Hermit of Eyton Forest by Ellis Peters Read Free Book Online Page B

a message from him. Was it about me?”
    “That
I might better answer,” said Hyacinth reasonably, “if I knew who your lordship
might be, and why my master should be concerning himself with such small fry.”
    “I
am not small fry,” said Richard with dignity. “I am Richard Ludel, the lord of
Eaton, and your master’s hermitage is on my land. And you know very well who I
am, for you were there among the servants at my father’s funeral. And if you
did bring some message that concerns me, I think I have a right to know about
it. That’s only fair.” And Richard jutted his small, square chin and stood his
ground with bare feet spread apart, challenging justice with unblinking
blue-green eyes.
    For
a long moment Hyacinth returned his gaze with a bright, speculative stare. Then
he said in a brisk, matter-of-fact tone, as man to man and quite without
mockery: “That’s a true word, and I’m with you, Richard. Now, where can we two
talk at ease?”
    The
middle of the great court was, perhaps, a little too conspicuous for lengthy
confidences, and Richard was sufficiently taken with the unmistakably secular
stranger to find him a pleasing novelty among these monastic surroundings, and
meant to get to know all about him now that he had the opportunity. Moreover,
very shortly chapter would be ending, and it would not do to invite Prior
Robert’s too close attention in such circumstances, or court Brother Jerome’s
busybody interference. With hasty confidence he caught Hyacinth by the hand,
and towed him away up the court to the retired wicket that led through the
enclave to the mill. There on the grass above the pool they were private, with
the wall at their backs and the thick, springy turf under them, and the midday
sun still faintly warm on them through the diaphanous veil of haze. “Now!” said
Richard, getting down sternly to the matter in hand. “I need to have a friend
who’ll tell me truth, there are so many people ordering my life for me, and
can’t agree about it, and how can I take care of myself and be ready for them
if there’s no one to warn me what’s in their minds? If you’ll be on my side I
shall know how to deal. Will you?”
    Hyacinth
leaned his back comfortably against the abbey wall, stretched out before him
shapely, sinewy legs, and half-closed his sunlit eyes. “I tell you what,
Richard, as you can best deal if you know all that’s afoot, so can I be most
helpful to you if I know the why and wherefore of it. Now I know the end of
this story thus far, and you know the beginning. How if we put the two
together, and see what’s to be made of them?”
    Richard
clapped his hands. “Agreed! So first tell me what was the message you brought
from Cuthred today!”
    Word
for word as he had delivered it in chapter, but without the mimicry, Hyacinth
told him.
    “I
knew it!” said the child, thumping a small fist into the thick grass. “I knew
it must be some way about me. So my grandmother has cozened or persuaded even
her holy man into arguing her cause for her. I heard about these things that
have been happening in the coppice, but such things do happen now and then, who
can prevent? You’ll need to warn your master not to be over-persuaded, even if
she has made herself his patroness. Tell him the whole tale, for she won’t.”
    “So
I will,” agreed Hyacinth heartily, “when I know it myself.”
    “No
one has told you why she wants me home? Not a word from your master?”
    “Lad,
I just run his errands, he doesn’t confide in me.” And it seemed that the
unquestioning servitor was in no hurry about returning from this errand, for he
settled his back more easily against the mosses of the wall, and crossed his
slim ankles. Richard wriggled a little nearer, and Hyacinth shifted
good-naturedly to accommodate the sharp young bones that leaned into his side.
“She wants to marry me off,” said Richard, “to get hold of the manors