Part 11 (1/2)
Suspending his scratching excursion, David stared in astonishment. ”But I itch!”
”My lady says a n.o.ble knight takes care not to wipe his nose while eating.”
”Everybody knows that!”
”He never overindulges in drink.”
Remembering the first time Alisoun had seen him, David cackled. ”How I must have shocked her.”
”And he never scratches his body.”
Trying to understand, David said, ”His crotch, you mean.”
”Nay, not any part of his body.”
David stared at Eudo. ”That's nonsense!”
”My lady is very exacting in her manner.”
”Well, she'll just have to learn better!”
Looking troubled, Eudo was about to speak, then visibly stopped himself. Lowering his head, he muttered, ”Aye, Sir David.”
Defensively, David demanded, ”What's wrong with that?”
Glancing at him from the corner of his eyes, Eudo said, ”I saw you this morning.”
”This morning?”
”Kissing my lady.”
”Oh.” David started toward the stable. ”Is that also something my lady speaks against?”
”Nay. That is, I don't know.” Eudo followed closely, anxious to impart his wisdom. ”She hasn't discussed kissing with me yet. But it looked as if you liked kissing her.”
A glimmer of comprehension broke through David's indignation. ”It was enjoyable.”
”Philippa said my lady doesn't kiss casually. That if she kissed you, it was a very serious thing.”
David relaxed as he strode into the dimness of the open stable door. The rain outside made the hay smell almost moldy, and that, mixed with the odor of curry brushes and manure, combined to produce the odor of heaven. If he couldn't be home, he'd rather be here, lingering to examine the horseflesh of Alisoun's stables. Horses were contrary, rude, and given to senseless fits of jealousy. He understood them much better than he understood women.
He eyed Eudo's skinny back as he skipped ahead. ”Kissing my lady was a very serious thing to me. Do you understand, as my squire, that my secrets are sacred and not to be told?”
Eudo nodded.
”I want to court her.”
”I thought so.” Now Eudo turned and, walking backward, looked David over as carefully as David had previously examined him. He might have been Alisoun's father, sitting in judgment of a suitor. After one very long moment, he made his decision and nodded. ”If you listen to me, I can help you.”
One of the first things a mercenary discovered was that information from a source inside a beleaguered castle could shorten the siege perceptibly. Now David had found such a source, and he could scarcely contain his excitement. ”I'm depending on you.”
”It's very difficult to court my lady.” The lad was solemn, even when he tripped on a rake and fell over backward.
David picked him up and dusted him off, then held him in place. ”What does she like?”
”Like?”
”What makes her happy?”
”Happy.” Eudo pondered that. ”I don't know if my lady is ever happy. She likes it when I don't scratch. She likes it when I say my prayers every night without being reminded. She likes it when I write my grandparents without being reminded. She likes it when I bathe in the spring without being reminded.”
”What does she like for herself?”
Tilting his head, Eudo stared at David in puzzlement. ”She doesn't like anything for herself. She's the lady.”
”She never laughs aloud?”
”Nay!”
”Nor ever smiles?”
”Aye, she does that!” Eudo's features softened and took on a distant expression, like that of a man in love. ”When she does, she looks all pretty.” Then he grew stern. ”But men don't make her smile, because she only likes men who work and do their duty without complaining. She says there aren't very many who do that.”
David opened his mouth to deny this but found he couldn't. ”Perhaps not.”
”She says men try to claim more than their rights, and tell her how to order her house and plant her fields and sell her goods, when she knows more than ten of them.”
”I wager she does.”
Eudo had obviously considered David's tactics well, and with a wisdom beyond his years, he said, ”I think she'd like it if some man respected her and washed his face every day and did what he was supposed to without being told.”
”I think you're right.”
”And maybe-” Eudo sounded shy, ”-you could kiss her like you did this morning?”
David thought about that. ”I think I might have to hold my kisses in reserve.”
”Huh?”
”For an emergency,” David explained to the puzzled lad. ”For when she really needs it.” Turning Eudo, he marched him between the stalls. ”But I'll have you trim my hair straight and shave me, and if you see me scratching-”
”Aye, sir?”
”Take the strap to me.”
8.