Read Online The Crimson Chalice by Victor Canning - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Victor Canning
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the previous nightâs march. But when Baradoc still did not appear, she began to grow uneasy and troubled. For the first time the black thought touched her that something might have happened to him.
Almost as though this fear, newborn in her, had been some mysteriously understood signal for which the dogs were waiting, she heard Aesc whine. She looked up from her sewing.
Lerg had risen and stood near her, his head low, the grey-brown eyes full on her. Aesc moved restlessly to and fro behind Lerg, whining gently, while Cuna lay still on the ground, his eyes watching the other dogs as though he were trying to read the meaning of their change of mood. Only Sunset seemed untouched. Tethered to a slim willow trunk on a lengthened headrope, she cropped the sweet green grass, flicking her golden tall occasionally against the flies. Tia saw that Bran had flown down to the ground and sat now on an old molehill, plumage fluffed out raggedly, head and beak drawn down between his shoulders, a pictureâso her imagination promptedâof unhappiness.
Resolutely, pushing her fears from her, she went on with her work. Almost as though in protest Aesc gave a sharp bark and moved to the edge of the willow glade and back.
Tia went out of the willows and began to walk down the river. Aesc ran ahead of her, nose to the ground, and she turned to see that Lerg and Cuna were following her. She walked a couple of bowshots but could find no sign of Baradoc. When she turned back the dogs came with her reluctantly.
In the willows, she stood undecided for a while. The afternoon was wearing away. The conviction came strongly to her that something had happened to Baradoc. Without him she would never get safely to Aquae Sulis. The selfish thought made her immediately angry. Baradoc might be in real trouble ⦠even deadâand she thought only of herself. She had to find him. Suddenly she decided that there was no sense in just staying in the glade while fears mounted in her.
She began to pack up the camp. It took her some time to stow all their possessions and lash the bundles across Sunset. As she did so Aesc and Cuna fretted around her, but she threw them a sharp word and quieted them. When, finally, she led the pony out of the willows Lerg ranged himself at her side and Aesc, followed by Cuna, ran ahead. Tia followed the line which Aesc took.
Half an hour later Aesc stopped at the break in the river reeds where Baradoc had taken the mallard drake. Tia saw at once in the muddy soil the marks of footprints.
As Aesc sat whining in front of her she waved the dog on. Aesc, head low, began to move down the riverbank. There was no doubt in Tiaâs mind that the bitch was following Baradocâs scent. A little later she found proof that she was following Baradoc.
She stood on a sandy beach where the stream shallowed to a ford. In the damp sand at the edge of the water were the clear marks of the studded sandals that Baradoc wore. With them, some confused and some clear, were the marks of other prints, though she could not decide by how many people they had been made.
Across the river was a narrow strip of wild meadow and sedge land from which rose great terraces of dark forest.
Leading the pony, Tia forded the river, which nowhere came more than knee-high. Cuna alone had to swim in places. On the far bank were more confused prints.
Aesc, head lowered, was already moving across the marshy meadow toward the woods. As Tia followed, Bran came flying up from behind her and with a sharp cark-cark beat his way over the trees and disappeared.
The climb through the forest was hard and slow going. Aesc was clearly following a trail which was fresh. Looking up at the sun, Tia realized that the afternoon was fast wearing away. The thought of the coming darkness frightened her. And the thought that she might never see Baradoc again, perhaps never get to Aquae Sulis, put a dryness in her throat and a weakness in her body that made her despise
Almost as though this fear, newborn in her, had been some mysteriously understood signal for which the dogs were waiting, she heard Aesc whine. She looked up from her sewing.
Lerg had risen and stood near her, his head low, the grey-brown eyes full on her. Aesc moved restlessly to and fro behind Lerg, whining gently, while Cuna lay still on the ground, his eyes watching the other dogs as though he were trying to read the meaning of their change of mood. Only Sunset seemed untouched. Tethered to a slim willow trunk on a lengthened headrope, she cropped the sweet green grass, flicking her golden tall occasionally against the flies. Tia saw that Bran had flown down to the ground and sat now on an old molehill, plumage fluffed out raggedly, head and beak drawn down between his shoulders, a pictureâso her imagination promptedâof unhappiness.
Resolutely, pushing her fears from her, she went on with her work. Almost as though in protest Aesc gave a sharp bark and moved to the edge of the willow glade and back.
Tia went out of the willows and began to walk down the river. Aesc ran ahead of her, nose to the ground, and she turned to see that Lerg and Cuna were following her. She walked a couple of bowshots but could find no sign of Baradoc. When she turned back the dogs came with her reluctantly.
In the willows, she stood undecided for a while. The afternoon was wearing away. The conviction came strongly to her that something had happened to Baradoc. Without him she would never get safely to Aquae Sulis. The selfish thought made her immediately angry. Baradoc might be in real trouble ⦠even deadâand she thought only of herself. She had to find him. Suddenly she decided that there was no sense in just staying in the glade while fears mounted in her.
She began to pack up the camp. It took her some time to stow all their possessions and lash the bundles across Sunset. As she did so Aesc and Cuna fretted around her, but she threw them a sharp word and quieted them. When, finally, she led the pony out of the willows Lerg ranged himself at her side and Aesc, followed by Cuna, ran ahead. Tia followed the line which Aesc took.
Half an hour later Aesc stopped at the break in the river reeds where Baradoc had taken the mallard drake. Tia saw at once in the muddy soil the marks of footprints.
As Aesc sat whining in front of her she waved the dog on. Aesc, head low, began to move down the riverbank. There was no doubt in Tiaâs mind that the bitch was following Baradocâs scent. A little later she found proof that she was following Baradoc.
She stood on a sandy beach where the stream shallowed to a ford. In the damp sand at the edge of the water were the clear marks of the studded sandals that Baradoc wore. With them, some confused and some clear, were the marks of other prints, though she could not decide by how many people they had been made.
Across the river was a narrow strip of wild meadow and sedge land from which rose great terraces of dark forest.
Leading the pony, Tia forded the river, which nowhere came more than knee-high. Cuna alone had to swim in places. On the far bank were more confused prints.
Aesc, head lowered, was already moving across the marshy meadow toward the woods. As Tia followed, Bran came flying up from behind her and with a sharp cark-cark beat his way over the trees and disappeared.
The climb through the forest was hard and slow going. Aesc was clearly following a trail which was fresh. Looking up at the sun, Tia realized that the afternoon was fast wearing away. The thought of the coming darkness frightened her. And the thought that she might never see Baradoc again, perhaps never get to Aquae Sulis, put a dryness in her throat and a weakness in her body that made her despise
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