The King's Esquires Part 15

The woman drew herself closer to him, and her ruddy buxom face became blotched with white.

"Bad men," she whispered. "Robbers and murderers have a stronghold in the forest, from which they come out to lay wait for rich travellers."

"Are they mounted men?" said Denis, as the King slowly drew nearer.

"Yes," she said, "with the best of horses."

"And do they steal horses too?"

"Oh yes," she whispered, with a shudder.

"Then that man who watched us here was one of them, was he not?" cried Denis excitedly.

The woman's jaw dropped, and the whiteness in her countenance increased.

"You saw that man, and you know!" cried Denis excitedly again.

The woman closed her lips and seemed to press them tightly together, as she said in a strange voice:

"You will be advised by me, and stay here, where you will be safe. I cannot--I will not--let you go."

"Indeed!" said the King fiercely, and the woman started as she realised that her guest had heard her words.

"Back into your own place, madam," continued the King. "I allow no one to tamper with my servants."

The woman shrank trembling back, for there was that in her guest's manner which she felt she must obey; and with her hands clasped to her breast as if to restrain her emotion, she went slowly into the house, the King watching her, till she turned her head, started on encountering his eyes, and then disappeared.

"There, it's plain enough, gentlemen. This woman is in league with a band of the rogues."

"I think not, sir," said Denis quickly. "I think she is honest, and her trouble real."

"Indeed?" said the King mockingly. "Wait till you have a few more years over your head, boy, before you attempt to give counsel to one who is used to judge mankind. Foolish boy! Can't you see that it is part of her work to trap travellers into staying at her house? Why, I believe if we rested here we should be plunged into a long deep sleep, and one from which we should never wake. Now, Saint Simon, you ought to have finished. I want to mount and go."

"The horses are ready, my lord," said the young man quickly.

"But you have not paid the woman."

"I offered her ample, sir, and she refused it."

"Bah! Leave that to me," said the King haughtily. "But what about you, Denis, boy? Don't tell me that you are too bad to mount, and force me to stay in this vile nest of thieves."

"No, sir. If Saint Simon will help me to mount, I'll manage to ride the long night through; but I fear if there is need that I could not fight."

The King hesitated, and stood striking his two stout riding gloves twisted together sharply in his left hand.

"Yes, you look hurt, boy. Perhaps it will be better that we should stay. We could hold one room, unless they burnt us out, and take turn and turn to watch."

"Oh no, sir; I am well enough to go," cried the lad. "Here, Saint Simon, give me a leg up. I am better now, and shall feel easier still when in the saddle."

"Keep back, Saint Simon!" said the King. "Let me be the judge of that.

Here, your foot, boy? Do you hear me, sir? Quick!"

The lad raised his foot as the King impatiently clasped his hands stirrup fas.h.i.+on and raised the young horseman smartly, so that he flung his right leg over and dropped lightly into the saddle.

"Well," continued the King, as he watched his young esquire keenly, "can you sit there, or are you going to swoon?"

The boy smiled scornfully, and the King gave him an encouraging nod.

"You will do," he said, "and if you cannot use your arm you will be able to ride between us if we are attacked and charge the scoundrels when we make them run. Mount, Saint Simon. Have we left aught behind?"

"No, sir," replied the young man, and he hesitated a moment to let the King be first in the saddle; but an angry gesture made him spring into his seat, urge his charger forward, and hold the bridle till his master was mounted, pressed his horse's sides, and then reined up shortly in the great entry of the inn, level with the door at which the hostess was standing, pale and troubled, and backed up by the servants of the place.

"Here, woman," cried the King, drawing his hand from his pouch; "hold out your ap.r.o.n. Quick! Don't stand staring there."

The words were uttered in so imperious a tone that the woman involuntarily obeyed, and half-a-dozen gold pieces fell into her stiff white garment with a pleasant c.h.i.n.k.

The next minute, in answer to a touch of the spur, the horses went clattering through the entry out into the main street, the noise they made arousing the two hostlers from their sleep to come yawning and staring to the open stable-door, while the hostess stepped out into the entry and hurried to the front with hand clasped in hand.

"Oh, that gallant boy," she muttered, with her face all drawn. "If I had only dared to tell them more plainly! But they would have marked me if I had, and it is as much as my life is worth to speak. Why does not our King put an end to these roving bands who keep us all in a state of terror and make us slaves?"

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

AN UNKNOWN LAND.

The ride out from the town was uneventful, save that the people hurried to their windows and doors to see them pa.s.s, and admire the beauty of their steeds. Then as the city gate was pa.s.sed and they rode out into the open country, with the way before them seeming perfectly clear, the King cried cheerily:

"Hah! I can breathe freely now. I must tell my brother Henry that the road to his Court is a disgrace, and travellers' lives not safe. Now, in my kingdom of beautiful France every road to the capital from the seaports is--Why are you looking at me like that, Saint Simon?"

"Well, sir," said the young man bluntly, "I was thinking about two or three cases where people have been waylaid and plundered and--"

"Yes, yes, yes," said the King impatiently; "I think that there was a case or two, but surely we are better than this. Well, Denis, boy; how's the bad arm?"

"Very stiff, sir, and aches; but I don't mind now."

"Not you, boy! Too brave a soldier! Ha, ha, ha! I almost think that I can see it all. My faith! I would I had been there to have seen you, you stripling, standing sword in hand in that lane to meet that ruffian's charge with three horses abreast. And you wounded him too, and saved the beasts. I should like to see the young Englishman who would do a deed like that! Why, Saint Simon, you and I must look after our laurels. We ought to be proud of our companion, eh?"

"Oh, sir," shouted Denis, giving a cry of pain, for as he spoke the King had clapped him heartily upon the shoulder that was nearest to him-- unfortunately the right.

"Tut, tut, tut!" cried the King, leaning towards him, for the lad turned ghastly white. "There, hold up, boy. I wanted to show you how pleased I was with the bravery of your deed, and I have only given pain."

"Not only, sir," said the lad quickly. "Your hand hurt me for the moment, but my K--lord's words of praise are thrilling still."

"Just saved yourself, boy," cried Francis; "for if you dare to say you know what till we are back again in my own fair France your punishment will be short and sharp." He gave Saint Simon a merry look as he spoke, and then rode gently on, sweeping the landscape with his eye and making comments from time to time. "Better and better," he said pleasantly.

"My brother Henry has a goodly land. All this woodland landscape forms a pleasant place. Hah! but he should see my hills and forests about Rouen, with the silver river winding through the vale. But that is far away, and this is near, and it will pa.s.s if we do not meet the dangers that woman prophesied upon our road."

They rode on in silence for a time, just at a gentle amble, the King giving a shrewd look now and again at his young companion to see how he bore the motion of the horse.