Belaset's Daughter - By Feona J Hamilton Page 0,126

movement from the direction of the Priory caught his eye. Looking in that direction, he saw the same small party of men leaving at a smart trot, which broke into a canter as soon as they were fully out in the open.

It was impossible at this distance to know whether they were leaving in good or bad order. Whichever it was, they seemed to be in a hurry to return to the other camp. Jervis shrugged his shoulders and left his vantage point. He ran down the spiral stairs at a dizzyingly fast pace, and reached the bottom with his head spinning slightly. Off balance, he reeled slightly as he rounded the corner, and cannoned into Joan.

"Ooph! Master Jervis," she said, crossly.

Jervis laughed, and caught her round the waist.

"Your pardon, Mistress Joan!" he said, gaily. "No hurt, I trust?"

Joan shook her head, and tried to release herself. An unwilling smile twitched at the corners of her mouth, as Jervis released her.

"Are you going to Madeleine?" he asked. turning and walking along beside her.

"Indeed I am but

you are not!" said Joan, smartly. "My lady is not yet ready to receive anyone. Wait until she has broken her fast, Master Jervis, before you come bothering her with your silly ways!"

"Well, tell her I shall come soon," said Jervis, equably. He gave Joan another squeeze, laughed as she flapped him away, and ran back along the way they had come until he reached the door leading down again and out into the castle green. He strolled across to the small room where he kept his falcon, along with those belonging to others who lived in the castle. The man who tended them was in there, preparing to feed them with some freshly-killed small mammals. Jervis watched as the man fed all the birds. His own falcon was BOSON BOOKS

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obviously in fine fettle, responding to his greeting by mewing back at him, and shifting eagerly on the perch.

"I ll come for you later, my beauty," he said to the bird. "We ll see what the Downs can give up later today."

He nodded to the man, who knuckled his forehead and continued with his duties.

As Jervis went back across the trampled grass, he heard his name being called. He turned his head, to see Robert, his friend Philip close behind him, hurrying towards him.

They arrived with flushed faces, their eyes alight with excitement.

"Jervis, we are to prepare for battle!" said Robert, eagerly. "A message has come from the King, and we are to make ready to fight de Montfort and his men."

"I must find my lord de Warenne," said Jervis, feeling his own elation rising at the thought of a fight.

"He has sent for you," said Philip, nudging Robert to remind him.

"Yes, yes, he has," agreed Robert, hurriedly. "I was about to pass on the message, Philip!"

"Well, now you have both told me he wants me," said Jervis. Tell me where I may find him!"

"He is in his chamber he told us to tell you to go there at once!" said both youths in chorus.

Jervis laughed. The two were obviously highly delighted with the possibility of a fight.

he was excited by the thought of action himself, after a few weeks of life spent hunting and accompanying John de Warenne on his daily business. It had all seemed so tame, after the excitement in London, and the escape with Judith and Aaron. It had been good to see Aaron in Battle, of course, but since they had all returned to Lewes, that young man had naturally vanished to spend time with his wife and Belaset in their own home.

The three of them hurried into the castle and up the stairs to the floor where the de Warenne family had their private chambers. Here, Jervis stopped and turned to the other two.

"I thank you for bringing me safe here," he said, and waited. Crestfallen, the other two looked at each other and back at Jervis. He was unyielding. They were not going to learn any more, they realised, nor was he about to take them with him into de Warenne s presence. They backed away from him, and Jervis waggled his fingers at them mockingly, until they had disappeared from view. Then he turned and, assuming a more sober expression, knocked on the door in front of him. There was a shout from the other side to enter, and he did so.

Inside, John de Warenne was deep in conversation with another man, who looked up, as