Sir H Rider Haggard

Fair Margaret Sir H Rider Haggard

Book Excerpt: ...ng. Next time I come out walking, cousin Peter, it shall be with some one who is more kind."Then she turned and began to make her way as quickly as she could through the thickening crowd. Finding this difficult, before Peter could stop her, for she was very swift in her movements, Margaret bore to the right, entering the space immediately in front of the banqueting-hall where the grooms with horses and soldiers were assembled awaiting their lords, for here there was more room to walk. For a few moments Peter and Betty were unable to escape from the mob which closed in behind her, and thus it came about that Margaret found herself alone among these people, in the midst, indeed, of the guard of the Spanish ambassador de Ayala, men who were notorious for their lawlessness, for they reckoned upon their master's privilege to protect them. Also, for the most part, they were just then more or less in liquor. One of these fellows, a great, red-haired Scotchman, whom the priest- diplomatist had brought..