Beauvallet Read online

  My lord came sedately out from the house in a gown of camlet trimmed with vair, with a close cap set upon his head, and a gold chain about his neck. My lord wore a cathedral beard like a churchman. He was fair where Nicholas was dark; his eyes were blue, but lacked the sparkle that was in his brother's eyes. He was a tall man of imposing mien, had a grave countenance and a stately gait. ‘Well, Nick!’ he said, with a glimmer of a smile. ‘My lady heard a shouting and commotion, and straightaway saith Nick must be home. How is it with you, lad?’

  The brothers embraced. ‘As you see me, Gerard. And you?’

  ‘Well enough. A tertian fever troubled me in February, but it is happily passed.’

  ‘He must needs go into Cambridgeshire to that damp, unhealthy castle,’ sighed a mournful voice. ‘I knew what would come of it. I foretold an ague from the start. Dear Nicholas, give you good den.’

  Nicholas turned to greet my Lady Beauvallet, kissed her hand right dutifully, and so came to her lips. ‘Do I see you well, sister?’

  ‘Nick!’ She blushed faintly and shook her finger at him. ‘Ever the same swift way! Nay, the hard winter – harder than any I remember, was it not, my lord? – tried me sorely. At the New Year I had the sweating-sickness. Then, at Candlemas, an ague seized me, and was like to have carried me off, methought.’

  ‘But the spring comes, and you grow strong with it,’ suggested Nicholas.

  She looked doubtful. ‘Indeed, Nicholas, I trust it may be found so, but I have the frailest health, as you know.’

  Gerard broke in upon this lamentation. ‘I see you bring home that ruffler,’ he said, and nodded to where Joshua stood in parley with the lackeys. ‘Have ye schooled him yet?’

  ‘Devil a bit, brother. Joshua! Here, rogue, come pay your duty to my lord!’ He put an arm round my lady's waist and swept her into the house. ‘Have in with you, Kate. The nip of the wind is like to lay you low of a second ague.’

  My lady went with him protesting. ‘Nick, Nick, so hardy still? Not a second ague, I assure you, but more like the seventh, for, indeed, no sooner am I raised from one than another strikes me down. Come into the hall, brother. There should be a fire there, and they will bring wine for you. Or there is some March beer of two years tunning. Dawson! Dawson, bring – oh, he is gone! Well, come in, Nicholas; you will be chilled from your ride.’

  They went through the screens to the Great Hall. This was a noble apartment with the roof high over their heads crossed and re-crossed with oaken timbers. Tall windows were set all round the walls at a height above a man's head. Between them the walls were covered with panels of linen-fold. A dais was set at one end, in the bay of the front windows, with a long table upon it and benches around. A great fireplace stood in one wall, with logs burning in it. Above the lofty mantelpiece, supported by pilasters, my lord's quarterings hung. Rushes, with rosemary strewed amongst them, covered the floor; there was a settle on either side of the fireplace, and some carved and panel-backed chairs ranged neatly along the wall.

  My lady sat down on one side of the fire, and since her monstrous farthingale seemed to occupy most of the settle, Sir Nicholas went to the other. ‘Yes, sit down, dear Nicholas,’ she said. ‘Dawson will be here anon, and my lord too, I dare swear.’

  Sir Nicholas loosed the cloak from about his shoulders and tossed it aside. It fell over one of the chairs against the wall, and Margery, peeping round a corner of the screens, frowned to see the fine thing so rudely used. My lady caught sight of that puckered face and smiled kindly. ‘Come you in, Margery. You will say it is a good day that sees Sir Nicholas come riding home.’

  ‘Good indeed, my lady.’ Margery dropped a curtsey. ‘But a feckless, heedless boy! Ah, is there never one to school him?’ She picked up the cloak and folded it carefully. ‘Tut, the brave hat upon the floor! Two feathers in it, i’faith!’ She looked a fond reproof at such extravagance. ‘Heed old Margery, my cosset, and get ye a wife!’

  ‘What need?’ Sir Nicholas asked, and disposed his graceful limbs at ease along the settle. ‘What need while I still have Margery to scold, and a fair sister to shake her head at me?’

  ‘Oh, Nicholas, for shame!’ my lady said. ‘I shake my head? Though, indeed, ye often deserve that I should. Ah, my lord, in good time! Here is your brother says we scold, poor Margery and I.’

  My lord came to sit beside Nicholas on the settle. ‘Dawson is gone to fetch the March beer for you, Nick. He is sure it is what you need.’ He smiled. ‘It is a rare thing, faith, to see the house turned upside down for a graceless rogue that heeds naught that concerns it.’

  Sir Nicholas threw back his head, and laughed. ‘The old tale! I irk you sorely, Gerard, alack!’

  ‘Nay, nay.’ My lord looked on him with some kindness. ‘So ye be come home now to stay…’

  ‘Patience, Gerard, patience!’ Nicholas said mischievously.

  Dawson came in preceding a lackey, bearing the famous beer upon a salver. ‘Sir, at your pleasure!’

  ‘In good sooth!’ Sir Nicholas stretched out a hand for the tankard. ‘Give you my word I have yearned often for this. My lady, I drink to your better health.’

  ‘Ah!’ sighed my lady, and shook her head.

  My lord took the second tankard. ‘You will wish to hear news of my Lady Stanbury,’ he said, ‘I had a letter from her lord last Friday se’n night, telling me she had been brought to bed of a fair son.’

  ‘What, a son at last?’ quoth Sir Nicholas, tossing off the rest of his beer. ‘Marry, I lost count of poor Adela's daughters long since! Dawson, another tankard, man, to drink my nephew's health!’ He looked at Gerard. ‘How doth my sister? Who stands sponsor?’

  ‘Well, very well. I am asked to stand, with my lady, and another. Ye should journey into Worcester to visit them; Adela would be glad of it. You will not have heard that our cousin Arnold is wedded to Groshawk's second daughter? A fair match, no more than fair. The elder girl favoured her mother too much for Arnold, so I heard.’

  Talk ran awhile on family matters; my lady went away presently to see to the preparation of the heir's chamber, and Nicholas must needs be off to the stables to greet old servants, and inspect new horses. My lord went with him, willingly enough.

  ‘There's a Barbary horse might suit you,’ said he. ‘Ye shall try his paces. I bought him last Michaelmas, but he is scarce up to my weight, I believe. He should please you: a fiery, impatient brute.’ He linked arms with Nicholas, and made his brother curb his hasty steps to match his own. ‘Gently, lad! What's your hurry?’

  ‘None. What hawks do you keep now? What sport?’

  ‘Fair, fair. I was out with my neighbour Selby last Thursday. I let fly my tassel-gentle at a pheasant, discovered in a brake. A rare bird that! I had her from Stanbury when he was here over Twelfth Night; ye shall see her anon. Selby found a mallard, whistled off his falcon. Down she came, twice missed, but recovered it at a long flight…’

  They talked of hawking, and of venery, and of the management of the estate. When they came slowly back to the house the sun was sinking behind it in a red glow. Master Dawson met them with a warning of supper. Sir Nicholas’ bag gage had arrived, and was safely bestowed in his chamber. Sir Nicholas went up the wide stairs two at a time, and found Joshua laying out a doublet and hose of slashed mochado, with nether stocks of carnation silk, and a clean stiff ruff.

  A great bed with a canopy of carved wood supported at all four corners by pillars in the form of caryatides, stood out into the room. It had hangings of worked damask, and a Venice-valance. A bow-fronted chest of walnut inlaid with cherry-wood stood at the foot of it; there was an armoire in one corner, a second chest bearing upon it a basin and ewer of pewter ware, painted cloths upon the wall, and a thrown-chair by the window. Sir Nicholas flung himself down in this, and stretched his legs out before him. ‘Off with my boots, Joshua. Where's the casket I bade ye cherish?’

  ‘Safe, master; I will bring it on the instant.’ Joshua knelt, and tugged at the muddied boots. ‘All goet