“There is your castle, Albert!” Aline exclaimed. “It seems well-nigh, if not quite, finished, and is strongly posted on that hill, overlooking the whole country from Dartford to Sheerness. You will need a chatelaine before long, brother mine.”
Albert laughed, but coloured a little.
“Time enough to think of that, Aline.”
“Nay, I am in earnest. Many are betrothed, if not married, long before they attain your age.”
“I may say the same to you, Aline. 'Tis the fashion now for girls to be betrothed between twelve and fourteen. I have been wandering about and fighting and have had no time to think of love-making.”
Aline shrugged her shoulders. “You had better ask Sir Ralph and my mother for their views about me, Albert. It is not for a maid to make her own marriage, but a valiant knight like yourself can manage your own affairs, Methought perhaps that you would have to tell us that the Fleming's fair daughter was to assist you in the management of the castle that her father has given you.”
“Joanna Van Voorden!” Albert exclaimed, indignantly, while Edgar burst into laughter; “why, she is well-nigh as big as her mother already, and promises to be far bigger. Thank you, Aline; if the castle and estate had been offered me on the condition that I married her, I would have had none of them.”
“Well, sir, shall I make another guess?” Aline asked, mischievously.
“No, no, Aline,” Albert said, hastily. “No more guessing, if you please.”
They had by this time approached the castle. “Look, father!” Aline exclaimed, clapping her hands; “they must have been on the watch for us. See! they are raising a flag on that staff on the turret, and see, there are your arms blazoned on it.”
“'Tis a goodly castle for its size,” the knight said, as he drew rein and turned his horse so that his dame might get a better view of it. “There is a dry moat, which is lined with stonework. The walls are not very high, but they are well defended by those flanking towers, and the place could stand any sudden assault. I should say that it was about the same strength as our own. So far as I can see, the other arrangements are quite different. There is no keep, and it seems to me that the house is built rather for comfort than for defence; the windows are large, and it looks more like a Flemish house built within a castle wall than an English place of strength. Now let us ride on,” and they pressed their horses forward. The gates were thrown open when they approached within a hundred yards; the drawbridge over the moat had been already lowered.
“Ride you first, Albert,” Sir Ralph said; “you are lord of the place.”
As they came to the head of the drawbridge, a middle-aged man of grave aspect, dressed in the garb of a citizen, appeared at the gate, and six men-at-arms, in steel caps and body armour, armed with pike and sword, drew up behind him.
The man bowed deeply to Albert. “Welcome to Cliffe Castle, sir knight,” he said. “I am Nicholas Hocht, and have, by the orders of my master, Mynheer Van Voorden, been here for the last year to superintend the building of this castle, and in carrying out his other commands respecting it, with further orders to remain here, should you desire it, for the further space of six months as your steward. I received a message from him yesterday, saying that possibly you would be here to-day, and I must, therefore, have everything in readiness for you. The warning was somewhat short, but I have done my best, and I trust that you will pardon any shortcomings.”
“I am much beholden to you, Master Hocht,” Albert said. “You have done well, indeed, for a fairer castle and one better placed no one could desire.”
The men-at-arms saluted as he rode on. Entering the gate, they were able to see the house itself. It was, as Sir Ralph had said, rather a Flemish house than a knightly castle; the lower range of windows were small and heavily barred, but above there were large casements, pointed roofs, and projecting gables. It had an air of comfort and brightness. On the top of the broad steps leading to the great door were four retainers, all similarly attired in doublets of russet cloth and orange hose. As soon as the party alighted they ascended the steps, led by the steward. When they entered the great hall a general exclamation of surprise broke from them.
They had expected to see bare walls and every sign of the place having only just left the builders' hands; instead of this everything was complete, the massive oak beams and panels of the ceilings were varnished, the walls were wainscoted, the oak floor highly polished; Eastern rugs lay here and there upon it, carved benches ran along the sides, and a large banqueting table stood in the centre; rich curtains hung by the window, and a huge fire was piled on the hearth.
“Why, this is a work of enchantment, Master Hocht,” Dame Agatha said.
“I have had but little to do with it, lady,” the steward replied. “The woodwork was all made in London, to my master's orders, and I had but to superintend its being placed in position.”
He led them from room to room, their surprise and delight continually increasing; all were furnished richly in the Flemish style with cabinets, tables, settees, and armoires. There were hangings to the windows and rugs on the floors; everything was ready for habitation, the linen presses were full of table-cloths and napkins and sheets. The beds were ready for sleeping in, with their great bags of soft feathers, their thick blankets and silken coverlets. These more than anything else excited the dame's admiration. Never had she seen beds approaching these in softness and daintiness.
“With the exception of the furniture in the hall,” Master Hocht explained, “everything has come direct from Flanders, having been selected by Mynheer Van Voorden himself, and sent by sea to Gravesend.”
After having inspected the whole of the house they returned to the hall. Here the table had been spread. A silver skewer, to act as a fork, an article then unknown in England, was placed before each, and an admirable repast was served, the steward himself officiating as carver, while the four servitors carried the platters, which were of fine Flemish ware, to the guests. Albert had begged his father to take the head of the table, but the latter refused positively. He sat on one side of his son and his dame on the other. Fish of several kinds, meats, and poultry were served. All cut up their meat with their daggers, and carried it to their mouths on the point of the skewer.
Albert and Edgar had learned the use of them in Flanders. Lady Agatha and Aline said that they were charming, but Sir Ralph declared that he greatly preferred using his fingers. After the meal was concluded, water was brought round in a silver bowl, with a damask napkin for them to wipe their fingers on.
“The wine is excellent,” Sir Ralph said. “You can scarcely have purchased this at Cliffe or Gravesend.”
“It is from the cellar, Sir Ralph, which is well stocked with the wines of France and Spain.”
“Truly, Albert,” Dame Agatha said, “this is not a castle; it is a veritable enchanted palace. Mynheer Van Voorden is like one of the good genii the Saracens believe in, who can, at will, summon up from the ground a vast palace, ready built and furnished. I trust that it will not at once vanish as soon as we leave it. Were it to do so I should scarcely be more surprised than I have been at its splendour and comfort.”
“Do you tarry here to-night, Sir Albert?” the steward asked, as they rose from the table.