My prayers be with you, Sir Peter, my prayers and my eternal love, and may they bring strength to your arm and comfort to your heart." Then she, who would not embrace him before all those folk, curtseyed till her knee almost touched the ground, while low he bent before her, a strange and stately parting, or so thought that company; and taking the hand of Betty, Margaret left him.
* * * * * Two hours had gone by.

The Plaza de Toros, for the great square where tournaments were wont to be held was in the hands of those who prepared it for the _auto-da-fe_ of the morrow, was crowded as it had seldom been before.

This place was a huge amphitheatre--perchance the Romans built it--where all sorts of games were celebrated, among them the baiting of bulls as it was practised in those days, and other semi-savage sports.
Twelve thousand people could sit upon the benches that rose tier upon tier around the vast theatre, and scarce a seat was empty.

The arena itself, that was long enough for horses starting at either end of it to come to their full speed, was strewn with white sand, as it may have been in the days when gladiators fought there.

Over the main entrance and opposite to the centre of the ring were placed the king and queen with their lords and ladies, and between them, but a little behind, her face hid by her bridal veil, sat Margaret, upright and silent as a statue.