Knight's Honor Read Online Free PDF Page B

it, but she also did not wish to become her daughter-by marriage's handmaiden. Nor, knowing herself, did she think it would be possible for her docilely to give the management of the keep and estates into Lady Elizabeth's hands. No doubt they were capable hands; Elizabeth had run her father's estates with commendable efficiency, but no two women did things in exactly the same way, and Lady Hereford knew that she would be constantly fretted if Elizabeth changed her methods.
    That sobered Lord Hereford instantly. "No, I had not thought of it, but I see that I must." His memories of Elizabeth were not terribly clear, but he remembered enough to know that she and his mother would clash. "I am not sure, Mamma, but certainly that need not be done at once. For a while, at least, I will keep her with me, when there is no fighting, and we are likely to do much traveling. That would mean that you would have to return here to care for the place while I was away since I have no castellan here. Also, we live in a settled way and Elizabeth will have to learn who is who and what their duties are. Stay, at least in the beginning. Later we will see how things go." Hereford smiled suddenly and mischievously again. "Besides, I should miss you, and I would never feel truly at home if my sisters did not plague my life out with their insanities."
    "I wonder where you get this habit of putting everything off till tomorrow? Everything except fighting, that is. Your father never did so, and I certainly do not." She paused to look at her son, who had sunk luxuriously into his chair again and opened his robe so that he could feel the heat of the fire on his skin. "Are you going to dress and look at the demesne lands or do you intend to sit in front of the fire all day?"
    "I am a good, obedient son," he replied gravely, but with dancing eyes, and straightened up at once. "So meek am I that I will do your bidding straightaway."
    The countess shook her head at that nonsense. A more considerate but less obedient son would be hard to find. She rose, looking rather cross, and Roger came up to her, hugged her quickly, and kissed her cheeks.
    "I swear I liked the Lady Elizabeth best of all the women I know because she always spoke to me and looked at me just so sharply as you do,"
    Instead of smiling in reply, Lady Hereford looked even more troubled. It was one thing to scold and criticize Roger herself, but she could not pretend that it would give her any pleasure to see another woman do so. Roger was the most precious of her children, her eldest son, born after her disappointment at the birth of three daughters. She had two other sons and two younger daughters, but none was as dear as this first male child. She helped Hereford to dress automatically and went to the hall to summon his chief squire to help him arm. Then she started for her own quarters but stopped halfway and returned.
    "Roger, how long do you plan to stay with us?"
    "I meant to stay two weeks when I came—did I not tell you yesterday? But now—I think perhaps I had better ride to Chester as soon as possible and come back to check the estates. Not that there is need, for I am sure you cared for my interests well, but I would like to see with my own eyes how matters go and perhaps take some promising young men into service."
    "You have had bad news from Lord Chester then?"
    "No …" Hereford replied frowning slightly, "not bad news. Something a trifle disturbing."
    "You will not permit Chester to drag you into trouble again, will you?"
    That brought a wry smile. "No, Mother. I am more like to drag him into trouble this time, not that he will need much urging. It is not that. Lady Elizabeth—"
    "Is that she-devil making difficulties again?" Lady Hereford could have bitten her tongue as soon as the sharp words slipped out. She had no desire to let her son know how little she approved of his contract. Had he been in England and mentioned it, she would have attempted to dissuade him from