He unclosed the door no further than would permit of his exit, and then he shut it again behind him, and stood holding the latch in his hand.
"His Excellency, being overfatigued, hath need of a little strong spirit," he said, with a curious gobbling movement of his throat as if he himself had been either thirsty or in deadly and overmastering fear.
The Earl ordered Sholto to wake the cellarer and bid him bring the ambassador of France that which he required.

He himself would go onward to his sister's chamber.

Sholto somewhat sullenly obeyed, for his heart was hot and angry within him.

He thought that he began to see clearly the motive of the Earl's presence in the castle.

The youth was himself so deeply and hopelessly in love with Mistress Maud Lindesay that he could not understand any other of his sex being insensible to the charm of her beauty and myriad winsome graces.
As he went down the stairs he recalled a thousand circumstances to mind which now seemed capable of but one explanation.