Page 16 of Rogue Knight
From the trestle table where he sat with Alain eating the evening meal, Geoff gazed beyond the crackling hearth fire and the ascending smoke to where Malet sat at the head table with his wife, Helise, and their two young sons. The hall was crowded with knights eating a dinner of roasted lamb. The low rumble of male voices in conversation filled the large space.
Helise’s face, normally serene, was lined with worry. Geoff did not wonder at her concern, given what must have transpired between William and her husband. Mayhap Malet would not long hold the position of Sheriff of Yorkshire.
Alain shifted in his seat, his eyes following the object of Geoff’s interest. “William appeared none too happy when he took his seat at the dais and now he glares at Malet between sips of wine.”
Geoff looked at his friend. “You speak uncommonly much this night.” The knight the Red Wolf had dubbed “the Bear” for his size was known for speaking in grunts and growls more often than words.
“I speak when I have something to say.”
“Which is not often,” Geoff teased. “But I do not doubt the truth of your words. ’Tis certain Malet earned a stern rebuke, though being a friend of the king, I expect it was delivered in private.”
“Likely while we were seeing the injured lad home.”
“Yea, likely so.” Suddenly the vision of the beautiful York widow ministering to the boy returned to Geoff’s mind. Despite her hostility, he was anxious about her living alone with only children and servants while the streets of York swarmed with knights, men-at-arms and mercenaries looking for trouble, looking for women to ease their battle lust.
Returning his attention to his meal, he stabbed a large piece of meat and brought it to his trencher. She would not have listened to him had he tried to counsel her.
The Bear slid him a mischievous glance. “From what I observed, that woman you aided did not like you much.”
Geoff tossed a piece of bread at Alain’s chest. “She liked me well enough for a Norman, you dolt.”
“She could use your protection were you to give it,” said Alain, more seriously. “With William’s army combing the streets, there will not be a woman left untouched in York.”
Geoff let out a breath. “Leave it be, Alain. I want no woman and Emma of York would have no Norman.”Though I would give her my protection whether she asked for it or not.
“None of the English women want Norman husbands,” argued Alain, “but Serena accepted the Red Wolf and my own Aethel was finally persuaded to wed with me. In time, there will be many such matches.”
“The York widow would be near impossible to win.”
“That which comes with much effort is more highly prized,” Alain declared thoughtfully.
“You begin to sound like Maugris, my friend.”
“I have learned a few truths since coming to England.”
“Oh?”
“It does nay take Maugris to see the only wives for French knights are English unless the women come from France, like Helise Malet.”
Geoff cast a glance at the woman sitting beside her husband. “’Twould be a rare knight who brought a wife with him.” He laughed at what came to his mind. “We brought only horses and squires.”
Geoff drank his wine in silence after that, watching the king and his companions on the dais. It appeared that William had recovered from his dour mood. He was now in jovial spirits laughing with his friends.
“I heard talk of William building a second castle,” said Alain, his eyes on the king.
“Yea, William spoke of it as we rode toward the city. I imagine the good people of York who were not killed in the fighting or escaped into the woods will be pressed into the work.”
“’Tis his way,” observed Alain.
“Did you happen to notice who is sitting at the dais with the king?”
Alain glanced at the table at the front of the hall. “Aye, I recognize the older one, William FitzOsbern, the Earl of Hereford. He is the companion of the king who came with him to Talisand last year. But I do not know the other.”
“The younger one is Gilbert de Ghent. I encountered the Fleming as I was going to my chamber when I returned from the widow’s. He told me he’s being sent by the king to Durham with a group of his Flemish mercenaries to chase down the rebels fleeing north.”
“No good can come of that,” observed Alain. “Like wraiths, the rebels can hide in the woods. ’Tis what they always do.”
“No matter. William is intent on chasing them down.”
