The stranger youth was sitting up on his leafy couch. His face was still deadly pale, but his eyes gleamed brightly.
“Our Lady be thanked! He lives,” muttered the leader of the men-at-arms, to my utter amaze doffing his headpiece before the stricken youth. Then in answer:
“Master Geoffrey, God be thanked, they have not murdered thee! But these are Sir Richard of Mountjoy and the forester, Cedric, the very same that did to death thy brother, Lionel. Now we shall swing them from yonder oak limb. ’Twill heal thee faster to see thy enemies thus justly served.”
“Hubert, thou shalt not,—_on thy life_!” cried Geoffrey, his weak voice shrill with passion, “be they Mountjoys or be they sons of Beelzebub, they are good men and true, and have over and again risked their lives for mine. And I do verily believe that the tale they told at the Shrewsbury trial was the truth, and that my brother brought his death upon himself. Now cut those bonds,—and quickly.”
The soldier yet hesitated and muttered somewhat beneath his breath.
“I tell thee, Hubert,” broke out Geoffrey afresh, “thou shalt loose them, and give them horses that they may ride safely to Mountjoy. If thou disobey me, verily I’ll have thee beaten with rods and cast in the lowest dungeon of Teramore.”
Another of the men-at-arms now spoke aside to Hubert.
“He is the Master, Hubert; and we must e’en obey. Forget not that, since the death of Lionel, young Sir Geoffrey is himself the Carleton.”
Hubert drew his dagger and came toward me. From the look on his ugly face I much misdoubted whether he meant to carry out the commands of his young master or to stab me to the heart. But he quickly cut the rope that bound my wrists, and then did a like service for Cedric.
We stood erect and made our bows before the young Lord of Carleton.
“Sir Geoffrey,” said I, slowly, “thy house and mine have been bitter enemies; but glad am I to call thee friend. Wilt thou clasp hands in token?”
For answer his face lighted up with his most winsome smile, and he extended toward me his right hand in fellowship. To Cedric also he gave a clasp of such heartiness as he could compass, calling him the while brave rescuer and comrade. Then turning again to me, he said: