hands and ran after them.
“Come,” said William to his friend. He had already placed a second stone in the strap, but the apple-cheeked squire was far too busy trying to catch the horses to notice the danger he was in.
Odon groaned quietly.
“We’d better get away from here.” William grabbed Robert’s sleeve and pulled him away.
William preferred not to think about the consequences of felling Odon, and he simply ran as fast as he could. Robert stayed close behind and only stopped, panting, shortly before they reached the mews.
“It’s better if we don’t tell my father about this. He thinks the squires are honorable men and wouldn’t believe us. He doesn’t know that everyone in the village lives in fear and worry because these men vent their arrogance on the old, the sick, and the weak.The lord of the manor himself has no idea. Odon’s aunt conceals his outrages. Reginald de Vere, the fencing master, is the only one who knows the squires well enough to see through them. He punishes them when he catches them, but unfortunately that’s all too seldom. You challenged Odon today. He’ll never forgive you for it,” Robert warned him. “But though you were a fool to stand up against him on my account—thank you, Will. Friends?”
“Friends!”
They shook hands.
“Where have you been?” Logan addressed his son, striding toward him.
“I shot down a thrush.”
“And you?” Logan asked of William.
“Father, didn’t you send William to look for me, because of the storm?”
“Of course I did. But couldn’t he have shot a bird while he was about it? To miss an opportunity like that, when you’re already in the woods,” he scolded them. “Now go and feed the dogs.”
“And what a bird you shot down, Will!” Robert burst out as soon as Logan was far enough away. “As a thank-you, you’re getting the best bits of my thrush for your merlin.”
“Well, in that case it’s been worth making an enemy.” William winked, giving Robert a friendly poke in the ribs. “From now on we’d better go to the woods together. It won’t be entirely safe for the next few days.”
“He’ll find a way, believe me,” Robert predicted darkly. “The only question is what and when.”
A stormy wind was rushing through the leaves, still warm with summer heat, as William and Robert made their way to the tower. August had been hot and dry, and September was scarcely better.The dirt in the yard spun about in whirlwinds. William was putting the two water buckets down to rub the dust out of his eyes when he heard the stamp of horses’ hooves on the path toward the mews.
“My lord, Sir Reginald.” Robert greeted the two leading riders first, bowing politely.
William remembered Sir Ralph, the lord of the manor, though he had not seen him at all since his arrival at Thorne. The other man, whom Robert had called Sir Reginald, was the fencing master he’d been told about. William groaned quietly when he noticed Odon riding behind them.
“My lord, Sir Reginald,” said William, imitating Robert. He bowed before the two barons. “I’ll go and fetch Logan.”
“You stay here. Robert can go,” said Sir Ralph firmly.
Odon grinned broadly.
William tried to control the trembling of his knees. Had Odon told his uncle about the incident in the woods? If so, he could be sure the lord of the manor knew only half the truth and would punish him severely.
“Odon says you’ve been boasting about your skill and claim your falcon flies better than Robert’s.”
William’s mouth was dry, and his head felt drained of blood. He had not said a word to Odon about the merlins.
“I’ve promised the better bird to Odon,” Sir Ralph went on. “Logan and I will decide when to make them hunt, so that I can judge for myself which one is better. Then we’ll see.” He kept his eyes on William, observing him as though he hoped to find from his face whether William was a braggart or not.
“I haven’t been boasting.”
“Come,” said William to his friend. He had already placed a second stone in the strap, but the apple-cheeked squire was far too busy trying to catch the horses to notice the danger he was in.
Odon groaned quietly.
“We’d better get away from here.” William grabbed Robert’s sleeve and pulled him away.
William preferred not to think about the consequences of felling Odon, and he simply ran as fast as he could. Robert stayed close behind and only stopped, panting, shortly before they reached the mews.
“It’s better if we don’t tell my father about this. He thinks the squires are honorable men and wouldn’t believe us. He doesn’t know that everyone in the village lives in fear and worry because these men vent their arrogance on the old, the sick, and the weak.The lord of the manor himself has no idea. Odon’s aunt conceals his outrages. Reginald de Vere, the fencing master, is the only one who knows the squires well enough to see through them. He punishes them when he catches them, but unfortunately that’s all too seldom. You challenged Odon today. He’ll never forgive you for it,” Robert warned him. “But though you were a fool to stand up against him on my account—thank you, Will. Friends?”
“Friends!”
They shook hands.
“Where have you been?” Logan addressed his son, striding toward him.
“I shot down a thrush.”
“And you?” Logan asked of William.
“Father, didn’t you send William to look for me, because of the storm?”
“Of course I did. But couldn’t he have shot a bird while he was about it? To miss an opportunity like that, when you’re already in the woods,” he scolded them. “Now go and feed the dogs.”
“And what a bird you shot down, Will!” Robert burst out as soon as Logan was far enough away. “As a thank-you, you’re getting the best bits of my thrush for your merlin.”
“Well, in that case it’s been worth making an enemy.” William winked, giving Robert a friendly poke in the ribs. “From now on we’d better go to the woods together. It won’t be entirely safe for the next few days.”
“He’ll find a way, believe me,” Robert predicted darkly. “The only question is what and when.”
A stormy wind was rushing through the leaves, still warm with summer heat, as William and Robert made their way to the tower. August had been hot and dry, and September was scarcely better.The dirt in the yard spun about in whirlwinds. William was putting the two water buckets down to rub the dust out of his eyes when he heard the stamp of horses’ hooves on the path toward the mews.
“My lord, Sir Reginald.” Robert greeted the two leading riders first, bowing politely.
William remembered Sir Ralph, the lord of the manor, though he had not seen him at all since his arrival at Thorne. The other man, whom Robert had called Sir Reginald, was the fencing master he’d been told about. William groaned quietly when he noticed Odon riding behind them.
“My lord, Sir Reginald,” said William, imitating Robert. He bowed before the two barons. “I’ll go and fetch Logan.”
“You stay here. Robert can go,” said Sir Ralph firmly.
Odon grinned broadly.
William tried to control the trembling of his knees. Had Odon told his uncle about the incident in the woods? If so, he could be sure the lord of the manor knew only half the truth and would punish him severely.
“Odon says you’ve been boasting about your skill and claim your falcon flies better than Robert’s.”
William’s mouth was dry, and his head felt drained of blood. He had not said a word to Odon about the merlins.
“I’ve promised the better bird to Odon,” Sir Ralph went on. “Logan and I will decide when to make them hunt, so that I can judge for myself which one is better. Then we’ll see.” He kept his eyes on William, observing him as though he hoped to find from his face whether William was a braggart or not.
“I haven’t been boasting.”
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