He loosed for a moment her trembling
form and she began to weep. These tears made him forget Janet's words,
and he turned again to Katherine.
"There, there, my wife; thou dost break my heart at each sob. Here,
see here what I brought thee," and he placed on her arm a circlet of
rubies. "There, hush thy tears. I will not teach thee anything but how
kind I may be--there, sit thee down. I will let thee wait until thou
art accustomed to man's caresses." Monmouth's heavy drinking trended
to strengthen his good humour, else he might have resented roundly the
interruption of his love-making by the entrance of Lady Constance. He
held out his hand to her, saying,--
"Come, my lady; see my poor dear. The poor child is affrighted at my
love-making. Thou wouldst not be so frightened, Constance,--eh?"
"I am not a child, your Highness, to fall to weeping if so honourable
a gentleman as some should choose to kiss my hand." The Duke reached
to the table and pressed another cup of wine to his lips, that were
already stiffened by excess.
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