Part 19 (1/2)
Gilroy's keen gray eyes roved ever about the lodge; and after one or two courteous replies to my questions, he asked of Cedric:
”Art sure, Grimsby, that that inner room contains no cask or wine-skin?
'Twould seem else that thy lodge is but meagerly furnished.”
”Aye, 'tis so,” answered Cedric at once.
Again our guest glanced keenly at Sir Cedric, while I breathed shortly indeed. But he said no more; and now I made diversion by asking Sir Philip if 'twas true that the Carringtons are Welsh descended. I knew full well 'twas not; and was hugely pleased when he denied it hotly and went on at greatest length to prove his family of pure Norman blood by reciting all the quarterings on the Carrington s.h.i.+eld and their origins in the days before the Conquest.
At last Lord Gilroy stood erect and said, to my great and joyful relief:
”Welladay! We must fare on, if ever we are to take that runagate. The sunbeams already slope far to westward; and 'twill soon be-”
But there his words were of a sudden checked; and he stood staring at a point on the floor beneath the bench, three yards away. There, where half an hour before all had been deepest shadow, the sloping beam of the afternoon sun now rested, and brought to clear and certain view _the iron collar_.
With an oath he sprang forward and seized it. Holding it up before us, he read in a loud voice the graven words:
”_Egbert, Thrall of William, Lord of Gilroy._”
Cedric stood facing him; and none of us spoke any word. Then Gilroy flung the collar on the floor and burst forth:
”Ah then! 'Tis even as I thought. One churl will help another in any strait.”
At this insult to my comrade, my hand flew to where my good sword should have been; and I ground my teeth to find it not. But Gilroy paid no heed to me. Instantly he sprang forward toward the inner door.
”We'll see what lies within,” he shouted.
But Cedric De La Roche was quicker yet. He leaped before the door, and with a mighty push sent Lord Gilroy half across the room. Then both Gilroy and Carrington drew swords and rushed upon us. By this time I had gathered my wits, and recalling the goodly weapon at my very back, had turned and seized the rusted broadsword from above the fireplace. I was but just in time to receive the attack of both of them at once; for Cedric stooped to reach his cross-bow which rested against the wall, ready drawn and with the bolt he had meant for the hound still in groove. For a moment I withstood the double attack; then Sir Philip only was before me. He fought fiercely enough, forsooth, but in a most lubberly fas.h.i.+on. Half a dozen strokes and I caught his weapon with a twist I had long practiced and sent it clattering across the floor. Then with loud menaces of running him through the body, I drove him before me to the wall where I made him stand with hands above his head. Glancing sidewise, I now beheld the Lord of Gilroy in the same pitiful plight.
His weapon also lay on the floor; and Cedric stood before him with cross-bow leveled at his heart.
”Wilt thou slay us then,” growled Gilroy, ”in unseemly brawl over this runagate?”
”Nay,” answered Cedric sweetly, ”but ye are our prisoners, duly taken.
If we grant your lives and arms, you shall give us knightly word to retire from the lands of Grimsby, and give o'er this b.l.o.o.d.y hunting you were bent upon.”
”That word we give,” said Gilroy, shortly.
We instantly lowered our weapons, and, stooping, lifted the swords from the floor and returned them to their owners. Simon, the dogmaster, opened the door and thrust in his bandaged head wherein one eye was purple and swollen with a blow it had received from the whip b.u.t.t.
Behind him stood two of the foresters.
”Return thou, till I call thee,” shouted Gilroy furiously.
When they had retired once more to the brookside, our late antagonists turned again to leave the lodge. At the door Lord Gilroy paused and spake again, slowly and as one that fully weighs his words.
”Our word is given to leave the lands of Grimsby and thus to allow this thrall to escape. But no promise have we given as to aught else. Mayhap the King will listen when I send him word at Winchester how his va.s.sal so newly of the fee of Grimsby is bearing himself. Mayhap it will not seem to him quite fitting that one who holds his lands in fee should with deceit and with violence shelter misdoing churls from their lawful masters.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: _THEN WITH LOUD MENACES I DROVE HIM TO THE WALL WHERE I MADE HIM STAND WITH HANDS ABOVE HIS HEAD_]
I caught my breath in dismay. Such a threat I knew the crafty Gilroy quite capable of carrying out. For myself I had little concern: the Mountjoys were too strong in the Western country and too valuable to the King's cause for any such matter to bring down upon us any serious menace. But Cedric was a yeoman born; and many there were to think with spite and envy of his rise to knightly dignity.