Part 32 (1/2)
”You know women?”
”I would never lay claim to such an arrogance of cunning.”
”Nevertheless you are no fool.”
”I am no fool.”
”And you imagine my protestations are not sincere, even after what I have suffered?”
He smiled at her most cunningly.
”You want proof?”
”I do not like unsigned doc.u.ments.”
She started forward in her chair with a strangely strenuous look on her face.
”Fanatic fools have often made some show of fort.i.tude,” she said, ”by thrusting a hand into the fire, or the like. See now if I am a liar or a coward.”
Before he could stay her she drew a small stiletto from her belt, spread her left hand on the table, and then smote the steel through the thick of the palm, and held it there without flinching as the blood flowed.
”My signature,” she said, with her cheeks a shade paler.
”Madame, you have spirit.”
”Do you believe in me?”
”I may say so.”
”You will include me in your schemes?”
”I will.”
”You remember our mutual bargain?”
”I remember it.”
She withdrew the stiletto and wrapped her bleeding hand in her robe.
”You will initiate me--at once.”
”To-morrow, madame, you shall go with me to the council.”
XXIII
Castle Gambrevault stood out on a great cliff above the sea, like a huge white crown on the country's brow. It was as fine a ma.s.s of masonry as the south could show, perched on its great outjutting of the land, precipiced on every side, save on the north. h.o.a.ry, sullen, stupendously strong, it sentinelled the sea that rolled its blue to the black bastions of the cliffs. Landwards, green downs swept with long undulations to the valleys and the woods.
That Junetide Gambrevault rang with the clangour of arms. The Lord Flavian's riders had spurred north, east, and west to manor and hamlet, grange and lone moorland tower. There had been a great burnis.h.i.+ng of arms, a bending of bows through all the broad demesne. Steel had trickled over the downs towards the tall towers of Gambrevault.