"Sir John is as willing as we. It is the behest of the dead Earl that bars."
"Beatrix"s father?"
"Yes; she promised him she would not wed before her twenty-fifth birthday."
"Peste! A senseless thing to exact; she was little more than child.
As King I can absolve her from it."
"I fear that would not help the matter, Sire; Beatrix regards it as sacred--it was given at the Earl"s deathbed."
Richard made a gesture of annoyance. "Does no consideration lift the obligation from her?" he demanded.
"Naught, as she views it now, but a question of life, honor, or imperative necessity."
"Now may the Devil fly away with such foolishness! Wherefore shall the dead rule the living? . . . How old is the Countess?"
"She was four and twenty last month."
"Great St. George! You have a wait, indeed; and ample time to pray for the imperative necessity. Meanwhile, best continue to keep the betrothal secret. It will likely save you both some embarra.s.sment and considerable gossip at the long delay."
Just then another bugle blared from the barbican.
"Sir John and Beatrix!" the Queen exclaimed.
Richard shook his head.
"It was Ratcliffe"s call," he said.
A moment later the Master of Horse came at full gallop across the courtyard.
Jumping from saddle and letting his horse run loose to be caught by the grooms, he sprang up the steps. In the anteroom the page met him with the information that Their Majesties were on the wall and were not to be disturbed. But at the first word, Ratcliffe dashed into the King"s chamber and thence to the ramparts. Richard saw him coming and went quickly to meet him.
"What is it?" he demanded.
"Where is De Bury?" Ratcliffe asked.
"Gone for a ride with the Countess."
"I feared it. I found his horse at the foot of the hill, trotting toward the castle from the West. There is blood on the saddle cloth, and the rein is cut in twain at the bit."
"Foul work!" the King exclaimed. "Send an order to the camp for a hundred men to scour the country toward the Aire, and let another fifty muster before the barbican at daybreak; then come to me." . . . and turning, he sauntered back to the Queen. "Come, my dear, let us go in," he said, putting his arm through hers, "I must take up some matters that Ratcliffe has brought. And do you remain, De Lacy; perchance you can aid me."
"Will you be occupied very late?" she asked, as he held back the arras.
"Only a short time, my dear. I will come to you presently," and himself closed the door behind her.
"Are you very weary?" he asked De Lacy.
"Fit for any service Your Majesty may wish."
"It will be your own service."
"Mine! Mine! . . . You cannot mean----" taking a step forward.
"Steady, man, steady! I mean only that Sir John"s riderless horse has just been found near the castle, with severed rein and b.l.o.o.d.y saddle."
De Lacy pa.s.sed his hand across his forehead.
"And Beatrix?" he asked huskily.
The King shook his head.
Again Aymer pa.s.sed his hand across his eyes; his brain was working very slowly how.
"You have given orders?" he asked.
"One hundred men-at-arms are seeking for a clue. Fifty others will await you at the barbican at daybreak."
"Meanwhile I, too, will seek," and he sprang toward the door--and into Ratcliffe"s arms.
"Stay, Sir Aymer," said the King; "it would do no good for you to search at night--you may go far astray. All that can be done till daybreak the scouts will do. . . You gave the orders, Ratcliffe?"
"I did, and venture to amplify them by sending twenty men along the North road as far as the Aire for any trace of Sir John or of the fight--for, of course, there was a fight."
"And a pa.s.sing hard one ere De Bury was unhorsed," said Richard.
"The remaining eighty," Ratcliffe continued, "I divided into bands of ten and five, bidding them follow every cross-road or bridle-path, and inquire for information from every traveler and at every habitation.
The instant aught is discovered you will be advised."
The King turned to De Lacy. "You rescued Sir John when he was attacked last April near his own castle; might this be the same band?"
Aymer shook his head. "We killed all of them but one."
"True, I remember now. . . The flat-nosed one alone escaped. . . Did De Bury ever speak to you of enemies in these parts?"
"Never directly; though, as you know, he seemed to dislike the Abbot of Kirkstall and suspected him of being, at least, party to the other attack."
"Well, we must wait for even a plausible solution until we have a few facts. Yet I would wager much it is an abduction--and G.o.d grant it be so. . . Of course, it may be the villains did not molest the Countess.
In that case, find Sir John and you find her, too."
"The chance is slight," De Lacy said quickly, "yet I shall ride rapidly back for a few miles and, perchance, it may be so. If I be not here by daybreak, Sire, I will join the men en route."
"It will be a relief for you to be on the move," said Richard kindly; "but return here for your escort. We may have clues then; and if the Countess has been abducted, she is quite as likely to be carried South as North."
"I shall be here at daybreak," Aymer answered. He saddled Selim with his own hand, and with Dauvrey beside him hurried away. They rode in silence with eyes alert, scanning sharply the ground on both sides of the road that lay like a silver stream before them. A mile from the castle a soldier rode out from the shadow and reined across the track, his casquetel and drawn sword glistening in the moonlight.
"Hold!" he ordered.