The Black Douglas

  CHAPTER XIV

  CAPTAIN OF THE EARL'S GUARD

  "Sholto MacKim," said the Earl of Douglas, abruptly, "saw you the ladywho arrived with the foreign ambassador?"

  "She is indeed wondrous fair to look on," answered Sholto, the wholeheart in him instantly wary, while outwardly he seemed more innocentthan before.

  "Have your eyes ever lighted on that lady before?"

  "Nay, my lord, of a surety no. In what manner should they, seeing thatI have never been in France in my life, nor indeed more than a scoreof miles from this castle of Thrieve?"

  "Thou art a good lad, and also ready of wit, Master Sholto," said theEarl, looking at the armourer's son musingly. "Clear of eye and trueof hand, so they tell me. Did you not win the arrow prize this day?"

  Lord William raised his eyes to where in the bonnet of the youth hisown golden badge of archery glistened.

  "And I also won the swording prize at the last wappenshaw on the moothill of Urr," said Sholto, taking courage, and being resolved that ifhis fortune stood not now on tiptoe, it should not be on account ofany superfluity of modesty on his own part.

  "Ah," said the Earl, "I remember. It was two golden hearts joinedtogether with an arrow and a star in the midst--a fitting Douglasemblem, by the bones of Saint Bride! Where hast thou left that badgethat thou dost not wear it along with the other?"

  Sholto blushed and muttered that he had forgotten it at home. He wasall of a breaking perspiration lest he should have to tell the Earlthat he had given it to Maud Lindesay, as indeed he meant to dopresently, along with the golden buckle of archery,--that is if thedainty, mischievous-hearted maiden could be persuaded to acceptthereof.

  "Ah," said the Earl, smiling, "I comprehend. There is some maid in thequestion, and if I advance you to the command of my house-guard andgive you an officer's responsibility, you will of a surety be everdesiring to go gadding to the greenwood--and around the loch ofCarlinwark are most truly dangerous glades."

  "Nay, indeed nay," cried Sholto, eagerly. "If it is my lord's will toappoint me to his guard, by Saint Bride and all the other saints Iswear never to leave the island, unless it be sometimes of a Sundayafternoon for an hour or two--just to see my mother."

  "Your mother!" quoth the Earl, laughing heartily. "So then my twogolden hearts are in your mother's keeping. Art a good lad, Sholto,and as for guile it is simply not in thee!"

  Sholto looked modestly down upon the earth, as if conscious of his ownexceeding merits, but willing for the nonce to say nothing about them.But the young Earl came over to him, and dealing him a sound buffet onthe back, cried: "Nay, lad, that lamb-like look I have seen tried onmine uncle the Abbot of Sweetheart. Thy brother Laurence is in the wayof clerkly advancement on account of that same sweetly innocentregard, which he hath in even greater perfection. But I am a youngman, remember--and one youth flings not glamour easily into the eyesof another. Sholto, neither you nor I are any better than we shouldbe, and if we are not so evil as some others, let us not set up asoverwhelmingly virtuous. For at twenty virtue is mostly but lack ofopportunity."

  Sholto blushed so becomingly at this accusation that if the Earl hadnot seen the brothers locked in the death grip like crabs in afishwife's creel, even he might have been deceived.

  "Nevertheless," continued the Earl, "in spite of your claims tovirtue, I am resolved to make you officer of my castle-guard--if notin name, at least in fact. For old Landless Jock of Abernethy mustkeep the name while he lives, and stand first when my steward pays outthe chuckling golden Lions at Whitsun and eke Lady Day. But you shallhave enough and be no longer a charge upon your father. Malise shouldbe a proud man, having both his sons provided for in one day."

  The Earl turned him about with his usual quick imperiousness."Malise," he cried, "Malise MacKim!"

  And again the "word" ran through the castle, escaped the gate,circumnavigated the moat, and ran round the circle of the tents tillthe shouts of "Malise, Malise," could have been heard almost at thedeserted fords of Lochar, where sundry varlets were watching for achance to search the deserted pavilions for anything left behindtherein by the knights and squires.

  Presently there was seen ascending to the moat platform the huge formof the master armourer himself. He stood waiting his master'spleasure, with a knife which he had been sharpening in his hand. Itwas a curious weapon, long, thin, and narrow in the blade, which wasdouble-edged and ground fine as a razor on both sides.

  "Ah, Malise," said the Earl, "you have not taught your son amiss. Hethreatens to turn out a most marvellous lad, for not only can he makeweapons, but he can excel the best of my men-at-arms in their use.Have you any objection that he be attached to my guard?"

  The strong man smiled with his usual calm, and kept his humorous greyeyes fixed shrewdly on the Earl.

  "Aye," he said, "it is indeed more fitting that Sholto, my son, shouldride behind my Lord of Douglas than stiff old Malise upon his Flandersmare."

  The Earl blushed a little, for he remembered how the armourer hadoffered to ride behind him after he had shod Black Darnaway at theCarlinwark. He went on somewhat hastily.

  "I have resolved to make your son, Sholto, officer of thecastle-guard. It is perhaps over-responsible a post for so young aman, yet I myself am younger and have heavier burdens to bear. AlsoLandless Jock is growing old and stiff, and will not suffer to bespoken to. For my father's sake I cannot be severe with him. He willdie in his charge if he will, but on Douglasdale and not at Thrieve.So now I would have your son do my bidding without question, which ismore than his father ever did before him."

  "I can answer for Sholto," said Malise MacKim. "He is afraid ofnothing save perhaps the strength of his father's right arm. He iscool enough in danger. Nothing daunts him except the flutter of afarthingale. But then my lord knows well that is a fault mostcommendable in this castle of Thrieve. Sholto will be an honestcaptain of your house-carls, if you see to it that the steward locksup his loaves of sugar and his most toothsome preserves."

  "Faith," cried the Earl, heartily, "I know not but what I would joinMaster Sholto in a raid on these dainties myself."

  In this fashion was Sholto MacKim placed in command of the house-guardof the castle of Thrieve.