“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’ baggage 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 netherstocks 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 cherrywood 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 walls, 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 goeth merrily at home, sir, as we see. ‘What now,’ quoth Master Dawson—he grows somewhat fat on good living, mark you—‘What now, do ye stay in England, Master Dimmock?’ This is to pry into our affairs, master. I made him a short answer, never fear me. ‘It’s not for me,’ quoth I, ‘to divulge what plans Sir Nicholas hath in mind.’ He stood abashed.”
“I warrant me!” Sir Nicholas said mockingly. “A rare, politic answer, my Joshua. Pray, what are my plans?”
Joshua arose with the second boot in his hand. “Nay, sir, ye have not favoured me with them yet,” he said with unabated cheerfulness. “But it was not fit that I should say as much to that fat steward. A swag-bellied, pompous ass, I make bold to say. Yet, master, and I do not speak without reflection, it might suit us well to remain snug at home now.”
Sir Nicholas stood up, his fingers busy with the untying of his points. “Further, rogue, it might suit us better to be gone again just so soon as the Venture is ready to put to sea.”
Joshua’s face fell. “Is it so indeed, master?”
The glancing blue eyes looked down at him a moment. “Rest you snug at home. Do I constrain you? I am off on a wild adventure this time.”
“The more reason to take me along,” said Joshua severely. “If you are to be off again I shall certainly accompany you.” He picked up the doublet from the bed, and frowned a stern reproof. “This is to jest, sir. I shall be at hand to keep a watch over our interests. I do not say that I had not as lief be at home, but I shall without doubt go where you go, for that is clearly my
