A Play of Dux Moraud by Margaret Frazer

Author:Margaret Frazer [Frazer, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery, Medieval Britain, England, Mystery & Detective, General, Drama, Great Britain, Actors, Historical, 1422-1461, Fiction, Great Britain - History - Henry VI, Great Britain - History - Henry VI; 1422-1461
ISBN: 9780425204344
Google: Jvia9eq5O8YC
Amazon: 0425204340
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2005-08-02T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

As it happened, it was Sir Edmund, Will, the Breches, and Harry Wyot who rode into the village to hear the first banns read. Whether for the rain—still pattering down in fits and starts—or other reason, neither Lady Benedicta, Mariena, nor Idonea Wyot went with them, but a good gathering of villagers drew to the church, it being near to mid-day and folk in from the fields to their dinners. Joliffe watched with Piers and Gil from under the eaves of a house across the lane from the churchyard while Father Morice, in full priestly vestments, stood in the church doorway to read out to the riders and gathered villagers the first banns, declaring that a marriage was intended and telling between whom, his voice not trained for the strain of being heard any distance in the open air. Not that it much mattered; he was heard enough for the betrothal between Amyas and Mariena to be now publicly known, with no way to break it off or stop their marriage without expensive legalities and troubles from the church.

Or death, thought Joliffe.

Finished, Father Morice came away from the church door to Sir Edmund, who leaned from his saddle to say something to him, smiling. The other men were already turning their horses away, but Will stayed at his father’s side and the villagers still lingered. With good reason, Joliffe saw, as Sir Edmund finished with Father Morice, gathered up his reins, and while turning his horse away, said something to Will. It must have been an order for something already arranged between them, because Will nodded, fumbled in the leather pouch at his belt, and brought out and threw a handful of pennies across the hard earth of the lane outside the churchyard gateway as Sir Edmund and the other men rode away. Children and a few women darted forward to snatch up the coins almost before they were on the ground. One man bent to take one that fell at his feet but otherwise the men left the scurrying to their children and wives, doing their own part by raising a brief cheer of thanks to the backs of the departing men and Will before crowding into little family groups to count their gains. Father Morice, Joliffe saw, had gone back into the church to take off his vestments.

Joliffe nudged Piers. “Now’s the time.” And to Gil, “Watch.”

Piers, ever ready to be noticed, cried a glad, “Hah-ha!” to draw people’s eyes to him and, stepping forward into the street, set five bright balls immediately fountaining from his hands to a little above his head and down and up again, around and around. People turned, first to look at him, then to gather around to watch, making a horseshoe that left Joliffe and Gil standing alone with their backs still to the house where they had sheltered.

Piers made a fair show, varying how many balls he had in the air at once and keeping them going, but it was

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.