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Page 264
him. Most were deflected by the trees, but one or two came very close. Walter killed his man swiftly and sought shelter.
From the hut where the horses were being held, a woman began to screech. The third man out was also hit, but he did not fall, nor, having seen his comrade so quickly dispatched, did he ride toward Walter's archers. Instead, he tried to turn his horse back into the shelter of the trees. Walter's men sent several more arrows flying into the mouth of the track, and then in response to their master's signal ran for their horses, mounted, and followed Walter, who had already started Beau toward the left-hand road. As he went, Walter heard orders shouted and horses crashing through the winter-killed, brittle brush that lined the track. He muttered an obscenity. He had hoped that one of the men in the forefront who had been killed was the leader of the troop, but apparently that hope had been vain.
Walter spurred Beau to an even faster pace, concerned that he might leave the men behind but more afraid that those pushing through the trees would come out on the road between him and the party accompanying Sybelle. That would be a disaster. While he was delayed fighting that group, another could go ahead and attack Sybelle and the men with her. He had no idea of how long they had been in the village. It seemed like only a few minutes, but he could not hear any sound of horses ahead of him at all. How far had Sybelle got? There was more shouting behind him, but Walter could not make out the words, which were distorted by the other noises. He roweled Beau again, hoping the destrier would not stumble on the ruts worn into the track by the woodcutters' carts.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than a new twist to the path disclosed a mounted man with wound crossbow waiting ahead of him. Walter bent low over his horse to present the smallest possible target and lifted his legs to strike Beau's sides again in the hope of drawing yet further effort from the beast. But then he beard his own name called and the man-at-arms lowered the bow and turned his mount, shouting that de Clare was coming. Relief mingled with rage as Walter realized that Sybelle had ordered the men to stop and wait for him. Now he heard the horses ahead being prodded forward, but he had to curb Beau sharply lest he overrun them.
The woods, Walter thought, must be thicker than he believed.

 
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