"WHEN YOU HAVE TOPPED THESE STAIRS"
For an hour Raynor Royk and his men searched every nook and corner of
the Abbey, sounding walls and floors and making a confusion such as the
stately establishment had never known. But they found neither the
Countess nor the Abbot. He had either escaped by one of the passages
through which he introduced his frail companions, or he was hiding in
some secret chamber--whence he would take good care not to issue until
the Knights had departed.
And to provide for just such contingency De Lacy, on the morrow when
the march was resumed, detailed five of the royal men-at-arms to remain
at Kirkstall. The armed retainers of the Abbey, who had been made
prisoners the instant De Bury and he entered the place, he now relieved
from service there and enrolled them among his own following. They
were sturdy soldiers enough, albeit they had little to do but to wax
fat and sluggish by inaction and much food and, occasionally, to escort
the Abbot when he went abroad. Yet they were glad to be admitted to
the service of one who wore the Boar and they donned corselet and
casquetel with eagerness and haste--as willing now to fight against the
Cistercian as, an hour since, they were ready to defend him.
The Castle of Roxford lay some four leagues northwest of the Abbey. It
had been the seat of the Lords of Darby for two centuries and more; and
while in no way comparable with the huge Pontefract, in either size or
strength, yet it was deemed a formidable fortress and one, when
properly garrisoned and defended, well able to withstand attack.
A broad path led from the highway half a league or so through the
forest of oaks and beeches to the castle, which stood on a slight
eminence in the centre of a wide clearing covered with luxuriant turf,
and used for pasturing the domestic animals as well as for the sports
of the garrison. But the morning after the events at Kirkstall, when
Sir Aymer de Lacy and Sir John de Bury halted near the edge of the
timber, this open space was bare of denizen, either brute or human.
Nor did the fortress itself show more animation; for though they rode
slowly around its entire circle, keeping the while well under cover of
the trees, yet not a sign of life did they discover either without or
within. Save for the small sable banner with the three golden
escallops, which fluttered in gentle waves from the gate-tower, there
was no moving thing in all the landscape.
"It is uncommonly queer, this quiet," said De Bury, shading his eyes
with his hand to see the better. "It would almost seem they had been
warned of our coming."
"Like enough," De Lacy answered. "They would only need to know that I
was back in Yorkshire; and that, doubtless, reached them quick enough.
There is no hope to catch them with drawbridge down," and they went on
to their following.
"You know the castle, Sir John; what is the best point to attack?"
Aymer asked.
The old Knight shook his head. "There is no weak spot, so far as I
have recollection."
"Where is the postern? I did not note it."
"No postern will you find in yonder walls," De Bury answered. "A
secret exit runs beneath the moat known only to the ruling lord
himself."
"Another Kirkstall!" commented Aymer.
"Aye--yet as Darby is not within, there will be no escape by it."
With banners to the fore, they marched across the open space to the
barbican and the herald blew the parley.
No answer came from the outwork. Riding closer, De Lacy discovered it
was without defenders, and passing through he halted on the edge of the
causeway.
"Sound again!" he commanded--and this time with quick effect.
A trumpet answered hoarsely from within and a mailed form arose from
behind the crenellated parapet near the gate.
"Who summons so peremptorily the Castle of the Lords of Darby?" it
asked.
Sir John's herald blew another blast.
"It is a most ignorant warder that does not recognize the arms of Sir
John de Bury and Sir Aymer de Lacy," he answered.
"What seek Sir John de Bury and Sir Aymer de Lacy at the Castle of
Roxford?" was the demand.
De Lacy waved the herald aside. "We seek the Countess of Clare who, we
have reason to believe, is held in durance here. In the name of the
King, we require you to surrender her forthwith."
"And if she be not here?"
"Then after due search, we will leave you undisturbed," the Knight
replied.
The other laughed tauntingly.
"You must needs have wings, fair sirs, to gain entrance here;" and with
a scornful gesture he disappeared below the parapet, and the blast of a
trumpet signified that the truce was ended.
De Lacy closed his visor, and for a time surveyed the fortress with
careful eye. Before him lay a moat full sixty feet across and two
thirds full of water, with no means of passage save the drawbridge,
that hung so high on its chains as to seem almost against the outer
portcullis. From the farther edge the wall rose solid and grim, and,
as he knew from Sir John, with no opening in all its circuit save the
gate directly opposite.
"It is evident the garrison is very small," De Bury observed, "else
they would not have abandoned the barbican without a blow."
"Undoubtedly; and if we can reach the gate or scale the wall the rest
is easy."
"I would we had a bombard or two that are lying idle in the armory at
Pontefract."
"They will not be needed," De Lacy answered. "We shall sleep in the
castle to-night."