Read Online The outlaw's tale by Margaret Frazer - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Margaret Frazer
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he made none of them. After a moment staring away down into the darkness of his ale, he asked, “Your cousin will still write the letter to Chaucer, now she's out from under your hand?"
Nicholas made a dismissive sound. “She'll write it. She's given her word, and her neck is as stiff as yours when she's pledged herself to something. I remember that much about her. Lord!" Nicholas snorted with laughter. “A nun. That suits her."
“How do you mean?"
“Because when I knew her the little while I was in Chaucer's household – and a duller place you wouldn't want to be abandoned in – she and her uncle were enough of a matched set to curdle your blood. So fond of their own wits that nobody else could abide their cleverness. No, she'll keep her word now she's given it. She's too proud to do otherwise. They're as proud a pair as you'll find this side of the king's court, she and her uncle." Nicholas' voice had a bitter edge.
“So maybe she went to God because she couldn't stomach orders from anyone less," Evan suggested with a grin.
Nicholas laughed out loud. “Aye. You've probably the right of it there." He fixed Evan with a look. “What do you care about her anyway?
“She's our way to Chaucer and out of here. I want to know how sure we can be of her."
“If the thing can be done, she'll do it." NIcholas took a long quaff of the ale. “By Christmas I'll be an honest man, with the greenwood and my merry men far behind me. You certain sure you don't want to be leader after me? You've a knack for the life."
“I've a knack for other things, too, and most of them safer. Besides, the pardon is for all the band. There'll be no more ‘merry men’."
“Faugh. You know them better than that. Most of them haven't the wit for anything better. Left to their own, they'll be back where they are before the year turns, pardon or no pardon. Without my brains to see them along, they'll be pudding for crows by Christmas. Unless you take them on."
Evan shook his head. “I'm done. We each of us have enough money put by to set ourselves up decently. Now's the time to do it, before our luck runs out."
“Luck?" Nicholas scoffed. “A man makes his own luck, and I'm the best at making it there is. Was any of this with Frevisse luck? It was planning that did it, and my wit in handling her. And look how I've handled Payne. We'd not be where we are now if it wasn't for my wit in that."
Evan looked at him soberly. He had drunk far less than Nicholas; he always did. His soberness was among the things Nicholas found hard to abide. Evan was useful, worth keeping friends with, but dog-dull in more ways than one. And hard to fathom. He kept too many of his thoughts shut up behind his crooked face. And now, when Nicholas was expecting him to say something else, he said instead, “We'd best be off if we're to be back at camp by dark. Even afoot, Hal will be there by now."
“Then let Hal tell them we've not gone astray. I've a mind to that warm bed Beatrice offered me after all. You go on if you've a mind to, but I'm staying."
Evan rose. “You said you'd be coming back."
“And I will. Just not so soon. I’ll be there by dark."
Evan glanced across the room and said, as if it followed naturally, “You let the franklin be."
“Soul's honor!" Nicholas exclaimed. “He's not for my touching. Now get along with you. I can find my way from here to there without you old-maid fussing at me."
* * * * *
Master Payne's house was in the new fashion. Frevisse, even burdened with Sister Emma, saw that much as they were brought into the great hall – a long, broad room meant to be the gathering place of the household. Time had been when every hall had been tall, open to the high peak of the roof, but this one was ceilinged. It made the room less grand but warmer; and instead of an open hearth in the midst of the floor there was a wide
Nicholas made a dismissive sound. “She'll write it. She's given her word, and her neck is as stiff as yours when she's pledged herself to something. I remember that much about her. Lord!" Nicholas snorted with laughter. “A nun. That suits her."
“How do you mean?"
“Because when I knew her the little while I was in Chaucer's household – and a duller place you wouldn't want to be abandoned in – she and her uncle were enough of a matched set to curdle your blood. So fond of their own wits that nobody else could abide their cleverness. No, she'll keep her word now she's given it. She's too proud to do otherwise. They're as proud a pair as you'll find this side of the king's court, she and her uncle." Nicholas' voice had a bitter edge.
“So maybe she went to God because she couldn't stomach orders from anyone less," Evan suggested with a grin.
Nicholas laughed out loud. “Aye. You've probably the right of it there." He fixed Evan with a look. “What do you care about her anyway?
“She's our way to Chaucer and out of here. I want to know how sure we can be of her."
“If the thing can be done, she'll do it." NIcholas took a long quaff of the ale. “By Christmas I'll be an honest man, with the greenwood and my merry men far behind me. You certain sure you don't want to be leader after me? You've a knack for the life."
“I've a knack for other things, too, and most of them safer. Besides, the pardon is for all the band. There'll be no more ‘merry men’."
“Faugh. You know them better than that. Most of them haven't the wit for anything better. Left to their own, they'll be back where they are before the year turns, pardon or no pardon. Without my brains to see them along, they'll be pudding for crows by Christmas. Unless you take them on."
Evan shook his head. “I'm done. We each of us have enough money put by to set ourselves up decently. Now's the time to do it, before our luck runs out."
“Luck?" Nicholas scoffed. “A man makes his own luck, and I'm the best at making it there is. Was any of this with Frevisse luck? It was planning that did it, and my wit in handling her. And look how I've handled Payne. We'd not be where we are now if it wasn't for my wit in that."
Evan looked at him soberly. He had drunk far less than Nicholas; he always did. His soberness was among the things Nicholas found hard to abide. Evan was useful, worth keeping friends with, but dog-dull in more ways than one. And hard to fathom. He kept too many of his thoughts shut up behind his crooked face. And now, when Nicholas was expecting him to say something else, he said instead, “We'd best be off if we're to be back at camp by dark. Even afoot, Hal will be there by now."
“Then let Hal tell them we've not gone astray. I've a mind to that warm bed Beatrice offered me after all. You go on if you've a mind to, but I'm staying."
Evan rose. “You said you'd be coming back."
“And I will. Just not so soon. I’ll be there by dark."
Evan glanced across the room and said, as if it followed naturally, “You let the franklin be."
“Soul's honor!" Nicholas exclaimed. “He's not for my touching. Now get along with you. I can find my way from here to there without you old-maid fussing at me."
* * * * *
Master Payne's house was in the new fashion. Frevisse, even burdened with Sister Emma, saw that much as they were brought into the great hall – a long, broad room meant to be the gathering place of the household. Time had been when every hall had been tall, open to the high peak of the roof, but this one was ceilinged. It made the room less grand but warmer; and instead of an open hearth in the midst of the floor there was a wide
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