Part 10 (1/2)

David answered. ”I've found that if I'm searching for the answer to a puzzle such as the one facing us here, those men who are silent often know the most.”

Ivo snorted.

”If he knew anything, he would have told me what he knew,” Sir Walter insisted. ”Isn't that right, Ivo?”

Rising from his seat, Ivo towered over David and Sir Walter for one moment. Then he gathered his cloak from the hook and walked out into the rain, slamming the door behind him.

Sir Walter seemed torn between relief and embarra.s.sment. ”He's half an idiot.”

”He doesn't like me,” David said, half under his breath.

”Doesn't he?” Sir Walter brightened. ”Never mind. I can handle him.”

If Sir Walter always handled him as tactfully as he'd done when they walked in, Ivo could come to place his faith in David. And David well knew what a treasure that would be.

He went to open the door, and a young boy fell into the room just as if he'd been listening at the crack. David picked him up by the back of his tunic and held him off the ground as he examined him. A bit of a lad, ten perhaps, all elbows and knees and big blue eyes in a thin face. He kicked heartily while David dusted him off and set him on his feet. ”Who are you?” David asked.

”He's one of the pages, and he shouldn't be here.”

Sir Walter grabbed the lad by a handful of his blond hair, but David latched onto Sir Walter's wrist before he could give the boy a twist. G.o.d, how he hated men who were thoughtlessly cruel. They were worse than the others, the ones who knew what they were doing. Men like Sir Walter never imagined that a blow hurt worse when delivered to a boy trying his best, or that words from an idol could tear a wound that never healed. ”He's done no harm.”

”He shouldn't be-”

”I should, too.” The boy interrupted, clearly lacking any sense of the danger he courted. ”The lady sent me.”

Glaring, but taken aback, Sir Walter said, ”Then give your message and begone.”

”I won't. The lady said I should stay.”

Sir Walter's hands twitched. ”Stay. Here. Why?”

”I am to be Sir David's personal squire.”

”Squire? Personal?” Sir Walter stared at the boy. ”You?” He looked back at David, then started to laugh. ”And I thought she liked you.”

David's hand tried to form a fist, but he still held Sir Walter's wrist.

Sir Walter's laughter broke and he jerked back. ”Curse you!” He rubbed the marks David had placed on his skin and for one intelligent moment, he saw enough of David to put fear into him. Then he tried to laugh again, not as successfully as before, and said, ”I'll leave you with your...squire, then.”

Wrapping his cloak around his throat with a flourish, he left David and the boy.

Now that the enemy had been removed, the lad lost his c.o.c.kiness. He bent his head respectfully, then examined David without lifting his chin. David grinned at the boy's idea of subtlety, and asked, ”What's your name?”

”I'm Eudo, lord.”

”Eudo,” David repeated. ”And how long have you practiced your duties as squire?”

”Oh...” Eudo dropped his gaze to his feet. ”A long time.”

A lie, but a badly told one. David liked that. He preferred not to deal with an accomplished liar. He also knew Alisoun had sent the lad to him for a reason, and he had faith in her judgment. He just needed to discover that reason. Genially, he said, ”That's good.” He didn't remove his gaze from the boy.

Eudo began to twist as if he needed to use the garderobe. ”I know I'm small, but I'm older than I look.”

David judged him. ”Eleven, I would have said.”

Eudo jumped. ”Older...than I look.”

David still didn't move, standing with his hands lax, waiting for the truth.

Eudo made a bad choice. He decided to expand the falsehood. ”I've been squire to lots of men. Dozens!”

Stroking his chin, David pulled a long face. ”Too bad.”

”What do you mean?”

”I like to train my squires from the beginning. Like most knights, I have my own special ways I want my weapons and armor cared for, the way I want my meat carved, the way I like my-” he rubbed his stubbled chin, ”-face shaved. If you've been squire to many men, I suppose you've picked up bad habits.” Slowly, he started to turn away and felt the b.u.mp as Eudo latched himself onto David's belt.

”Nay!”

”What?”

”I...”

David looked down into the big, dismayed blue eyes and managed not to grin at the struggle portrayed therein.

”I wasn't exactly the squire to dozens of men.”

”Half a dozen?”

Eudo slid down David's leg just a little as if expecting a rap on the noggin. ”A few.”

”Too many.” David tried to shake him off, but not too hard.

”One!”

Leaning over, David cupped Eudo's chin to keep him from slithering onto the floor. ”How many?”

Eudo took a deep breath and tried to speak, then blurted, ”I begged so hard, my lady sent me to you with instructions to tell you...I'm just a page, and if you want another, more experienced squire, she will gladly oblige.”

”That's the truth?”

”Aye, lord.”

”All the truth?”

Eudo nodded, and David looked him over. Tears cast a sheen over Eudo's eyes, and his throat muscles clutched as he swallowed sobs. Brus.h.i.+ng the hair off Eudo's forehead, David declared, ”I like you.”

Eudo didn't respond for a moment, then he wiped his sleeve across his nose. ”You do?”

”You'll do nicely for my squire.” David released his chin and Eudo scrambled to his feet. Tugging his belt back up into place, David said, ”You're a man who tells the truth, regardless of the consequences.”