The King's Esquires; Or, The Jewel of France

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

  A FEW BARS' REST.

  A short time later, the dull aching pain seemed to have passedcompletely out of the injured shoulder, and after a few words evincinghis gratitude, which Leoni received with a rather cynical smile, theypassed together, led by their new young friend, into the long lowdining-hall of the house, where the King, in company with Saint Simon,both apparently none the worse for the previous night's experience, wasimpatiently waiting, and conversing with his host, a tall grey-beardedman of sixty, whose aspect told at once that he was father to the youthwho ushered in the injured lad.

  "Let me introduce my son, my lord," said Sir John. "Ned, my boy, thisis Comte de la Seine, a French nobleman about to visit your royalmaster's Court. My lord, my fighting days have long been over, and Ionly serve my King now with my counsel; but he has honoured me byaccepting the service of my only son for his father's sake, and has madehim, young as he is, one of the King's esquires."

  "And a brave one too, I'll warrant," said Francis, holding out his hand,quite forgetful of his new character as a travelling nobleman, for hishost's heir to kiss.

  He winced slightly, his face twitched, and an ejaculation nearly passedhis lips, while the sinister look on Master Leoni's countenance deepenedas he half closed his eyes, at heart enjoying the scene; for the youthadvanced with the frank, manly courtesy of a young Englishman, andinstead of bending over and kissing, courtier-like, the extended hand,he took it and shook it with a hearty grip.

  "I am glad to know my father's guest, my lord," he said. "It was notfrom want of respect that I was not here before. I have been with youresquire.--He was badly hurt yesterday, father; he mustn't go on. Youmust keep him here for days, till we have set him right."

  "Gladly, my boy," cried Sir John, "if his lordship will honour my poorhome with his presence."

  "Oh no, no," said the King shortly. "Why, Denis, boy, you are not sobad as that. Here, Master Leoni, what have you to say?"

  "That he must rest two or three days at least, sir. His arm is badlywrenched, and he is not fit to sit a horse."

  "But he sat one bravely enough last night," cried the King.--"But, SirJohn, are all your roads like this? If the people we passed last nightcould have had their way you would have no guests to throw themselvesupon your kindness, for we should have been lying somewhere in theforest to feed the English crows. But there, we have kept you waitinglong enough," and he made a gesture towards the well-spread board.

  Sir John raised his eyebrows slightly, for his visitor's imperious,authoritative way impressed him unfavourably. But no suspicion of hisstatus occurred to him then, and directly after he was busily employeddoing the honours of his table, the good things spread thereon soonhaving a mollifying influence upon his guest, whose autocratic waysbecame less prominent under the influence of a most enjoyable meal.

  Thoroughly softened then by his meal as far as temper was concerned, theKing now began to find out that he was exceedingly stiff, and questionedSaint Simon a good deal about his sensations, to learn that he too wasin the same condition.

  "Ah, well," he said, "riding will soon take that off. Here, let's goand have a look at the horses."

  Sir John accompanied his guest into the great stable-yard, followed bySaint Simon and the two young esquires.

  The chargers had been carefully tended by Sir John's men, who did notfail to point out that they were not taking their corn happily; and itwas perfectly evident to everyone that their hard day's work, followingso closely upon much riding down to the port and the stormy crossing,had made them in a very unsatisfactory condition.

  "Humph!" grunted the King. "They don't look as I should like."

  "Splendid beasts," said Sir John; "but they want eight and forty hours'rest. You will not think of continuing your journey to-day?"

  "Indeed but I shall," said the King,--"er--that is--how do you thinkthey look, Saint Simon?"

  "Bough," said the young man laconically.

  The King grunted and frowned.

  "I fear you think that you will not be welcome, my lord," said Sir John,"and I beg that you will dismiss all such thoughts. Make up your mind,pray, to stay for the next eight and forty hours. I beg you will. Thenwe shall see how the poor beasts are. Besides, we have to think of ouryoung friend."

  The result was that the King consented to stop for the aforesaidforty-eight hours, at the end of which time, feeling himself verycomfortable and enjoying his host's company, he needed very littlepressure to prolong his stay, especially as Leoni announced that, thoughDenis was mending fast, riding might have a bad effect and delay hisrecovery.

  The King's Esquires--by George Manville Fenn