon as he saw them coming the groom got off, helped
Isoult first, then his mistress. They rode away at a quick trot down
the slope; the horses seemed to know the way.
Maulfry was in high spirits. She played a thousand tricks, and
enveigled from the brooding girl her most darling thoughts. Before
they had made their day's journey she had learnt all that she wanted
to know, or rather what she knew already. It confirmed what Galors had
told her: she believed his story. For her part Isoult, having once
made the plunge, gave her heart its way, bathed it openly in love, and
was not ashamed. To talk of Prosper more freely than she had ever
dared even to herself, to talk of loving him, of her hopes of winning
him! She seemed a winged creature as she flew through the hours of a
forest day. It pleased her, too, to think that she was being discreet
in saying nothing of her marriage. If Prosper had not thought fit to
reveal it to his accomplished friend she must keep the secret by all
means--his and hers. Instead of clouding her hopeful visions this gave
them an evening touch of mystery. It elevated her by making her an
accomplice. He and she were banded together against this all-wise
lady. No doubt she would learn it in time--in his time; and then
Isoult dreamed (and blushed as she dreamed) of another part, wherein
she would snuggle herself into his arm and whisper, "Have I not been
wise?" Then she would be kissed, and the lady would laugh to learn how
she had been outwitted by a young girl. Ah, what dreams! Isoult's
wings took her a far flight when once she had spread them to the sun.
Journeying thus they reached a road by nightfall, and a little House
of Access. To go direct to Tortsentier they should have passed this
house on the left-hand, for the tower was south-east from Gracedieu.
But there was a reason for the circuit, as for every other twist of
Maulfry's; the true path would have brought them too nearly upon that
by which Prosper and Isoult had come seeking sanctuary. Instead they
struck due east, and hit the main road which runs from High March to
Market Basing; then by going south for another day they would win
Tortsentier. Isoult, of course, as a born woodlander would know the
whereabouts of Maulfry's dwelling from any side but the north. She was
of South Morgraunt, and therefore knew nothing of the north or middle
forest. All this Maulfry had calculated. At the House of Access the
girl was actually a day's journey nearer Prosper than she had been at
the convent, but she knew nothing of it. Consequently her night's rest
refreshed her, waking dreams stayed the night, and left traces of
their rosy flames in her cheeks next morning. Maulfry, waking first,
looked at her as she lay pillowing her cheek on her arm, with her wild
hair spread behind her like a dark cloud. Maulfry, I say, looked at
her.