"
She sat up smartly. "Come," said she, "come; if you will venture it
with the Countess, I will with Ware."
He smiled. "I thought you gave me a year wherein to prove my
stupidity."
"But would it be stupidity--might it not be rare brilliancy--a master
stroke?" She flashed the rings again. "Lord Darby would risk it were
he in like case."
"Nay, Darby is no fool."
"True enough--yet, neither is he afraid to brave the hazard; he is a
hard fighter, in love as well as war."
"I find no fault with him for that," De Lacy answered, "so long as he
fight fair."
She gave him a quick glance of interrogation.
"Would you trust him to fight fair?" she asked.
"I usually trust every man of noble birth until experience prove him
undeserving."
"And you have had no experience with Darby?"
"No--not yet."
A sly smile crossed her lips and she was about to comment further, when
Lord Ware's barge suddenly swung out from behind a large vessel and met
them.
"We are going to the Tower," the Countess called. "Will you not meet
us there?"
The rowers backed water instantly, and the two boats drifted slowly
past each other.
"We will join you very shortly," Lady Mary answered--then smiled at De
Lacy.
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