The Lion of Justice Read Online Free PDF Page B

young boy who had just become an orphan and who had no army behind him. He has installed himself in his castle and prates of marching below the border to harry my good subjects. You would have thought that which happened to his predecessor would have warned him, would you not, Edgar?’
    â€˜As I warned Malcolm.’
    â€˜Ay, you were always a cautious man, Edgar. I have a proposal. What if I provided troops and placed you and young Edgar at the head of them and you marched into Scotland and displaced this traitor?’
    â€˜You would do that, William!’
    â€˜I would like to see this young Edgar. If I had as high an opinion of him as I have of his uncle, I might well do that. I want this Donald Bane put down, Edgar. And when I have set young Edgar on the throne I shall expect him to be a good friend to me. He will swear fealty to me. He will be a good vassal; then there will be peace between me and the King of Scotland.’
    Edgar’s eyes were gleaming. Rufus of course would want repayment for his help. That was natural. But it was far better for Edgar to be restored as King of Scotland, even though he was also vassal to the King of England, than to wander about the world stateless, as Edgar Atheling had done for so many years.
    The pact was concluded.
    Edgar should have the chance to regain his kingdom and when he did he would always be grateful to the King of England.
    The Abbess received the children in her sanctum. The stone flags were cold to the feet and there was no furniture, only a board on trestles and a rough stool on which the Abbess sat.
    The children stood before her while her cold stern gaze flickered over them.
    The eldest, Edith, was the most handsome, she decided. Therefore she would need the most correction. Her hair was in two thick plaits, and as one of these hung over her shoulder the Abbess Christina assured herself that her niece had placed it there for adornment and must be cured of the cardinal sin of vanity.
    â€˜Pray remove that object. It disgusts me,’ said Christina, staring at her niece.
    Edith had no idea to what she referred and stammered, ‘I do not understand . . .’
    â€˜That piece of hair which you have wantonly placed where you think it will be admired. Hide it, I say.’
    Edith flushed and taking the plait threw it over her shoulder where it could no longer offend the Abbess.
    â€˜You will learn how we deal with vanity here,’ she said. ‘We pray that it shall be taken from us and if it is not it is whipped out of us.’
    â€˜I was not meaning to show my hair. I . . .’
    â€˜Silence,’ said Christina. ‘We do not excuse our follies. We admit them and pray for the power to cast them out. They are devils that possess us and need to be exorcised.’
    Edith silently prayed that Uncle Edgar would return and take them away from this cold unfriendly place and thishostile woman. But she knew that she prayed in vain. It had been her mother’s wish that their Aunt Christina should care for them. Could their kind and gentle mother have known how harsh a life of religion had made her sister?
    The little ones were cowering close to her. Mary was dismayed, but Edith knew that Aunt Christina had decided that she should be her main victim.
    â€˜You are here to learn to become worthy members of a great family,’ said the Abbess, ‘but first of all you must be children of God. Here we show no mercy to those who stray from virtue. Understand that, every one of you. You will now go to the apartments reserved for you and there you will find your garments ready. Those which you now wear will be taken from you. They are the vestments of the world.’
    A nun had come into the chamber, and the Abbess said to her, ‘Take them away, Sister. You know your duty.’
    Edith was about to protest and for a few moments she and her aunt looked into each other’s eyes. When her parents were alive she had