“But . . .” protested Captain Dodd, “they be Scots, thrice-domned Scots!”
“And, as such, they are no longer our enemies, Guy. The full agreements are not yet drawn or signed, but the King and the Kingdom of Scotland now are allied to Arthur and England. There is to be peace and amity between England and Scotland; both Kings and the high nobles all are agreed upon it.”
The other captain in the chamber, grizzled old Melvin Hall, snorted. “Y’r pardon, m’lord, in an thousun years an’ more they’s been nought save war on t’ border. An’ like it’ll e’er be so, kings and great nobles be domned!”
Most of the assembled borderers nodded assent to the verity of Hall’s words, and a squinty-eyed lieutenant asked, “Mlord, did thet brother-murderin’ Jim Stewart, then, send yon pack o’ cur-dogs?”
Foster shook his head. “No, these men were gathered by the man who commands them, Laird Andrew. It seems that the Elliot agrees with Captain Hall, in some respects; therefore, to prevent border trouble this year, he impressed every hothead and fire-eater he could clap hands to, formed them into a troop, and brought them south to fight for—not against—King Arthur.
“The Reichsherzog, the Archbishop, the representatives of the King, and I feel his actions are commendable and he and his troop have been accepted by us for our King’s service. I shall expect you gentlemen to set a good example for your men in accepting these former enemies among you with good grace.”
It was not all that easy, of course, nor had Foster or any of the others thought for one minute that it would be. But, after several floggings and a couple of salutary hangings, the men got the message.
“I hate like hell to leave you here alone, Krystal, without even Nugai to look out for you. But both Hal and Wolf swear you’ll be safe. The entrenchments and guns will continue to be garrisoned and manned at least until the negotiations with the Scots are completed, and like as not long afterward. But Wolf says that even should Crusaders land on the coast, march this far inland, and invest and take the hall, you’d have nought to fear, since you’re legally Marchioness of Velegrad and, as delicate as are the current relations between Rome and the Empire, the very last thing the Church desires is an incident that would tend to worsen those relations.
“And when I tried to get Hal to promise to send you down to York, he flatly refused me, saying that you and the baby would be better fed and healthier here.”
Krystal nodded. “Yes, there was a terrible outbreak of typhoid there last summer, honey, and food still is scarce and dear in York, so Hal is probably right. He usually is, you know. They say that experience is the best teacher, and let’s face it, he’s had something over two hundred years of experience.
“But HI be afl right, Bass. Of course, 111 miss Nugai. Fll miss him almost as much as I’ll miss you.” Her soft, slender hand crept into his broad, callused palm. “But Til have Meg and Polly and Trina here with me, and well manage just fine, dear.”
Foster was vastly relieved that his wife had burdened him with none of the importunings to accompany him south that she had in the past. He could well imagine the slimy, stinking, hellish pestholes which the camps circling London were certain to be after the wintering of thousands of decidedly unhygienic men in them and he wanted his wife and son nowhere near to them. It was bad enough that he and his horsemen must live in them at least long enough to map out the strategy for the season’s campaigning.
Immediately after the gentlemen-officers were all mounted, Freiherr Sebastian Foster, Markgraf of Velegrad, Lord Commander of King Arthur Ill’s Horse and Tendant of the Fort and Estate of Whyffler Hall, called for the stirrup cup. When he had drained off the contents of the ancient silver-mounted horn, he drew his fine Tara-steel blade, brought his leopard-spotted destrier to a sustained rear, and saluted the assembled ladies. All save his wife oohed and aaahed his courtesy and horsemanship. Krystal gave him back an amused smile, then turned to graciously accept the compliments of the other ladies upon her noble husband’s manners, skills and dashing appearance.
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