noon
My puir bairn , worshipping the very ground her man sets foot on , and never getting aught but a gibe or a girn from him , and , for the very wilfulness of her sair heart , ever putting herself farther from him ! ' Such was the piteous account that Madame de Ste. Petronelle -LRB- otherwise Dame Elspeth Johnstone -RRB- gave , and which the Lady of Glenuskie soon perceived to be only too true during the days spent at Nanci . To the two young sisters the condition of things was less evident . To Margaret their presence was such sunshine , that they usually saw her in her highest , most flighty , and imprudent spirits , taking at times absolute delight in shocking her two duennas ; and it was in this temper that , one hot noon day , coming after an evening of song and music , finding Alain Chartier asleep on a bench in the garden , she declared that she must kiss the mouth from which such sweet strains proceeded , and bending down , imprinted so light a kiss as not to waken him , then turned round , her whole face rippling with silent laughter at the amusement of Jean and Margaret of Anjou , Elleen 's puzzled gravity , and the horror and dismay of her elder ladies . But Dame Lilias saw what she did not -- a look of triumphant malice on the face of Jamet de Tillay . Or at other times she would sit listening , with silent tears in her eyes , to plaintive Scottish airs on Eleanor 's harp , which she declared brought back her father 's voice to her , and with it the scent of the heather , and the very sight of Arthur 's Seat or the hills of Perth . Elleen had some sudden qualms of heart lest her sister 's blitheness should be covering wounds within ; but she was too young to be often haunted by such thoughts in the delightful surroundings in which that Easter week was spent -- the companionship of their sister and of the two young Infantas of Anjou , as well as all the charm of King Rene 's graceful attention .