Read Online Knight's Honor by Roberta Gellis - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Roberta Gellis
Tags: Fantasy
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Hark, the dogs. My father is returning."
"Hereford," Chester cried and started forward across the hall almost at a run, "by God, I am glad to see you."
The men embraced warmly, for although Chester was the elder by many years, their relationship was that of equals, and Hereford was not given to a display of formal ceremony.
"It is good to have you here, my boy—nay, my son—and I speak the truth of my heart when I say I am not prouder or fonder of my own blood."
"Now that," Hereford said, detaching himself from Chester but maintaining an affectionate grip on one hand, and turning to Elizabeth, "is the way a man should be greeted."
"Do not tease me, Roger," Elizabeth replied sharply, but smiling. "I will give you as good as I get."
"Do I not know it! All your daughter could say to me in greeting was that I made extra work for her. I tell you, if I was cold when I came in, she soon warmed me well with the back of her tongue."
"Roger!"
"Elizabeth!" He mocked her tone.
Chester smothered a smile. He had done well to write to Hereford and had done well to be absent when the boy arrived. "Well, Roger, you are better off than I am. I have been offered nothing to warm me—not even angry words."
"Alas," Elizabeth cried in mock dismay, "I am abandoned by all." She went to kiss her father and then with a brief curtsy left the men to themselves as she crossed the hall to order hot wine and more torches, for the daylight was fading.
"How comes it that you are not unarmed, Hereford? Was Elizabeth really in such a rage when you came that she would not attend you or do you fear treachery in my house?"
"All jesting aside, that daughter of yours is hot at hand, Rannulf, but that nor the other is why I am still armed. I had something to settle with her pertaining to our marriage and we both forgot. Truly, I have scarcely shed my mail for a day these two years so that I hardly know that I bear it."
Chester's pale blue eyes shifted around the room and returned to the earl. "So the rumors I heard were true? You are joining Gloucester's forces?"
"By the eyes and ears of Christ," Hereford burst out, "from whom did you hear? The matter was decided scarcely a week since—"
"Calm yourself, Roger, I hear most things. It is true then? I am glad. What do you plan?"
Hereford pulled gently at his right ear and ran his knuckles down along his jaw. "I need a shave," he commented with mild surprise, and then as he saw the look on Chester's face, "Sorry, I was not avoiding your question, I was thinking of Elizabeth. There really is nothing to avoid because, as yet, aside from some vague discussion with Gaunt about general matters, there are no plans. Gaunt felt, and I agreed with him, that I had better settle my private affairs first. It is too cold to fight anyway just now."
Chester narrowed his eyes. "Do you mean to tell me, Roger, that things were left hanging like that?"
"Just so." Hereford rubbed the back of his neck where the mail came above the folded hood of the tunic and irritated his skin. Chester was going to be difficult to deal with. However unreliable the man was, he was no fool at all. "I swear," Roger continued, keeping to the literal if not the actual truth, "that no further definite plan was made. Gaunt was anxious to get home—he is getting old and tires easily, and Radnor, as you no doubt know, is in Scotland. Gloucester," he made a moue of distaste, "did not seem to be interested, and I myself was a little distracted by other matters."
"You have changed, Roger."
"What do you mean? I am older and I have seen some new things, but I do not think I am different from what I was."
"You swear, eh?" Chester watched the young man's face narrowly although he took only quick glances at it now and again. "I have no doubt that what you say is true, if you swear it, but I fear you tell the same kind of truth that Radnor does when he swears—half the truth with the important parts left out."
Hereford flushed, for the remark had
"Hereford," Chester cried and started forward across the hall almost at a run, "by God, I am glad to see you."
The men embraced warmly, for although Chester was the elder by many years, their relationship was that of equals, and Hereford was not given to a display of formal ceremony.
"It is good to have you here, my boy—nay, my son—and I speak the truth of my heart when I say I am not prouder or fonder of my own blood."
"Now that," Hereford said, detaching himself from Chester but maintaining an affectionate grip on one hand, and turning to Elizabeth, "is the way a man should be greeted."
"Do not tease me, Roger," Elizabeth replied sharply, but smiling. "I will give you as good as I get."
"Do I not know it! All your daughter could say to me in greeting was that I made extra work for her. I tell you, if I was cold when I came in, she soon warmed me well with the back of her tongue."
"Roger!"
"Elizabeth!" He mocked her tone.
Chester smothered a smile. He had done well to write to Hereford and had done well to be absent when the boy arrived. "Well, Roger, you are better off than I am. I have been offered nothing to warm me—not even angry words."
"Alas," Elizabeth cried in mock dismay, "I am abandoned by all." She went to kiss her father and then with a brief curtsy left the men to themselves as she crossed the hall to order hot wine and more torches, for the daylight was fading.
"How comes it that you are not unarmed, Hereford? Was Elizabeth really in such a rage when you came that she would not attend you or do you fear treachery in my house?"
"All jesting aside, that daughter of yours is hot at hand, Rannulf, but that nor the other is why I am still armed. I had something to settle with her pertaining to our marriage and we both forgot. Truly, I have scarcely shed my mail for a day these two years so that I hardly know that I bear it."
Chester's pale blue eyes shifted around the room and returned to the earl. "So the rumors I heard were true? You are joining Gloucester's forces?"
"By the eyes and ears of Christ," Hereford burst out, "from whom did you hear? The matter was decided scarcely a week since—"
"Calm yourself, Roger, I hear most things. It is true then? I am glad. What do you plan?"
Hereford pulled gently at his right ear and ran his knuckles down along his jaw. "I need a shave," he commented with mild surprise, and then as he saw the look on Chester's face, "Sorry, I was not avoiding your question, I was thinking of Elizabeth. There really is nothing to avoid because, as yet, aside from some vague discussion with Gaunt about general matters, there are no plans. Gaunt felt, and I agreed with him, that I had better settle my private affairs first. It is too cold to fight anyway just now."
Chester narrowed his eyes. "Do you mean to tell me, Roger, that things were left hanging like that?"
"Just so." Hereford rubbed the back of his neck where the mail came above the folded hood of the tunic and irritated his skin. Chester was going to be difficult to deal with. However unreliable the man was, he was no fool at all. "I swear," Roger continued, keeping to the literal if not the actual truth, "that no further definite plan was made. Gaunt was anxious to get home—he is getting old and tires easily, and Radnor, as you no doubt know, is in Scotland. Gloucester," he made a moue of distaste, "did not seem to be interested, and I myself was a little distracted by other matters."
"You have changed, Roger."
"What do you mean? I am older and I have seen some new things, but I do not think I am different from what I was."
"You swear, eh?" Chester watched the young man's face narrowly although he took only quick glances at it now and again. "I have no doubt that what you say is true, if you swear it, but I fear you tell the same kind of truth that Radnor does when he swears—half the truth with the important parts left out."
Hereford flushed, for the remark had
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