Georgette Heyer by Simon the Coldheart Read Free Book Online Page B

recommended thee for knighthood.’
    For a minute Simon sat silent, staring before him. He drew a deep breath of wonderment, and looked again at Montlice.
    ‘And thy – good will, sir?’
    ‘Well, well,’ Fulk said. ‘I should have recommended thee myself. Shalt have thy knighthood, lad, an thou’lt stay yet a while with me.’
    ‘As your squire, my lord?’ he asked.
    Fulk laid a clumsy hand on his shoulder.
    ‘As my son if thou wilt, Simon. Art too young to fare forth alone. When Alan is older shalt go forth with him. Till then stay thou with me, and grow yet taller.’
    Simon pondered it for a time.
    ‘But what will you have me do, lord? It seems that I am no longer necessary to you, and I’ll not stay idle at Montlice.’
    ‘Shalt command my men in Vincent’s room, who fell yesterday, God rest his soul! I will pay thee a good wage so thou mayst have money against thy later needs.’
    Simon pondered again, his eyes on the distant hills. He brought them back presently to rest on his lord, and smiled.
    ‘It is a fair offer,’ he said.
    ‘Thy hand on it!’ Fulk answered promptly, and held out his great paw. Simon gripped it until the veins along the back of his hand stood out blue and thick. So he accepted Fulk as his liege lord.
    The ceremony of knighting took place on the following day. Besides Simon were twelve other men, so that he made the thirteenth, a happening that Fulk regarded as inauspicious until Simon told him that thirteen was a number that brought him good luck. Fulk attended him to Court, and kept an anxious yet proud eye upon him during the rite.
    Simon was the last to kneel before the King, and as he bent the knee he saw Malvallet standing amongst a group behind the Prince. Geoffrey smiled at him and made a little saluting movement with his hand.
    At the King’s last words to him: ‘Rise, Sir Simon of Beauvallet,’ Simon came to his feet. The rest of the ceremony passed in a kind of haze. When it was over he found that Geoffrey was at his side with the Prince. Simon bowed.
    ‘I have heard yet more of your doings, Sir Simon,’ Henry said, twinkling. ‘Paul of Lenoir tells a tale of your lynx-eyes.’
    ‘That was nothing, lord,’ Simon answered. ‘Mine eyes are sharp, and I can see in darkness.’ He looked at Geoffrey for a moment. ‘So thou hast paid thy debt to me, Malvallet.’
    ‘No, no!’ Malvallet cried. ‘This is none of my making, though glad I am to see you knighted. Tell him, sir, that ’tis your Highness’s own contriving!’
    ‘Ay, that is so,’ nodded Henry. ‘Geoffrey had naught to say in the matter.’
    ‘And so the debt remains unpaid,’ Malvallet said. ‘Now at least, Simon, thou’lt quit Montlice.’
    ‘Nay,’ Simon answered. ‘I remain with him yet another year or two.’
    At this point the Prince stepped aside to speak with one who passed. Geoffrey spoke lower, jerking his head towards the young Henry.
    ‘Why dost thou not take service under him? He is a good master.’
    ‘One day I will,’ Simon answered. ‘For the nonce there are reasons why I should stay at Montlice. And Fulk has my word.’
    ‘Then it is useless for me to say more,’ Geoffrey shrugged. ‘It irks me to see thee with our life-long foe.’ Then, as Fulk came towards them, he clasped Simon’s hand for a moment. ‘I could love thee, Simon. Forget it not.’
    ‘What did the fellow want with thee?’ grumbled Fulk, when Malvallet was out of earshot. ‘Why must thou make a friend of mine enemy?’
    ‘I make friends where I will,’ Simon said curtly.
    ‘Nay, that thou shalt not! Mine enemy is thine, I’ll have thee know!’
    Simon looked at him thoughtfully.
    ‘Not so. Yet this do I owe you, that I will not call Malvallet friend while I remain under your roof.’
    They left Shrewsbury with the King, two days later, and went south with him until they had to branch off to reach Cambridge. Fulk’s losses had been few, and in place of Vincent was Simon, who proved himself to