Part 26 (2/2)
”I wouldn't either, if that were me company.”
The people seemed respectful enough, but Alisoun stiffened. Surely they didn't always treat their lord and his visitors with such impudence. To David, she said, ”Aren't you going to reprimand them?”
David stopped staring at her and glanced around at the smiling faces below. ”Reprimand them? They seem to have the right of it.” Waving his arms, he commanded their silence and they gave it willingly enough. ”Good people of Radcliffe, I bring you Lady Alisoun of George's Cross to be your new mistress and the guiding light of our village.”
Mouths dropped in unison.
Dismayed by their reaction, Alisoun greeted them. ”How do you do, good people?”
Someone-one of the unkempt men who'd run in from the fields-said, ”Ye're jestin', m'lord. Ye married Lady Alisoun o' George's Cross?”
David took her hand. ”I have her here.”
Every eye examined her from head to toe.
One of the women said, ”Are ye sure ye have th' right one? We've heard o' Lady Alisoun, an' she's all stiff an' mannerly an' crotchety.”
Alisoun tried to tuck hairs back under her wimple.
David grinned. ”So she was-before she met me.”
The villagers, Alisoun noted, laughed with unnecessary vigor at David's poor jest.
He pointed a finger at them. ”She'll have every one of you behaving in a proper manner before the summer's over.”
Someone groaned.
”You especially, Alnod.” David didn't even need to look to know the groaner. ”And you'll all cooperate with your new lady.”
”What if we don't want t' be proper?” the man called Alnod asked.
”Her villagers do as they're told, and she's brought them great wealth. They didn't starve, not even last winter.”
The villagers glanced at each other. Every one of them was too thin, and none wore much more than rags.
No longer laughing, David stated solemnly, ”She is the lady of my heart.”
Alnod nodded, as did the others. ”Then we'll treat her as if she were one of our own.”
”I can ask no more,” David replied.
”I will do my best to be the lady you deserve,” Alisoun said, and if her phrase carried an undertone of anger, no one seemed to notice.
Beaming at her, David started toward the castle. This time she ignored his urgings and rode with dignity and grace. Her experience in Radcliffe Village proved that, should the n.o.bles abandon their pride, the common folk would fail in their proper homage.
To her surprise, David respected her wishes and led her horse while she made the necessary repairs to her appearance. Yet he glanced constantly at the castle. His chatter died away; he rode like a man restrained, yet in a hurry.
Someone must have been watching from the castle walls. As they neared, the drawbridge began to drop. It didn't creak, the chains didn't squeal. It slid down easily, cleanly, like a gate in perfect repair. This was the home of a mercenary, and it gave Alisoun the first indication of the kind of repairs David had deemed important. Whatever conditions she found in the keep, the outer walls would be invulnerable to siege or attack.
Maybe that explained why the villagers, despite their hungry appearance, displayed an almost c.o.c.ky confidence. It certainly explained why David insisted that they come to Radcliffe for her safety.
”There.” David let go of her bridle. ”Look.”
Alisoun saw a little boy running down the lowered drawbridge. A man ran after him.
Alisoun shaded her eyes. ”Who is it?”
King Louis danced in what looked like equine excitement.
”That's not Guy of the Archers, surely. No man of his mastery would run after a child in so undignified a manner.”
David vaulted from the saddle.
”Unless the child was...”
David began to run in a manner equally as undignified.
”...yours.”
18.
David ran toward Bert, and the thump of her small body against his brought tears of joy to his eyes. He lifted her high, then brought her close, absorbing love and warmth, feeling her squirm and knowing the ecstasy of holding his healthy, active, stubborn daughter once more.
”Daddy.” She used her hand to push his head away. ”I wanna see you.”
He leaned back so she could see him, and he could see her, and for the first time he absorbed her amazing transformation. The gold he had sent had obviously gone to feed the child, for she looked healthy and far from starvation. But her brown hair had been cut to a stubble all around her skinny face. She had a scab above her eyebrow and one on her chin. ”What have you done to yourself?” he demanded.
”I'm going to be a warrior like you.”
Lifting her away from him again, he stared at her while her feet kicked uselessly. ”What are you wearing?”
”A page's uniform.” Her brown eyes sparkled. ”I can practice my swordwork in it.”
”That's your sword?” He nodded at the wooden stick hung from a belt at her waist.
”I made it myself.” She whipped her head around and glared at Guy, who stood off to the side. ”Uncle Guy wouldn't do it. He said I had no business being a warrior, but I'm going to be a mercenary like my Daddy.”
Guy met David's gaze with a rueful shake of the head. ”I beg your pardon, David. She cut her hair with a kitchen knife. I heard the cook squalling and-”
”'Tis I who am sorry, Guy.” David brought Bert close once more. She wrapped her skinny arms around his neck and her skinny legs around his waist, and beheld the rest of the world with the air of a princess. ”I should have known better than to think anyone could control this terror.”
”I'm not a terror!” Bert exclaimed.
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