The Blacksmith's Woman by R. R. Vane

Author:R. R. Vane [Vane, R. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Medieval
ISBN: 9781639540181
Google: vJs3EAAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 58602913
Publisher: Blushing Books
Published: 2021-07-09T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Tom had spent a sleepless night, but in the morning his head was clear and he’d already resolved what to do. At dawn, he rose and dressed with more care than usual, putting on his Sunday garb. He left before Beth could wake, because he’d promised to be always truthful to her, and he hadn’t wanted to lie to her when she asked where he was going. She would have tried to stop him if she’d known.

He went in search of Sir Lambert, knowing the lord might not even want to glance upon him and thinking about finding a place where the fiend would be forced to face him. He knew from Tristram de Brunne, the lord who often came to look upon the swords he was making, that every day the lords and knights convened on the practice field by the Palace.

Tom hoped to find not only Sir Lambert, but also Tristram de Brunne there. Most fancy lords were cruel, yet whenever Tom talked to Lord Tristram de Brunne, it seemed to him this lord was different. Tristram de Brunne was the best swordsman at King Henry’s court, and loved swords above all else. This was how Tom and he had met, as Lord De Brunne had commissioned a sword from him, and had liked it very much. From then on, Lord Tristram had started coming to see Tom and inquire about the swords Tom was fashioning. At times, they even tried the swords together, and Tom was grateful for the sword practice with a knight who was more skilled than he was. And he was proud to say he could hold his own pretty well against a knight, even if it was plain Lord Tristram had more skill with a sword than an untrained blacksmith could possess.

The guards barred his way just as he’d expected, because no one but lords and knights and their soldiers were allowed to step on the practice field by the Palace.

“I am Tom Reed, the smith. I’ve come to speak to Lord De Brunne about a sword,” Tom said, pointing to the sword he had fastened at his hip.

At last, one of the soldiers in the guard went to let Lord De Brunne know that a smith sought to speak to him. It seemed luck had smiled upon Tom, because perhaps a quarter of an hour later, Tristram de Brunne came to meet Tom himself with a rather puzzled look upon his handsome face:

“A sword, Tom? Did we speak of it and I forgot?”

Tom shook his head.

“My lord, it is not this. I thought perchance you may help. I need to speak to Sir Lambert and I think he may be on the practice field where lords and knights convene.”

Tristram de Brunne looked grim at the mention of Sir Lambert’s name.

“He is indeed,” he said in a clipped voice. “Why would you wish to speak to him?”

“We’ve an unsettled matter between us. And I thought that perchance, if other lords and knights

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