Part 38 (1/2)

The crowd cheered when he lunged and his tip slid down David's s.h.i.+eld and caught in David's chauss over his knee. He hadn't used enough force to pierce the chain mail, but the kneecap snapped sideways and David went down hard beneath the weight of his armor.

”Give it up, old man!” one of Osbern's knights shouted. ”You're so slow you're boring us.”

Turning his back on David, Osbern chided the heckler. ”Such manners! And from one of my own men. Haven't I taught you respect for your elders?”

Even as the crowd laughed, David swung the flat of his sword behind Osbern's knees. Osbern toppled with a clatter of armor. The chanting of his people ceased, and a spattering of cheers rose from the crowd.

Mostly feminine cheers, David noted. Looking at his p.r.o.ne opponent, he experienced a deep visceral satisfaction and realized that once again, his pleasure in the fight had returned. So Osbern's taunts had been good for something. Leaning on his sword, he hoisted himself to his feet. ”At least, my lord duke, I can stop your tongue.”

As David had hoped, Osbern clambered to his feet in a fury. ”My tongue will say as it pleases at your funeral.”

”Mayhap so, my lord. Mayhap so.” They squared off again, and this time, David noticed, the tip of Osbern's heavy sword shook just a little. He was rattled or tiring, or both, David hoped. Then the shock of taking Osbern's first blow almost broke his s.h.i.+eld arm, and that hope faded.

Still, his practice with Hugh had paid off, for he met Osbern's blows with a supple defense and even placed a few of his own. He would have placed more, but he waited, for he'd fought Osbern once before and lost, and he knew his strategy now.

Aye, he knew it, but whether he had the skill and strength to counter it, only time would tell.

”I've had her, you know.”

Osbern's gibe jolted David's concentration. ”Had who, my lord?”

”Your wife. We played hilt and hair more than once.”

Still uncomprehending, David watched Osbern swing the sword and he stepped aside. Then he asked, ”Alisoun? Are you saying you swived her?” Before Osbern could concur, David burst into laughter. ”I wouldn't brag about that if I were you, Osbern. Her maidenhead remained intact for me, so if you'd been there first, your blade must be as short as your reach.”

Osbern jabbed at David's chest. The thrust slammed past David's s.h.i.+eld and pierced his hauberk. David leaped away. Blood spurted once, then slowed to a trickle, but Osbern waited no longer.

He slashed at David, pressing him hard.

Laughter, David realized, could get him killed.

He concentrated on his work, but clearly Osbern had been toying with him before. Now Osbern was angry.

But that was good, David a.s.sured himself. An angry man didn't think clearly.

Then Osbern brought his sword up from underneath and smashed David's blade. The hilt jerked out of his hand and it went flying, and David looked at the tip of a sword pointed at his face.

”On your knees,” Osbern commanded. ”On your knees, and maybe I'll spare your miserable life.”

”It's not worth sparing if I don't kill you,” David said, but he did as he instructed. He remembered this from the last time. The humiliating defeat. The groveling. The magnanimous release.

But this time, Osbern wouldn't release him. They both knew it, but Osbern wanted to savor his full triumph, and David gladly would let him.

His whole plan depended on Osbern playing the role as it had been played before.

”Look at him!” Osbern called. The crowd hollered and whooped. ”The former champion of the king, the legendary Sir David, on his knees before me.” Slowly, his gaze still fixed on David, he lowered his sword. ”Begging for his life! And should I give it to him?”

”But you haven't disarmed me yet.” Moving with care, David drew his dagger from its sheath.

Osbern started laughing as hardily as David had earlier laughed. ”What are you going to do? Slash my ankles with that?”

”Nay.” David brought the point up under Osbern's hauberk. ”I'm going to geld you.”

Osbern froze. ”Put that down.”

The crowd quieted.

”You have the sword, my lord duke. You have the greater weapon. Why don't you use it?” David felt Osbern's muscles quiver as he considered it. ”Of course, I'll cut until I hit bone, and I might die and you might live, but cold water will no longer hold any fear for you.”

Osbern s.h.i.+fted. ”So what are we going to do? Stand here until we rot?”

”Nay, my lord. You're going to surrender to me.”

”Are you mad?” Osbern shrieked. Then he shrieked again as David s.h.i.+fted his weight forward and pressed the point closer to home.

”I don't think I am, but it's possible. After all, I'm half-hoping you swing that sword, so I can be the object of praise from all womankind.”

”I'm dropping the sword.” The fine steel blade thumped in the dirt. ”I'm surrendering to you.”

”Are you indeed?” David checked. Osbern's dagger remained in its sheath, but David made no demand that Osbern surrender it. Instead he stood and brought his dagger up under the chain mail coif to rest on Osbern's throat. ”Take off your helmet.”

Osbern started to jerk it off.

”Slowly, my lord. You don't want to alarm me, for I truly would like to kill you. You insulted and tried to murder my wife. You savagely beat your own wife. You're a plague on the face of England, and everyone would be happier without you.”

Now Osbern moved with infinite care, and David smiled to see the way his chin trembled when it came into sight. Loudly, David asked, ”Do you freely surrender yourself to me and grant me that ransom which I require?”

Glaring venomously, Osbern said, ”I do.”

”I demand custody of your wife, Philippa.”

The crowd gasped and David heard King Henry calling, ”What? What did he say?”

”She's dead.” Osbern wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

”Then we'll exhume her here and now and show King Henry how you treat the heiresses he gives you.” David stepped away and turned his back on Osbern. ”Let's do it now.”

When he heard a woman cry out he leaped away from the blow of Osbern's dagger. While Osbern still hung off-balance, David shoved his own blade into the hollow of Osbern's throat.

Osbern was dead before he hit the ground.

Osbern's knights surrounded David before David could rearm himself. ”The king's cousin,” they shouted. ”He's killed the king's cousin!”

Then something drove a wedge through the knights to David, and David saw Guy of the Archers, clad in armor and carrying enough weapons to decapitate half of London.

He promised, ”We'll fight back to back, Sir David, until we can't fight anymore.”

The knights around the king abandoned their posts and crowded forward to watch the fight, and if Henry could have done the same and still retained his dignity, he would have been off his chair and mingling with the crowd. As it was, he leaned forward, his hands clenched around the arms of the chair, his gaze intent on the combat. Alisoun seized her chance. Climbing onto the viewing stand, she drew her short sword and held it where the king could see it.

Henry never moved. Only his gaze flicked along the steel glinting in the hot sun. He followed it to the hand that held it, then up to her face. She found herself gratified by his astonishment. ”Lady Alisoun, what are you doing with that sword?”