Quite plainly they were going to the castle—so she went down, too, and met them at the gate with a civil “Good morning.”
“You are no lie-abed at least,” said the green gentleman. “And so no stranger lay at Arden last night, eh?”
Elfrida found this difficult to answer. No doubt the King had lain—was probably still lying—in the secret chamber. But was he a stranger? No, of course he wasn’t. So—
“No,” she said.
And then through the open window of the parlour came, very unexpectedly and suddenly, a leg in a riding-boot, then another leg, and the whole of the beautiful gentleman stood in front of them.
“So-ho!” he said. “Speak softly, for the servants are not yet about.”
“They are,” said Elfrida, “only they’re at the back. Creep along under the wall; you will get away without their seeing
