Hoodsman: Blackstone Edge
Page 26
Edith was more alert than her husband. "Perfect. He will never agree to trade Pevensey for Mary."
"My fear is that he will," replied Raynar, "she is worth it, and not just for the lineage, but for the hold it would give him over you, my queen. What would you not agree to, if it would keep her from harm."
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William Mortain, the Earl of Cornwall, stormed out of his meeting with King Henry with Robert Belleme, the Earl of Shrewsbury, close on his heels.
"Slow down William, be calm," called Robert.
"Be calm you say! That Henry always was a little weasel. Do you know how much I detest bowing to the man. I should have drowned him in the River Seine when his brother Rufus dared me to."
"What, Rufus did that to his own brother," Robert remarked. "In any case, calm down. This all fits with our plan. We will be rid of both Henry and his shortass brother the sooner for it."
"And just how does Henry reneging on my betrothal to Mary fit with our plan, because that is what it amounts to. Did he really think I would agree not only to get no honors for marrying the mare, but to lose Pevensey at the same time? He reneged, clear and simple."
"Who cares?" replied Robert. "You only wanted her as a method of controlling the Queen. Ever since Edith's bowmen outwitted you at Alton, you have been itching to hurt her. You were the only man on that battle field that did not realize that it was a very lucky thing that we didn't go to Winchester and capture Edith before we made for London. We would have been in shallow graves today if we had harmed Edith. Those bowmen would have slaughtered us and there would have been no stopping them. She is unassailable in England. Slandering her will earn you a cut throat in any alehouse in this kingdom."
William stopped abruptly. To walk further would put other ears too close to their words. "So pray tell. How does my being belittled by that weasel Henry fit with our plan?"
"Oh, come on William. You can't say you don't lust after Mary. Every man in this palace wants to catch her alone and rip her clothes off."
"So what if I lust for her? In this dealing she was just the breeding mare." William was still angry.
"I said every man in this palace wants her, and I meant it. Henry can barely stop himself from licking his eyebrows every time he says her name. So, if it is too dangerous to use Edith to bait a trap for Henry, then why not use Mary as the bait." Robert began to snicker.
William thought it through and also began to snicker. The more he thought of it, the more he liked it, until his snicker turned into a wicked laugh. The laughter was infectious and they laughed together. "So be it," he said, "but fair is fair. I get to have my way with the girl before you do." That got them both laughing again.
THE END of The Hoodsman - Blackstone Edge
Look for more adventures of The Hoodsman in Ely Wakes.
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The Hoodsman - Blackstone Edge by Skye Smith Copyright 2010-13