XXIV
"WHEN YOU HAVE TOPPED THESE STAIRS"
For an hour Raynor Royk and his men searched every nook and corner ofthe Abbey, sounding walls and floors and making a confusion such as thestately establishment had never known. But they found neither theCountess nor the Abbot. He had either escaped by one of the passagesthrough which he introduced his frail companions, or he was hiding insome secret chamber--whence he would take good care not to issue untilthe Knights had departed.
And to provide for just such contingency De Lacy, on the morrow whenthe march was resumed, detailed five of the royal men-at-arms to remainat Kirkstall. The armed retainers of the Abbey, who had been madeprisoners the instant De Bury and he entered the place, he now relievedfrom service there and enrolled them among his own following. Theywere sturdy soldiers enough, albeit they had little to do but to waxfat and sluggish by inaction and much food and, occasionally, to escortthe Abbot when he went abroad. Yet they were glad to be admitted tothe service of one who wore the Boar and they donned corselet andcasquetel with eagerness and haste--as willing now to fight against theCistercian as, an hour since, they were ready to defend him.
The Castle of Roxford lay some four leagues northwest of the Abbey. Ithad been the seat of the Lords of Darby for two centuries and more; andwhile in no way comparable with the huge Pontefract, in either size orstrength, yet it was deemed a formidable fortress and one, whenproperly garrisoned and defended, well able to withstand attack.
A broad path led from the highway half a league or so through theforest of oaks and beeches to the castle, which stood on a slighteminence in the centre of a wide clearing covered with luxuriant turf,and used for pasturing the domestic animals as well as for the sportsof the garrison. But the morning after the events at Kirkstall, whenSir Aymer de Lacy and Sir John de Bury halted near the edge of thetimber, this open space was bare of denizen, either brute or human.Nor did the fortress itself show more animation; for though they rodeslowly around its entire circle, keeping the while well under cover ofthe trees, yet not a sign of life did they discover either without orwithin. Save for the small sable banner with the three goldenescallops, which fluttered in gentle waves from the gate-tower, therewas no moving thing in all the landscape.
"It is uncommonly queer, this quiet," said De Bury, shading his eyeswith his hand to see the better. "It would almost seem they had beenwarned of our coming."
"Like enough," De Lacy answered. "They would only need to know that Iwas back in Yorkshire; and that, doubtless, reached them quick enough.There is no hope to catch them with drawbridge down," and they went onto their following.
"You know the castle, Sir John; what is the best point to attack?"Aymer asked.
The old Knight shook his head. "There is no weak spot, so far as Ihave recollection."
"Where is the postern? I did not note it."
"No postern will you find in yonder walls," De Bury answered. "Asecret exit runs beneath the moat known only to the ruling lordhimself."
"Another Kirkstall!" commented Aymer.
"Aye--yet as Darby is not within, there will be no escape by it."
With banners to the fore, they marched across the open space to thebarbican and the herald blew the parley.
No answer came from the outwork. Riding closer, De Lacy discovered itwas without defenders, and passing through he halted on the edge of thecauseway.
"Sound again!" he commanded--and this time with quick effect.
A trumpet answered hoarsely from within and a mailed form arose frombehind the crenellated parapet near the gate.
"Who summons so peremptorily the Castle of the Lords of Darby?" itasked.
Sir John's herald blew another blast.
"It is a most ignorant warder that does not recognize the arms of SirJohn de Bury and Sir Aymer de Lacy," he answered.
"What seek Sir John de Bury and Sir Aymer de Lacy at the Castle ofRoxford?" was the demand.
De Lacy waved the herald aside. "We seek the Countess of Clare who, wehave reason to believe, is held in durance here. In the name of theKing, we require you to surrender her forthwith."
"And if she be not here?"
"Then after due search, we will leave you undisturbed," the Knightreplied.
The other laughed tauntingly.
"You must needs have wings, fair sirs, to gain entrance here;" and witha scornful gesture he disappeared below the parapet, and the blast of atrumpet signified that the truce was ended.
De Lacy closed his visor, and for a time surveyed the fortress withcareful eye. Before him lay a moat full sixty feet across and twothirds full of water, with no means of passage save the drawbridge,that hung so high on its chains as to seem almost against the outerportcullis. From the farther edge the wall rose solid and grim, and,as he knew from Sir John, with no opening in all its circuit save thegate directly opposite.
"It is evident the garrison is very small," De Bury observed, "elsethey would not have abandoned the barbican without a blow."
"Undoubtedly; and if we can reach the gate or scale the wall the restis easy."
"I would we had a bombard or two that are lying idle in the armory atPontefract."
"They will not be needed," De Lacy answered. "We shall sleep in thecastle to-night."
Sir John smiled. "Have you found the wings the warder recommended?"
"We shall not require them; the gate is easier entrance than over thewalls--besides being the way naturally intended. This is not the firsttime I have forced such a castle and won it by sundown. . . Giles, wewill try the flagons; let the ropes be made ready, and bid the archersstand to their bows."
Sir John was regarding De Lacy with vexed surprise.
"Flagons!" he broke out. "Do you think to win the castle by pouringwine on the waters of the moat?"
Aymer laughed. "It is a trick I learned among the Italians, thoughthey use hollow iron balls. There were none such at Pontefract, so Isubstituted flagons; they are filled with powder, the mouth pluggedshut save for the fuse, and the whole is wrapped in a bag, also filledwith powder."
"How in the name of St. Luke do you expect to use them?"
"Come," said De Lacy, and led the way to the edge of the moat.
The squire was there uncoiling a long, stout rope with a broad ironball at one end. Fastening the other end to a projection in thebarbican, he whirled the weighted one around his head, then suddenlylet it fly. Like a bird it soared over the moat, and crossing back ofthe right lift-chain swung far down near the water. With a widegrappling hook he caught it above the ball, and drawing it in tied thetwo ends together, forming a great loop around the chain where it wasfastened to the bridge.
Hitherto there had been no opposition from the castle; but now therewas a change.
As Dauvrey whirled another weighted rope behind the left draw-chain, anarrow whistled from the wall and rapped him hard upon the hauberk nearthe gorget, piercing the outer mail, but being stayed by the innershirt of Italian steel. The next instant the shafts came thick andfurious, marking De Bury and De Lacy and the squire at every joint andseam of their harness, but without effect.
"By St. Denis, I fancy not those bolts," exclaimed De Lacy, as aquarrel from an arbalest glanced along his helmet near the eye hole."It came from the left gate tower, methought."
"From the far window," said De Bury.
"Fetch me a bow," De Lacy ordered Royk.
Drawing off his right gauntlet he notched the shaft and waited.Presently a head rose cautiously in the window and the cross-bow waslaid upon the ledge. Instantly De Lacy's fingers touched his cheek,the string twanged sweetly, and the arrow flashed across and deep intothe brain of the arbalestier.
The cry he gave as death gripped him was answered by the splash of hisweapon as it sank into the waters of the moat.
"Bravo! my lord!" Raynor exclaimed. "You are a sight for old eyes."
"It was a lucky shot," the Knight replied, handing back the stave.
Meanwhile Dauvrey
, minding the arrows rained upon him no more than somany feathers, had caught the last rope, and so both lift-chains wereencircled by a running loop. In a trice a flagon was fastened to astrand of each and drawn quickly over until it rested close against thebridge. All this time the ropes were kept swinging irregularly toprevent them being cut by arrows from the walls; though the defendershad ignored them entirely, thinking, doubtless, they were to be usedfor crossing and being quite content; for then their assailants' armormust come off and they be easy marks.
But when the bags went over they scented danger, and the darts began tohiss about the ropes. And the gate was flung back and the bridgelowered a trifle, and up it two men worked their way toward the chains.They were protected by the flooring from the fire of those at thebarbican, but Dauvrey, foreseeing just such a move, had stationedarchers on each side to meet it; and ere the two had reached the middleof the span they were pierced by half a score of arrows and rolled backinto the gateway.
"Now!" cried De Lacy. "Up with them"--and seizing the rope nearest himhe gave it a quick twist that flung the bag upon the bridge and againstthe chain; and Dauvrey did the same with the other.
At the command two archers had sprung forward with lifted bows andbarbs wrapped with burning tow and oil.
"Shoot!" Sir Aymer ordered; and straight into each bag a blazing arrowsped.
Then came a sullen roar--a burst of silvery smoke--a rush of flyingbits of iron and splinters; and as those before the barbican leapedback at the Knight's warning cry, the drawbridge crashed down upon thecauseway, its lift-chains torn clean away.
Instantly De Lacy dashed forward with waving axe; and beside him wentSir John de Bury, and at his shoulder were Dauvrey and Old Raynor Royk.And they were none too quick; for already those at the entrance weretrying to remove the planks that formed the flooring. But with a cryof "Clare! Clare!" Aymer and the others were upon them and they fledwithin the walls, swinging the gate shut just as the two Knights flungthemselves against it.
"Keep an eye upward lest they loose a turret and destroy the bridge,"De Lacy shouted, and fell to work on the gate with his heavy axe, whileDauvrey made haste to prevent the dropping of the portcullis by drivinga spike into the grooves in which it worked.
But the gate was made of heavy, seasoned oak, studded thick with ironand bound deep around the edges with well-wrought steel. And though DeLacy's blows thundered upon it until it swayed and rattled on itsmassive hinges, yet it still stood staunch and firm. Presently hepaused, and Giles Dauvrey sprang forward to take his place. But hestayed him.
"It is too strong to waste good time and strength upon," he said. "Wemust use the powder again."
Twice the flagons spoke without material result; but the third tore thegate from its fastenings, and even before the smoke had risen Sir Aymerde Lacy and Sir John de Bury hurled it back upon its hinges and dashedthrough--to be brought up short by two men in complete armor, whoattacked them furiously.
In the narrow passage, with the walls close on either side and the rooflow over head, the fighting was hampered and awkward. De Lacy and DeBury were in each other's way and neither could swing a heavy blow; yetthey pressed forward, sword and axe drawing fire as they rasped eachother or scraped against the rough stones of the arch.
Meanwhile the men-at-arms led by Raynor Royk had poured across thebridge and were crowding close in the rear.
"Bear aside, my lords!" the veteran shouted high above the din of theclashing steel. "We will sweep the way clean by a rush."
But neither Knight gave heed. Gradually De Lacy was driving his foebefore him. Step by step he forced him back, until presently they werefree of the wall and into the outer bailey. Then he first noticedthat, though his opponent bore no device upon shield or hauberk norcrest upon helm, his armor was scarcely of the sort wont to be worn byretainers or simple men-at-arms; it was far too handsome in its linesand fashion and much too beautifully forged. And as he parried thesword strokes, waiting for an opening when he could end the conflict bya crashing blow, he tried to distinguish the face behind the bars ofthe visor. At first he had thought it was some retainer masqueradingin one of Lord Darby's suits of mail, but the sword play was manifestlythat of no common soldier; it was too graceful and too skillful to havebeen learned amid the turmoil of the camp and battle. And suddenly thegreat hope came that it was Darby himself--who had eluded the King and,following after, had passed him at Pontefract. Instantly the coolmethod of his fighting vanished; his fingers took a fresh and tightergrip; his battle-cry "Clare! Clare!" rang out vengefully; and with allthe fury of his wrongs and pent-up hate he sprang in close. And as heswept his axe aloft its heavy head caught the other's sword and tore itclean away, sending it far across the bailey where it fell with a clang.
To many, here would have been the conflict's end; yet even as the hiltquit his fingers, the unknown plucked forth his heavy dagger and sprangstraight at De Lacy.
Aymer met the attack by facing on his right heel swiftly to the left,and as the other, unable to recover himself, struck wildly at the air,the axe caught him full upon the shoulder, biting through gorget andgambeson and deep into the neck beneath.
Bending over his fallen foe, De Lacy cut the lacings of the helmet anddrew it off--then started back in wonder.
Instead of the dark curls and face of Roxford's lord there weredisclosed the tonsured head and pale features of the Abbot of Kirkstall.
"Pardieu!" he exclaimed, gazing down into the face already set indeath. . . "You were my enemy, yet had I known whom this suit encased,methinks my arm had dealt an easier blow. Nathless, you were a betterknight than churchman and, mayhap, it was a proper death for you todie."
Just then, De Bury's antagonist went by, running as easy as though hismail were silk and shouting:
"To the keep! To the keep!" to those upon the walls. And behind himcame Sir John, and the squires, and Raynor Royk with all the troop.
Whirling about, De Lacy sprang after. But here had he and all theothers met their match; for strain as they might, they gained not aninch; and when the foe reached the steps they were yet fifty feet away.
The door was open for him and rushing in he flung it shut, but withsuch force that it missed the catch and rebounded--and at that instant,De Lacy thrust in his axe and he and Dauvrey threw themselves againstthe door and slowly forced it back. Then of a sudden, it yielded andthey were near to falling headlong.
Shouting his battle-cry, Aymer strode into the great hall and made forthe wide stairway at the opposite end, where the remnants of thegarrison were gathered for the final stand. There were but nine and ofthem only the three in front were garbed in steel; and in the centrewas he who had held the gate against Sir John de Bury.
Out-matched and out-armed there could be for them but one end to themelee; for though they held the vantage post yet it counted littleagainst those who were arrayed below them, eager to begin.Nevertheless, they stood calm and ready, leaning on their weapons, andshowed no glint of fear. And De Lacy, in admiration and loath to putthem to the sword, raised his axe for silence.
"You bear yourselves as men deserving of a better cause," he cried,"and I fain would not have your blood spilled needlessly. Yieldyourselves prisoners, and scathless shall you leave this castle withinthe hour--all save one, if he be among you, the flat-nosed retainer ofLord Darby. Him must I carry to the King."
A gruff laugh came from the figure in the centre and he swung his visorup.
"Aye, sirs, be not surprised. Behold him you have dubbed Flat-Nose--bytrue name, Simon Gorges--the leader of your assailants, Sir John deBury, when yon Knight saved you--the abductor of the Countess ofClare--the man who eluded you, Sir Aymer de Lacy, at the house inSheffield." And he laughed again. "And now do I thank your worshipfor the proffered clemency to my fellows, and for the honor you have instore for me. Yet am I scarce fit to stand before His Majesty; nor dothe followers of the Master of Roxford accept favor or life from theenemy of their lord. Here await we the o
nslaught, fair sirs, and letit come quickly that it may be quickly done."
"Stay!" cried De Lacy fiercely. "You have many more sins upon yoursoul, doubtless, than those just vaunted, yet will you not do oneredeeming act ere you are sped? For of a verity you shall die ere theshadows yonder lengthen by a span. Where, I ask you, shall I find theCountess of Clare?"
Flat-Nose smiled.
"You will find her when you have topped these stairs," he answered, andsnapped his visor shut.
"I claim the villain!" De Bury exclaimed.
"Take him," said De Lacy--and whispered, to Giles Dauvrey: "Keep behindSir John, and if he weaken take his place until I come."
Then with the old Knight in the middle and Aymer and Raynor Royk oneither hand, they advanced to the fight.
But whereas at the gate they were on equal footing, here the assailedhad vastly the advantage; for standing on the edge of the landing,where the stairs divided, they were high above their foes. So theconflict began warily; and on the third step below the three halted andmade play with the three above, seeking for a chance to rush up and geton even terms. But the others were not to be confused by tricks ortaken unaware, and were content to act only on the defensive and waittheir opportunity. And so they struggled for a while, with no resulton either side save that the strain grew heavy and the breath cameharder than at first.
Suddenly, Gorges' heavy blade found an opening, and Sir John de Bury,with a great hole in his helmet, staggered back and sank into the armsof the men behind him. But it brought no respite to the victor, forGiles Dauvrey stepped into the vacant place and his sword andFlat-Nose's rang viciously together.
With a groan De Lacy marked the old Knight's fall; then as for aninstant his opponent's eye wandered thither, he sprang up inside hisstroke, and gripping him with both hands about the ankles threw himover his head and clean to the pavement below.
At this moment, Raynor Royk cut down his foe and joined his leader onthe landing with the men-at-arms at his back. Then, indeed, was thefight quickly ended--save where Simon Gorges still held the squire atbay.
And while they fought a queer thing happened in the hall below, for SirJohn de Bury got suddenly upon his feet and came toward the stairs.
"You must strike harder, Flat-Nose, to reach a skull through Spanishbascinet," he said. "Yet of a verity, did you stun me sore and show mestars in millions. Have at him, De Lacy, I resign the rogue to you--mylegs are over shaky to stand on yonder stair."
De Lacy motioned all to move back.
"Flat-Nose!" he called. "You shall have one more chance. Will youyield prisoner?"
Instantly Dauvrey stepped down out of reach and grounded blade.
"To dangle in a halter from the gate tower?" scoffed Gorges, facingabout. "Not by St. Edward! Cry on your dogs."
"Has life then grown tiresome to you?"
"Marry, no! Yet it is but a change of deaths you offer; and I preferthe one that finds me sword in hand."
"You have said the Countess of Clare is in this castle. Will youaccept life from her if she decree it; or in steel harness fight me tothe death, if she condemn you?" De Lacy asked.
Flat-Nose flung down his sword and raised his visor.
"I accept the offer, Sir Knight," he said. "I will risk the lady'sjudgment. Knock upon the door in the farthest corner, and she,herself, will open to you--there is no lock upon it, save that she hasinside."
"Will you come with me, Sir John?" De Lacy called, as Dauvrey madehaste to unlace his lord's helmet and lift it off.
De Bury shook his head. "Nay, lad, it is your right first. Later willI join you and gladly."
Without further urging Aymer hurried down the corridor and tappedlightly at the door, beyond which, if Flat-Nose spoke truly, he wouldfind his lost betrothed. No answer came, and he rapped again andlouder. But within was silence and he waited vainly for response.Then with rising suspicion that he had been tricked by Darby's minion,he struck the panel sharply and with force--and the door swung backuntil it was open wide.
For a moment he hesitated; but when another knock brought no reply, heventured across the threshold and into the room a little way. Then ashis eyes chanced upon a hat with long plumes, lying on a table, andbeside it a veil and a woman's gauntlets, he was seized with suddenfright and turned to flee.
But on the instant, from behind, two arms were flung about his neck anda soft cheek was pressed against his own, and a voice, than which tohim the world contained none sweeter, whispered in his ear:
"Aymer, my lord!"