"There be plenty of flowers in the garden, surely," her mother said, who was busy with some leather hangings, and wanted help.
"But he would liefer have some of the little wildlings, good mother," said Judith. "That I know right well; for he is pleased to see them lying on the table before him; and sometimes, too, he puts the names of them in his writing."
"How know you that?" was the immediate and sharp question.
"As I have heard, good mother," Judith said, with calm equanimity.
And then she went to the small mirror to see that her gray velvet cap and starched ruff were all right.
"What can your father want with wild flowers if he is to remain the whole day at Warwick!" her mother said.
"Is my father gone to Warwick?" she asked, quickly.
She glanced at the window; there was neither horse nor serving-men waiting there. And then she hastily went out and through the back yard into the garden; and there, sure enough was her father, ready booted for the road, and giving a few parting directions to his bailiff.
"Well, wench," he said, when he had finished with the man, "what would you?"
She had taken from her purse all the money she could find there.
"Good father," said she, "will you do this errand for me at Warwick?"
"More vanities?" said he. "I wonder you have no commissioner to despatch to Spain and Flanders. What is't, then?--a muff of satin--a gimmal ring----"
"No, no, not so, father; I would have you buy for me a clasp-knife--as good a one as the money will get; and the cutler must engrave on the blade, or on the handle, I care not which, a message--an inscription, as it were; 'tis but three words--_For Judith's Sweetheart_. Could you remember that, good father? Is't too much of a trouble?"
"How now?" said he. "For whom do you wish me to bring you such a token?"
"Nay, sir," said she, demurely, "would you have me name names? The gift of a sweetheart is a secret thing."
"You are a mad wench," said he (though doubtless he guessed for whom the knife was intended), and he called to Matthew gardener to go round and see if Master Shawe were not yet ready. "But now I bethink me, child, I have a message for thee. Good Master Walter spoke to me yesternight about what much concerns him--and you."