At that my lady's blood rose in her cheek, but she besought him that he
would not speak to her in such wise. When she had made a compress of the
napkins in the basket wherein I was carrying Dame Gobble's butter, and
had stanched the blood, she unwound the ribbon from her silver
hunting-horn, and cast it about his neck for a rest to his wounded arm.
Then he did bend down his head and kissed the ribbon, and my lady turned
quickly, and got upon the roan, and rode away at so smart a pace that
methinks Dame Gobble's butter and wine did reach her in a closer
conjunction than she could have found pleasant.
When I told Marian of this encounter, merely by the way of a bit of
gossip, she did smile in such a wise that I was minded to cuff a woman
for the first time in a long life.
It was that same night that Marian did tell me how that she feared the
earl was in danger of some sort, judging by certain words that my lady
had let fall in her sleep. I noticed how that my lady seemed restless,
and would start at the clap o' a door, or when Herne did come suddenly
upon her. And one day she leaned from a window, as I swept up the
rose-leaves from the grass on the east terrace, and called to me to come
thither. She was as white as her kirtle, and her gray eyes were dark
like water before a storm. She did not look at me, but beyond into the
air. So I waited, having plucked off my cap, and my lady stood looking,
looking; and after a while she saith,
"Thou hast aye been a true and faithful servant unto me: therefore I am
about to give unto thee a great charge."
And I said, "My lady, thou knowest that thou canst trust me;" and in
truth I could say no more, for my throat was stiff.
And she continued and said,
"Thou must be to-night at the Red Deer, and that by nine of the clock.
One will be there in whom we have both deep interest. I cannot tell thee
more. Take thy sword with thee, but have no fear--thou wilt have no
cause to use it. Yet, lest thou be fearful, take it with thee." And she
said, "Thou wilt remember?"
"My lady, when have I e'er forgotten word of thine?" Whereat she did put
out her fair hand to me, saying, "Never," and there were tears in her
eyes.
So that night (for the first time in many years) did I find myself
within the doors of the Red Deer. A cosey place it was, despite the
wine-bibbers that did profane it; and the inn-keeper's wife, a most
buxom, eye-pleasing wench, with three sturdy boys aye clambering about
her. As I looked, some hard and sinful thoughts did visit my heart
concerning the bounty that the Lord had lavished upon one who was a
barterer of wine, when I, who had lived ever a temperate and (in so far
as was in my power) a godly life, should remain childless. But I did
conquer at last, bidding Satan get behind me, and was left in peace to
toast my feet, and to ponder as to who it was that my lady had sent me
thither to mark. Had I not loved my lady with all my heart, methinks I
could not have stood the terms that were heaped upon me by the brawlers.
I will not repeat the foul slanders; suffice it to say, I sustained for
one half hour what few men are called upon to endure throughout a
lifetime.
At last, the newness being gone, they left me in peace, and I, being
settled safely in my corner, did set to work to watch the door.
Who should enter at that very moment but my Lord Denbeigh! He was
wrapped in a long brown cloak, and wore a broad hat, unornamented by
plume or buckle, pulled down over his eyes. He came and tossed himself
into a chair near the fire, and sat there pondering upon the coals, with
his legs out in front of him. Now, I have ever had a woman-weakness for
a goodly leg in man, and the splendid limbs of Lord Denbeigh did witch
me into a steadier gaze than that which civility doth permit. This
by-and-by he did notice, and so spoke to me.
"At what art thou staring, ancient?" quoth he, not unkindly. So I told
him, whereupon he laughed somewhat.
"Methinks thou art but a doting body," he said, "and yet is thy face
familiar. What now? Hast thou e'er met with me before?"
Then did I lie right roundly, being, to confess the truth, not a little
afraid.
"Out on thee," saith his lordship; "the truth is not in thee. I ne'er
forget a face; how, then, shall I forget a face such as thine? Certes I
have seen thee before. Wilt thou colt me?"
And again lied I--blackly, most abominably.
"As thou wilt," quoth he; "but thy face is known to me, for all that."
It was at this time that the door opened again, and there did enter a
stripling, clad all in dark maroon velvet, wrapped also about with a
long cloak, and having a velvet bonnet pulled down over his brows i' th'
manner o' Lord Denbeigh's. One could see naught o' his visage for the
shadow from his head-gear. The revelers scarce noted his entrance, being
far gone in drink, and some having departed, and others asleep. The lad
came and stood near the fire, and I saw that he looked at Lord Denbeigh
from under his drooping bonnet--the earl having withdrawn unto a table
apart, with a glass of wine and some papers, and his sword across the
table. Even as I looked the boy turned, and went over, and leaned on the
table to finger the heavy sword. My heart was afraid within me, for
there was a dark light in the eyes that flashed up at the youth from
under Lord Denbeigh's stern brows. I was nigh unto them, being but a
stride or two apart, and so marked all that passed between them.
"By my troth," quoth his lordship, "a valiant crack!"
"Meaning me?" quoth the lad, smiling.
"Ay, meaning thee, Sir Insolence. Dost thou know how to handle thine own
sword, that thou handlest a stranger's so freely?"
"Even so. But I meant not to vex thee. In truth, I am come to thee on an
errand of life and death;" and as he spoke, he did doff his bonnet and
toss it upon the table, and the firelight and candlelight did leap upon
his fair curls, and as I saw his face it was the face of my lady. The
earl did start half-way to his feet, and his face was first like fire
and then like snow.
"Margaret!" he saith, back of his teeth, as 'twere.
And the lad smiled, leaning still upon the table.
"Nay; my sister is called so," he said, "but my name is Robert, and I am
the Lord of Amhurste and her brother. Haply she hath mentioned me unto
your lordship."
The earl stared as one who sees a ghost (though I believe not in them
myself), and he saith, "Whence comest thou? All think that thou art
dead."
And the boy said,
"Nay, but I would not that any besides thee knew of my whereabouts. As
to thee, I know more concerning thee even than my sister, and it is for
her sake that I come to thee to-night."