< previous page page_486 next page >

Page 486
corpse had invaded a well-guarded castle, dwelling in particular on the art of constructing Simon, the walking dead man.
After the wax had been cleaned from Simon's face, Alinor had her own joke to tell. She described her encounter with John with considerable gusto. ''Nasty little lecher," she concluded. "I caught him where it would best serve my purpose and least serve his. I think he will take no pleasure in womanflesh for some little while."
"Yes, but really it is no jest," Simon said after a while. "He will come for our blood to cleanse away the spite all of us have done him. Sir Giles, you had better hie you back to Iford and stuff and garnish for war. You will have time. He will come to Roselynde first because he must have me dead before he can lay claim to my lady's lands. Before you go, will you tell me something?"
"Anything, my lord."
"I pray you, do not be offended," Simon said. "I do not question your honor, but I wish to tell you that I know it cannot have been easy to refuse such an offer and I wish to ask you where you found the strength."
"You are mistaken, my lord," Sir Giles replied, "it was very easy." Suddenly he grinned. "Not because I am less greedy than other men. I have often thought of vassalage and how much it would cost to buy it. I have saved and my father before me to achieve that end, and there is not enough and may not be until my son is old."
"And yet it was easy?" Simon asked.
Sir Giles' eyes grew hard. "Yet it was very easy. How long do you think I would have lived after I brought your body to Lord John? Ten minutes? A day? Is a man who would make such an offer like to allow one who can give evidence against him to live? Especially when it is known King Richard may return

 
< previous page page_486 next page >