The Pillars Of The Earth Page 0,87

could master her. It was a feeling almost like lust.

She was playing with a boy three years or so younger than she. He had a restless, impatient look: he did not like the game. William could see a family resemblance between the two players. Indeed, the boy looked like Aliena as William remembered her from childhood, with a snub nose and short hair. This must be her younger brother Richard, the heir to the earldom.

William went closer. Richard glanced up at him, then returned his attention to the board. Aliena was concentrating. Their painted wooden board was shaped like a cross and divided into squares of different colors. The counters appeared to be made of ivory, white and black. The game was obviously a variant of merels, or ninemen's morris, and probably a gift brought back from Normandy by Aliena's father. William was more interested in Aliena. When she leaned forward over the board, the neck of her tunic bowed out, and he could see the tops of her breasts. They were as large as he had imagined. His mouth went dry.

Richard moved a counter on the board, and Aliena said: "No, you can't do that."

The boy was put out. "Why not?"

"Because it's against the rules, stupid."

"I don't like the rules," Richard said petulantly.

Aliena flared up. "You have to obey the rules!"

"Why do I?"

"You just do, that's why!"

"Well, I don't," he said, and he tipped the board off the bench onto the floor, sending the counters flying.

Quick as a flash, Aliena slapped his face.

He cried out, his pride as well as his face stung. "You-" He hesitated. "You devil-fucker," he shouted. He turned and ran away-but after three steps he cannoned into William.

William picked him up by one arm and held him in midair. "Don't let the priest hear you call your sister such names," he said.

Richard wriggled and squealed. "You're hurting me-let me go!"

William held him a little longer. Richard stopped struggling and began to cry. William put him down, and he ran off in tears.

Aliena was staring at William, her game forgotten, a puzzled frown wrinkling her brow. "Why are you here?" she said. Her voice was low and calm, the voice of an older person.

William sat on the bench, feeling rather pleased about the masterful way he had dealt with Richard. "I've come to see you," he said.

A wary look came over her face. "Why?"

William positioned himself so that he could watch the staircase. He saw, coming down into the hall, a man in his forties dressed like a high-ranking servant, in a round cap and a short tunic of fine cloth. The servant gestured to someone, and a knight and a man-at-arms went up the stairs together. William looked at Aliena again. "I want to talk to you."

"About what?"

"About you and me." Over her shoulder he saw the servant approaching them. There was something a little effeminate about the man's walk. In one hand he carried a loaf of sugar, dirty-brown in color and cone-shaped. In his other hand was a twisted root that looked like ginger. The man was obviously the household steward, and he had been to the spice safe, a locked cupboard in the earl's bedroom, for the day's supplies of precious ingredients, which he was now taking to the cook: sugar to sweeten a crab-apple tart, perhaps, and ginger to flavor lampreys.

Aliena followed William's gaze. "Oh, hello, Matthew."

The steward smiled and broke off a piece of sugar for her. William had a feeling that Matthew was very fond of Aliena. Something in her demeanor must have told him that she was uncomfortable, for his smile turned to a concerned frown and he said: "Is everything all right?" His voice was soft.

"Yes, thank you."

Matthew looked at William and his face registered surprise. "Young William Hamleigh, isn't it?"

William was embarrassed to be recognized, even though it was inevitable. "Keep your sugar for the children," he said, although he had not been offered any. "I don't care for it."

"Very well, lord." Matthew's look said that he had not got where he was today by making trouble for the sons of the gentry. He turned back to Aliena. "Your father brought back some wonderful soft silk-I'll show you later."

"Thank you," she said.

Matthew went away.

William said: "Effeminate fool."

Aliena said: "Why were you so rude to him?"

"I don't let servants call me 'Young William.' " This was not a good way to begin wooing a lady. William realized with a sinking feeling that he had got off to