A Queen's Spy, - [best books under 200 pages .txt] 📗

back. Richard knelt, swaying a little, in front of him, his skin ashen.

“If I didn’t know better I would say you had just made another attempt to get rid of me.” The words were meant with humour, but the effort of speaking them took away any lightness there might have been.

“Do I take it that was meant as thanks?” Jack asked.

“Thanks? No…I do not think…thanks is a word that readily springs to mind… I would give thanks only at this moment for one thing…” Richard swallowed hard, taking a shaking breath to try and settle his body’s rhythm back towards normality.

“What’s that then?” Jack enquired.

“Unconsciousness,” Richard replied. “Where did you learn to do that?”

“Calves are often born with their legs like that,” Jack said cheerfully.

“God, you practised on animals! I am so pleased you shared that knowledge with me after the event,” Richard said. With his good arm he lowered himself shakily back to the grass and lay looking up at the clouds, they twisted, grey and confused, across an uncertain sky.

“Terrible,” Richard replied with honesty. “For my sins on earth, which are many as you keep reminding me, it appears I have been delivered to the depths of Hell early.”

“That’s probably where you deserve to be.”

“Half dead.” Richard stiffly pushed himself to sit up. “I know, before you say it, I have no one to blame for this but myself. Don’t I know it!”

“I was going to say no such thing,” Jack replied with satisfaction. “It was obvious; I didn’t think I needed to tell you.” With exaggerated ease, Jack stood and brushed the remnants of the meadow grass from his doublet. “Are you stopping there all day?”

“I am not sure I have a choice,” Richard replied, still sitting, his weight taken on his remaining good arm.

He didn’t look comfortable, Jack thought. “Here…” He extended a hand. Richard grasped his wrist and Jack pulled him smoothly back to the vertical. “To the village another day then?” Jack said, standing back while Richard straightened his aching, complaining muscles.

Richard rubbed his face with one hand and pushed tangled hair back from his eyes.

“Come on, nursemaid, I still want to go to the village.” There was a slight smile on his face as he turned towards his horse, which had obediently remained throughout the afternoon standing next to its companion. “Here’s your chance to redeem yourself.” Richard stood near Corracha. Turning his head slightly, he looked back at Jack. “There is no way I can get up on my own. Come on, I’m not often helpless. Enjoy your moment.”

“I am not enjoying it, but you are starting to tempt me to leave you here.”

“Ah well, at least we are back on the same easy terms as usual,” Richard said, exasperated. “Jack! Stop being so bloody prickly.”

Jack, feeling a little guilty at the accuracy of the observation, moved to lift Richard into his saddle. “Come on, let’s get you to the village so you can make someone else’s life a misery.” Jack lifted himself smoothly onto his own horse. Suddenly he blurted the words that had been burning inside him all day. “I regret what happened; if you cannot forgive me I shall leave.” He looked across to make sure Richard was listening. “But do not keep me here to torment.”

“Have I been tormenting you? I think you’ve been doing a fine job of that yourself; you needed no help from me.” Richard turned his horse to draw level with Jack’s, the reins held in his good hand. “I’m confident, even if you aren’t, that it won’t happen again. Please spare me and the rest of the world the penitent man. There is little of value or use to be gained from it, for either of us; the competent man is much preferred.”

Jack took his words in silence, a response beyond him.

“God, Jack, can I not say it plain enough? Bloody well forget it. It’s in the past in my mind. Let it be the same in yours.”

“Sorry,” Jack managed, his voice stilted.

“I was just being…”

Jack cut him off, a weary smile on his face, “Your usual self. Yes, I know. Come on. Let’s get to the village before people start to believe I have tried to rid the earth of you.”

“I would view it as an improvement if I could remain in the saddle, if I didn’t have to rely on your calving talents, and if you would ride with a slightly easier conscience. You make for poor company sitting there glum and silent. Despite what you think, I prefer you as a rash fool rather than a repentant sinner. The halo does not sit well,” Richard said drily.

“And I thought I was on my best behaviour,” Jack said innocently.

“Spare me it, please,” Richard said, his voice sounded weary.

Whether the day had eased the tension that Jack felt was between them remained to be seen. Jack still struggled with what he had done. He could not forget it, but at least the subject was buried in a shallow grave. Time would place further layers of dirt over the insubstantial scattering of platitudes until it was well sunk within their minds.

 

†

 

Midday found them in the village and Richard leading them to an inn. In the recent past, unless he had ridden abroad alone before, Jack could think of no time he could have been there. Richard bade Jack remain in the yard with the horses and there was a little less officiousness in his tone.

Jack amused himself watching the rounded behind of a tavern wench bob up and down as its owner busied herself washing what appeared to be furs in the horse trough. Such was her vigour that much of the ground around the trough stood deep in water. Beyond the pond, glittering tracks ran across the yard to find new cracks and dips to explore; Jack stepped sideways to preserve the dryness of his feet as one such minor river branched from the delta at the trough’s source and set a course towards him. The move, when he looked past the hessian-clad backside, gave him a view into the inn where he saw Richard in close conversation. He did not recognise the short man, clothed in ragged poverty, that he was talking to. Jack looked back at the maid of the large behind to avoid any accusation of spying; Richard had already told him bitingly that his reasons for coming here were private.

 

†

 

Richard quickly found the man he had ridden to the village to meet, waiting for him inside the inn.

“I thought you weren’t coming. It’s been a long time since I saw your face,” the short man said, shifting his weight and leaning heavily on the stick he carried.

“A while,” agreed Richard, smiling, he gestured for the man to seat himself.

“I’ll not stop. I have what you want, but I can’t understand why you want it.” The man dug beneath the layers of dirty fabric and retrieved a packet wrapped in pigskin and tied tightly with cord.

“Steven, my thanks.” Richard deftly exchanged the bundle for coins.

“Ah, I wish I could say no to you.” The old face was sad, the eyes that looked into Richard’s were watery with age.

Richard clapped the man on the arm. “The world is, as you and I have found out, most wholly unfair.”

Steven looked up at that, but Richard was glancing from the window. “Why do you want it? It’ll do you no good. I can’t see the use of it. It’ll do you no good against Robert either; if he knew you’d got that, he’d not rest till he’s killed you. You be careful.”

A slight smile wandered onto the younger face. “And do you think he’ll manage to put a knife between my ribs?”

Steven’s face cracked into a toothless grin. “Ah God, lad, no, I suppose not. Never could, never will.”

“Well, your confidence cheers me.” Richard smiled.

 

†

 

Jack did not have long to wait before Richard returned to the yard, squinting as he emerged into the light, and summoned Jack join him. Jack did not ask about the man Richard had met. The day was going well, why make it take a turn for the worse?

Ale arrived and Jack filled the cups from the pitcher. “So, back to Hazeldene next?” he enquired, attempting to start the conversation off on a safe and neutral line.

Richard was swirling his drink around the cup, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere. Jack did not press his question but waited. At last Richard sat back, careful not to place any weight on his injured shoulder, and observed his brother. “Tell me something, Jack. Why do you stay? For let us not lie, it’s not for love of myself, is it?”

Jack was caught off guard. He didn’t know what to say. The response that came to mind would sound stupid in the face of what Richard had just said.

Richard continued. “No reason at all then?”

“I haven’t got a lot of choice at the moment; Harry will be after both of our hides. Why do you ask?”

“Idle curiosity, nothing else. There must be some reason.” Richard leant across the table. “Do you not feel sometimes that you would like to make the world a fairer place? It has treated you badly, hasn’t it? Would it not be just to take what should have been yours? Would it not be easy to take what I have?”

“What do you mean? You have nothing anyway,” Jack said, confused.

Richard laughed. “I have quite a lot: a name, money, power.”

“Where exactly?” Jack laughed. “You’re the third son of a family that’ll have nothing to do with you. I would say that makes your position in this world little better than mine.”

“I am pleased to see you hold me in such high esteem,” Richard said.

Jack sensed that the previous conversation, whatever it had been, had been closed by Richard. He was still confused, but caution told him not to pursue it. Instead, he said, “We’ve been here for weeks now. Any signs yet of some plans to move?”

“Death is not as timely as you would like?” Richard asked.

“I wish it on no one: do not imply that I do. I just wanted to know if we are to be called to act.”

“Byrne returns from London today. I shall know more then. There is a message network to which I am not privy. Yet,” Richard’s face showed a slight smile, “worry not, Jack, as soon as I know I will run to find you. Either way, we get paid, and that is, after all, the crux of the matter. I would have thought you would have preferred the opportunity to take the money without having to wield steel to earn it.”

“That would suit me fine.” Jack drained his cup and reached for the pitcher once more. “I just like to know what’s happening. This place is so far removed no news passes here.”

“Which, as it happens, is a good thing, don’t you agree? No one is going to track us easily to Hazeldene. I have a task for you. Here…” Richard pulled from his loosened jacket a purse and passed it to Jack who accepted the coins with a puzzled look. “It will take you a couple of days. You know where all the men are.