On the south, over the valley, stood out the
modest hall and buttery (as, indeed, they stand to this day), with a
door between them, well buttressed in two places upon the falling
ground, in one by a chimney, in the other by a slope of masonry; and
behind these buildings stood the rest of the court, the stables, the
wash-house, the bake-house and such like, below; and, above, the
sleeping rooms for the family and the servants. On the first floor,
above the buttery and the hall, were situated the ladies' parlour and
chapel; for this, at least, Padley had, however little its dignity in
other matters, that it retained its chapel served in these sorrowful
days not, as once, by a chaplain, but by whatever travelling priest
might be there.
* * * * *
Robin entered through the great gate on the east side--a dark entrance
kept by a porter who saluted him--and rode through into the court; and
here, indeed, was the company; for out of the windows of the low hall on
his left came a babble of tongues, while two or three gentlemen with
pots in their hands saluted him from the passage door, telling him that
Mr. Thomas FitzHerbert was within. Mr. Fenton was one of these, come
over from North Lees, where he had his manor, a brisk, middle-aged man,
dressed soberly and well, with a pointed beard and pleasant, dancing
eyes.
"And Mr. John, too, came last night," he said; "but he will not hawk
with us.
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