Trouble in the Forest Book One: A Cold Summer Night by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Author:Chelsea Quinn Yarbro [Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Event Horizon EBooks
Published: 2015-04-30T05:00:00+00:00

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By nightfall they had reached the priory of Saint Honorius of Canterbury, and the hostel the monks maintained for the travelers, where they were received with some disapprobation on the part of the Prior, who looked askance at Marion deBeauchamp, and only consented to giving her a place to sleep if she allowed him to bar her into her cell for the night. “It isn’t seemly for a maid to dress as a man,” he declared, staring at her as if he expected the worst from her. “She must be kept apart.”

“I am willing,” she said, accepting the condition gracelessly but deciding to comply with the Prior’s orders; it was only one night.

“A bad thing,” he said later to deSteny, “letting a woman go about the world in such a guise.”

“It was the order of her father, for her protection,” said deSteny.

“And she must obey him. I do understand. But her father erred greatly.” He folded his hands in his habit sleeves and glared up at the vaulting in the refectory. “I hope this does not bode ill for her marriage.”

“And I,” said deSteny. He decided to keep his thoughts about Sir Gui and his pretty pages to himself. He was relieved that they had remained at the dining table rather than visiting the chapel. “She is not the sort of woman to comply with—” He stopped himself before he said anything inappropriate.

“You may think it is important to maintain decorum, and say nothing that would redound to your lord’s honor,” said the Prior, “but we hear many things here, on the Sussex Road near the cross-road with the London-Portsmouth Road: we hear many things.” He spread his fingers on the table as much as his knotted joints would permit. “There are almost as many rumors about Sir Gui deGisbourne as there are about the Great North Road.”

“And you would like to know if you should believe them,” said deSteny.

“They seem—ah—troubling.” He waited for deSteny to speak. “Both those about new outlaws and those about Sir Gui.”

“With good reason, I fear,” deSteny admitted. “Merchants have been set upon more often than in past years.”

The prior nodded and crossed himself. “It is more than outlaws, they say.”

“It is,” deSteny said, but ventured nothing more as much as he wanted to know what the prior had heard.

“Some fear for their souls.” The prior coughed. “Devils and imps and worse than that, according to some.”

“Perhaps not devils and imps, but dangerous creatures nonetheless,” said deSteny, wanting to end their conversation without appearing to retreat. “I think it is wise to be cautious.”

“And trust in God,” said the prior, giving deSteny a disapproving stare.

“An armed escort is as wise as prayers, perhaps wiser, at least in this world,” said deSteny. “I wouldn’t offend you for any reason, Prior, but I would recommend soldiers as well as prayers for those bound north.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” said the prior condemningly. “And Sir Gui?”

“No worse than any other popinjay,” said deSteny. “And no better.”

“Well, then, I will pray he has worthy sons to follow him.

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