Page 40 of Peregrine's Call
“What’s on your mind?” Estmar asked.
“Nothing. I hope Lady Robin is well.”
“She’ll be looked after,” the guard said. “The lord seems to have taken a liking to Lady Robin—unusual women intrigue him.”
That didn’t soothe Tav’s mind. Robin was still very innocent when it came to men, despite her outward brashness. She could fend off a man who simply thought she could be forced. But she could be susceptible to charm. The idea of Pierce charming her made Tav feel slightly sick.
Robin is smarter than that, he told himself.
“Tell me, Sir Octavian, why are you here?”
“You asked me to look at your tower.”
Estmar shook his head. “England. What does England have that interests a man like you? You grew up in the very places pilgrims dream of seeing just once. You look different, your manner of speech is different. What brought you here?”
“The lord I serve has interests in England. So I’m here to carry those interests out.”
“And your lord swore allegiance to Stephen,” said Estmar.
“He did. I fight on Stephen’s side when fighting must occur.”
“But it is not from personal conviction on your part,” Estmar pressed. “If your lord served Maud, you’d have fought on her side during the same battles.”
“Yes, I suppose I would have.” If fate had gone that way, Tav never would have met Alric and the other knights he now called friends. He might have attacked them on the battlefield instead. He recoiled at the idea.
“Any army would be pleased to have a knight such as yourself,” Estmar went on. “If you wished, you could leave your lord’s service and make yourself wealthy fighting for another.”
Tav dismissed that notion out of hand. “I’ve known free lances. They’re lured in by the prospect of a fat payment, and most of time they get a fraction of what they were promised.”
“There are ways to make up the difference,” Estmar said with a slight smile.
He meant looting. Tav hadn’t liked Estmar in the first place, and he was liking him less by the hour. But he also didn’t want to make his distaste obvious.
“I’m happy enough as I am,” he told Estmar. “My lord has always treated me well, and I’m not even sure how long I’ll be in England after this. I plan to rest up, then leave Willesden with Lady Robin, just as soon as Lord Pierce realizes there’s no point in detaining us further.”
Estmar studied him for several moments. “You’ve no interest in Pierce or the battles up here?”
Tav shrugged. “As you say, I’m only here because I am on my own lord’s business.”
“But Lady Robin is not your lord’s business,” Estmar said.
“No. But I told her I’d see her safely home, and I will.” Tav now faced Estmar. “That’s the core of chivalry. And any man who gets in the way of that promise will regret it.”
The other man held his gaze, then said, “I believe you.”
“Good.” He looked back toward the east, where the moon was just rising. It was bright yellow and nearly full.
“Let’s go,” he said abruptly. “We’re riding back to Willesden tonight.”
“But the plan was to camp and examine the structure of the tower and the surrounding country tomorrow,” Estmar objected. “There is much still to examine before we know the extent of repairs needed…”
“I’ve seen everything I need to see,” Tav said, starting down the stone steps.
At the bottom of the tower, Estmar once again objected, saying that they had the necessary supplies and that the way back would be too dangerous in the dark.
“The moon will provide plenty of light,” Octavian said. “You can stay here all night if you like, Estmar, but I’d rather push through and get back late tonight. I think we could be behind the castle walls by matins.”
“They’re not expecting you!”
