Lords of the White Castle by Elizabeth Chadwick Read Free Book Online Page A

above all else because of Whittington?'
    'What do you take me for?' His father pushed his own platter away with a glower and replenished his cup. 'Of course I want Whittington, but in justice and honour. I won't grovel for it and neither will any of my sons.' His gaze swept along the trestle to the five younger boys, all listening agog. 'I would be more angry if you had let him get away with it.'
    Fulke looked uncertain. 'I was not sure how you would take the news.'
    Le Brun sighed. 'Perhaps I placed too great a burden on your shoulders. Whittington is my responsibility. It won't be yours until I die and, God willing, that will not be until you are a man full seasoned and it is in our hands again.' He raised his cup and drank.
    Fulke smiled dutifully. He did not want to think of his father dying. Unlike King Henry's sons, he had no desire to wrench the reins of government from the control of the previous generation. His time would come when it was ripe.
    Le Brun set his cup down and wiped his lips. 'You are still at court, so I take it the storm has blown over?'
    'After a fashion.' Fulke made a seesawing motion with his hand. 'I'm no longer one of Prince John's close personal attendants, but I still receive lessons with him.' He looked at Jean who had been quietly attending to his meal without taking part in the conversation. 'I'm serving as a squire to Lord Theobald Walter at the moment. He's nephew to Ranulf de Glanville and Prince John's personal tutor in arms.'
    'I know Theobald Walter and his lineage,' his father said, 'although I was unaware he had become a royal tutor. I suppose that's Ranulf's influence. He's in a position to do his relatives great favours. Not that I'm saying Theobald Walter is unworthy of the post,' he added as Jean looked up from his food. 'He's a skilled swordsman with a good brain, but advancement is often a matter of the right connections and fortunate opportunities.' He turned to Fulke. 'At whose instigation did you change your post?'
    'Lord Theobald thought it would be a good idea,' Fulke said. 'So did everyone else.' He tensed his jaw, sensing that a storm was brewing.
    His father grunted. 'Although no one saw fit to inform me or ask my opinion about my son's future.'
    'It is only a few weeks since it happened. I would have written but the opportunity arose to come and tell you myself.' Fulke held his father's gaze. 'I made the decision to join Lord Walter of my own free will.'
    'Did you now?' Le Brun's eyes narrowed. 'And what does a stripling of fifteen know about the world?'
    'More than he did a month ago,' Fulke replied, refusing to look away although there was a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew that he risked a whipping. His father's word had always been the law and he had never challenged it because that was the way the river ran. Honour and obey. 'And,' he continued, 'enough to realise that I have more to gain by serving as Lord Walter's squire than in remaining a companion to Prince John.'
    His mother touched le Brun's sleeve and leaned to murmur something against his ear. Fulke thought he heard the words 'shield' and 'manhood'.
    For a moment his father's expression remained harsh, but gradually the lines between nose and mouth grew less pronounced and a glint of humour lit in the peat-brown eyes. 'If Lord Walter has chosen you and you have agreed to let him be your mentor, then I suppose I must yield to your judgement, since mine was wrong in securing you a place in John's chamber.'
    'Lord Walter is a good master, sir,' Jean spoke up. 'He is strict but he is fair. The King chose him above several others to be Prince John's tutor in arms and he is the Justiciar's nephew.'
    'I am not in my dotage or a dullard to be unaware of those points,' said le Brun, the humour still in his eyes, but his voice sharp with warning.
    'No, sir.' Jean looked down. 'It is just that I want you to be assured that Fulke will have no reason to regret his change of household.'
    The older man