Georgette Heyer Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Simon the Coldheart
uneasily. ‘Art sure, Sir Squire?’
Simon’s gaze did not waver.
‘Ay, I am sure. Something is coming over yonder hill, for I can see movement, and ever and anon there is a glistening like a tiny star. That is the sun on armour.’
The officer turned to hail one of his men.
‘Godfrey! Come hither! Ye have sharp eyes. What can ye see yonder?’
The archer stared at the far-away hills for a long time in silence.
‘A clump of trees, my captain,’ he ventured at last.
‘Nay, not that. Coming over the brow, more to the right.’
‘I see naught, sir. Ah!’
‘Well, what?’
‘Little enough, sir, or perhaps mine eyes deceived me. Methought I saw a twinkling. There again!’
Captain Lenoir turned again to Simon.
‘Mayhap ye are right, sir. But I’ll sound no alarm till we see more plainly. If what ye see is indeed an army it is twenty miles distant, or more. If it is Hotspur, we –’
At last Simon turned.
‘Hotspur? What folly is this? Hotspur will come from the north, from Chester. What I see is the King’s army.’
‘It may be.’ Paul Lenoir looked out again, and in a moment gave a start. ‘I saw a flash! Yet another!’
‘Ye will see them more and more as the army comes over the hill,’ Simon remarked.
Lenoir sat down upon the parapet.
‘I would give something for thine eyes, sir. May I not know thy name? I am called Paul of Lenoir.’
‘I am Simon of Beauvallet.’ He too sat down on the parapet, and for a long time they stayed thus, saying little, but ever watching the twinkling line that was slowly growing. And at last Paul of Lenoir rose and gave orders for the trumpeters to blare forth the great news that the King’s army was approaching. Then Simon left him, and went back to his lord’s side.
The town was of a sudden in ferment, the streets more crowded than ever, some men cheering, others asking excited questions, others gloomily prophesying that it was Percy and not the King who had made a cunning detour in order to bewilder them. One and all rushed to the walls to verify the joyous tidings, and Simon’s progress was even slower than it had been before.
He came upon Fulk, who was conferring with his marshal, and would have passed him silently had not Fulk called after him.
‘Ha, Simon! Where hast been? Is the King indeed approaching?’
Simon paused.
‘Ay, my lord. He is over twenty miles from here, but he brings a fair army as I should judge.’
‘Saw ye the approach then?’
‘I have been with one Lenoir upon the battlements and espied the army by the glittering of armour in the sun.’
‘I dare swear thou wert the first to do so, my lynx-eyed Simon!’
‘Ay, but one saw them not long after me. They will be at the gates soon after dusk, for they are marching swiftly.’
He proved to be right, for not long after sundown an advance guard from the army galloped up to the gates to tell, officially, of the King’s coming in full force. The gates were opened, and the young Prince of Wales rode out to stand there in readiness to receive his father. Henry came at last, and publicly embraced his son. Then he rode into the town beside him, while the excited inhabitants who lined the streets cheered till they were hoarse, flinging flowers before him, and scuffling among themselves to obtain a better view.
Within an hour a council was summoned from which Fulk did not return until well into the night, when Simon lay sleeping peacefully and dreamlessly upon his hard pallet.
They had hardly risen next morning when my lord’s page came flying in with the news that Percy had appeared before the walls, and at sight of the royal banner, withdrawn his men, some thought to one place, some to another.
Fulk summoned his squire to him, and made all haste to the court, which they found packed with the various captains and generals. The King held another council, and when Fulk at last rejoined Simon his eyes were kindling with the lust for battle, and his mouth smiled
Simon’s gaze did not waver.
‘Ay, I am sure. Something is coming over yonder hill, for I can see movement, and ever and anon there is a glistening like a tiny star. That is the sun on armour.’
The officer turned to hail one of his men.
‘Godfrey! Come hither! Ye have sharp eyes. What can ye see yonder?’
The archer stared at the far-away hills for a long time in silence.
‘A clump of trees, my captain,’ he ventured at last.
‘Nay, not that. Coming over the brow, more to the right.’
‘I see naught, sir. Ah!’
‘Well, what?’
‘Little enough, sir, or perhaps mine eyes deceived me. Methought I saw a twinkling. There again!’
Captain Lenoir turned again to Simon.
‘Mayhap ye are right, sir. But I’ll sound no alarm till we see more plainly. If what ye see is indeed an army it is twenty miles distant, or more. If it is Hotspur, we –’
At last Simon turned.
‘Hotspur? What folly is this? Hotspur will come from the north, from Chester. What I see is the King’s army.’
‘It may be.’ Paul Lenoir looked out again, and in a moment gave a start. ‘I saw a flash! Yet another!’
‘Ye will see them more and more as the army comes over the hill,’ Simon remarked.
Lenoir sat down upon the parapet.
‘I would give something for thine eyes, sir. May I not know thy name? I am called Paul of Lenoir.’
‘I am Simon of Beauvallet.’ He too sat down on the parapet, and for a long time they stayed thus, saying little, but ever watching the twinkling line that was slowly growing. And at last Paul of Lenoir rose and gave orders for the trumpeters to blare forth the great news that the King’s army was approaching. Then Simon left him, and went back to his lord’s side.
The town was of a sudden in ferment, the streets more crowded than ever, some men cheering, others asking excited questions, others gloomily prophesying that it was Percy and not the King who had made a cunning detour in order to bewilder them. One and all rushed to the walls to verify the joyous tidings, and Simon’s progress was even slower than it had been before.
He came upon Fulk, who was conferring with his marshal, and would have passed him silently had not Fulk called after him.
‘Ha, Simon! Where hast been? Is the King indeed approaching?’
Simon paused.
‘Ay, my lord. He is over twenty miles from here, but he brings a fair army as I should judge.’
‘Saw ye the approach then?’
‘I have been with one Lenoir upon the battlements and espied the army by the glittering of armour in the sun.’
‘I dare swear thou wert the first to do so, my lynx-eyed Simon!’
‘Ay, but one saw them not long after me. They will be at the gates soon after dusk, for they are marching swiftly.’
He proved to be right, for not long after sundown an advance guard from the army galloped up to the gates to tell, officially, of the King’s coming in full force. The gates were opened, and the young Prince of Wales rode out to stand there in readiness to receive his father. Henry came at last, and publicly embraced his son. Then he rode into the town beside him, while the excited inhabitants who lined the streets cheered till they were hoarse, flinging flowers before him, and scuffling among themselves to obtain a better view.
Within an hour a council was summoned from which Fulk did not return until well into the night, when Simon lay sleeping peacefully and dreamlessly upon his hard pallet.
They had hardly risen next morning when my lord’s page came flying in with the news that Percy had appeared before the walls, and at sight of the royal banner, withdrawn his men, some thought to one place, some to another.
Fulk summoned his squire to him, and made all haste to the court, which they found packed with the various captains and generals. The King held another council, and when Fulk at last rejoined Simon his eyes were kindling with the lust for battle, and his mouth smiled