kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第4部分

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rion　ever　had；　and　more　of　the　ways　of　people。
The　eyes　were　the　same；　though　…　the　grey　Haldane　eyes　that　could　pierce　all　subterfuge　and　read　a　man's　soul；　even　if　the　vigor　of　merely　human　potential　were　not　enhanced　by　Haldane　magic。　The　silky　black　hair　was　Brion's；　too；　though　Kelson　wore　it　far　longer　of　late　than　his　father　ever　had　…　short　across　his　forehead；　but　almost　brushing　his　shoulders　on　the　sides。　A　golden　circlet　chased　with　an　interlace　design　bound　the　long　part　off　his　face；　but　the　back　was　rumpled　where　it　had　caught　the　high…standing　collar　of　his　formal　court　robe。　Kelson　raked　the　fingers　of　one　hand　through　the　snarls　and　glanced　aside　at　Morgan　with　a　mischievous　grin　as　he　let　the　curtains　fall　back　into　place。
〃I've　a　mind　to　do　something　that　I　know　will　vex　you；〃　he　said；　beginning　to　shrug　out　of　his　heavy　outer　robe。　〃Would　you　be　terribly　cross　if　I　went　off　and　left　you　here　for　a　few　days　to　supervise　the　bishops？〃
Adopting　the　bland　expression　as　well　as　the　stance　of　a　valet；　Morgan　caught　Kelson's　robe　before　it　could　slip　to　the　floor　and　laid　it　aside；　gathering　up　the　fur…lined　cloak　of　scarlet　that　the　king　had　worn　earlier　in　the　day。
〃I　shan't　deny　that　listening　to　a　pack　of　bishops　argue　is　among　my　least　favorite　occupations　…　or　that　I　should　prefer　you　didn't　go　too　far　afield；　this　close　to　Meara；〃　he　said　neutrally。　〃On　the　other　hand；　you　generally　have　good　reasons　for　the　things　you　want　to　do。　Where；　specifically；　did　you　plan　to　go？〃
Still　grinning；　the　king　took　off　his　circlet　long　enough　to　rub　his　forehead　where　the　band　had　pressed；　before　turning　to　back　into　the　cloak　Morgan　extended。　In　the　process；　one　long　strand　of　hair　caught　on　the　wire　of　the　great　ruby　winking　in　his　right　earlobe；　and　he　tossed　his　head　to　free　it　as　he　settled　the　circlet　back　on　his　head。
〃Why；　Morgan；　you're　beginning　to　sound　like　a　true　courtier；〃　he　said；　adjusting　the　cloak　on　his　shoulders　and　snapping　the　clasp　as　Morgan　freed　his　hair　from　the　sable　collar。　〃I　need　to　go　to　Trurill；　though。　I'd　planned　to　include　it　in　my　progress　this　summer；　but　Carsten's　death　interrupted　that；　as　you　know。　It　occurs　to　me　that　this　might　be　my　last　chance　to　poke　about　before　the　rains　start。〃
〃Why　Trurill；　in　particular？〃　Morgan　asked。　〃Do　you　have　reason　to　suspect　trouble　there？〃
〃No。　But　if　Meara　should　go　more　sour　than　it　already　has；　I'd　like　to　be　certain　of　my　border　barons。　Brice　of　Trurill　says　he's　loyal　…　all　of　them　do；　when　I'm　nearby　and　they're　this　far　from　Rhemuth　…　but　in　another　few　weeks；　he'll　be　beyond　my　reach　until　the　spring。〃
Morgan　grimaced；　personal　distaste　for　the　job　Kelson　was　leaving　him　giving　way　to　very　real　concern　for　the　royal　safety。
〃Are　you　sure　this　isn't　just　an　excuse　to　get　out　of　an　onerous　job？〃　he　murmured。　〃I　hasten　to　remind　you　that　the　troops　we　brought　from　Rhemuth　are　not　accustomed　to　the　ways　of　the　bordermen。　Up　here；　they　fight　an　entirely　different　kind　of　skirmish。　If　Brice　isn't　loyal　…　〃
〃If　he　isn't　loyal；　then　I　need　to　know；〃　Kelson　interrupted。　〃I'm　taking　Duncan's　Jodrell　as　guide。　He's　familiar　with　the　area。〃　He　paused　to　grin。　〃And　of　course　it's　an　excuse　to　get　out　of　an　onerous　job。　You　don't　think　I'd　be　fool　enough　to　go　into　the　borderlands　without　you　if　I　really　thought　Brice　was　vacillating；　do　you？　You　taught　me　better　than　that。〃
〃I　should　like　to　think　so；〃　Morgan　returned；　little　reassured。　〃I　just　hope　you're　as　good　a　judge　of　character　as　you　think　you　are。　I've　met　this　Brice。　He's　a　tricky　devil。〃
〃Tricky　enough　to　lie　to　me　and　get　away　with　it？〃
〃Probably　not。　But　he　might　not　tell　all　the　truth；　either。　Half…truths　can　sometimes　be　more　dangerous　than　outright　lies　…　and　Truth…Reading　isn't　much　defense　against　that。〃
Kelson　shrugged。　〃That's　true。　But　I　fancy　I　know　enough　to　ask　the　right　questions。〃
Morgan　said　nothing；　but　he　was　thinking　that　sometimes　Kelson　did　now　know　quite　as　much　as　he　thought　he　did。　The　boy　was　more　experienced　than　many　other　young　men　of　far　more　years；　and　mature　for　his　age。　God　knew　…　he　could　not　have　survived　the　past　three　years　if　he　were　not　…　but　he　sometimes　tended　to　take　his　newly　gained　maturity　for　granted　and　to　overestimate　what　could　be　done。　Age　and　further　experience　would　pensate　for　that　in　time；　but　meanwhile；　the　king　sometimes　gave　Morgan　the　odd；　anxious　moment。
Still；　Morgan　supposed　that　Kelson　could　not　get　into　too　much　trouble　this　close　to　Culdi；　and　with　the　local　barons　aware　that　the　king's　champion　was　not　far　away　and　expecting　a　prompt　return。　In　all　ages；　fledglings　must　be　permitted　to　try　their　wings　…　even　if　the　trying　sometimes　turned　their　mentors　prematurely　grey。　Morgan　was　suddenly　grateful　that　his　hair　was　already　light；　so　Kelson　would　never　know　the　extent　of　the　anxiety　he　caused。
〃You　aren't　really　worried；　are　you？〃　Kelson　asked　after　a　few　seconds；　when　Morgan　did　not　speak；　apparently　sensing　the　other's　reservations。　〃Nothing　is　going　to　happen。　Ewan　is　dying　to　get　away　to　the　mountains　for　a　few　days　…　I　think　he　dislikes　being　cooped　up　at　court　even　more　than　you　do　…　and　I　thought　I'd　take　Conall　along；　as　well。　Maybe　a　little　patrol　work　will　teach　him　patience。　It's　a　courtesy　call；　Alaric　…　that's　all。　I　want　to　see　how　Brice　operates　when　he　isn't　expecting　me　to　see。〃
〃Do　as　you　wish；　then；〃　Morgan　muttered。　〃You　will；　anyway。　I　don't　know　why　I　bother　worrying。〃
Kelson　grinned；　a　boyish　quirk　of　a　smile　which　was　quite　at　odds　with　his　regal　attire　and　bearing。
〃I　think　you　do。　I　do；　if　you　don't。　And　the　day　you　stop　worrying　is　the　day　I'll　start。〃　He　touched　Morgan　lightly　on　the　shoulder。
〃Just　keep　our　wayward　bishops　in　line　for　me；　Alaric。　I'll　be　back　in　a　few　days。〃

By　the　following　afternoon。　Kelson　was　beginning　to　wonder　whether　he　had　truly　gotten　the　better　end　of　the　bargain。　He　had　expected　the　weather　to　hold　for　at　least　another　week；　but　as　he　and　his　warband　rode　west　along　the　river　toward　Trurill　…　a　full　two　dozen　knights　and　men…at…arms；　in　addition　to　squires　and　servants　…　the　air　grew　increasingly　still　and　oppressive。　An　annoying　drizzle　set　in　just　before　noon；　dampening　dispositions　as　well　as　armor　and　equipment。　Conall；　riding　beside　his　royal　cousin；　spent　nearly　all　of　their　brief　meal…break　plaining　about　the　weather；　but　at　least　the　more　important　grumbling　of　the　men　was　mostly　good…natured。　The　road　was　still　good；　the　rain　only　settling　the　dust　as　they　resumed　travel。　At　midafternoon　they　entered　an　area　of　sparse　forest；　where　the　drizzle　subsided　to　a　less　irritating　drip　as　it　filtered　through　the　trees。
They　heard　the　sound　of　fighting　long　before　they　came　upon　it。　The　shrill　whinnies　of　horses　in　distress　warned　them　first；　setting　their　own　blooded　warhorses　to　prancing　and　snorting　with　anticipation。　As　shouts　and　the　clash　of　steel　began　to　reach　them。　Duke　Ewan　signalled　a　halt　and　sent　two　advance　riders　spurring　on　ahead　to　investigate。　Kelson；　who　had　been　chatting　with　several　of'his　younger　knights　halfway　back　along　the　column；　eased　his　mount　forward　at　once；　tugging　distractedlyat　a　gauntlet　cuff。
〃Jodrell；　were　you　expecting　any　activity　along　here？〃　the　king　called　softly；　as　he　drew　rein　beside　their　guide。
The　young　Kierney　baron　only　shook　his　head；　still　poised　in　a　listening　attitude。　When　the　outriders　did　not　return　within　a　few　minutes。　Kelson　silently　signalled　Saer　de　Traheme　to　begin　stripping　the　waterproof　cover　off　the　Haldane　battle　standard。
〃What　are　we　waiting　for；　Ewan？〃　Conall　fretted；　standing　in　his　stirrups　to　peer　ahead　into　the　forest　gloom。　〃If　there's　trouble；　we　should　try　to　stop　it！〃
Old　Ewan；　sitting　his　horse　ahead　of　the　two　Haldanes　and　at　right　angles　to　them；　squeezed　his　eyes　to　calculating　slits　as　he　glanced　in　their　direction；　armored　hand　already　fingering　his　sword　hilt。　His　bushy　red　beard　protruded　beneath　his　helmet　quite　without　discipline　of　razor　or　scissors。
〃Their　trouble；　not　ours。　Your　Highness　…　unless；　of　course；　we　insist　upon　charging　into　things　without　knowing　what　we're　about。　Hush　ye；　now；　so　I　can　listen。〃
Still　the　silence　was　broken　only　by　the　continuing　sounds　of　the　distant　fighting　and　the　closer　noises　of　the　Haldane　greathorses　held　in　check；　bits　and　chains　jingling；　leather　creaking；　mail　clinking　softly　as　the　knights　strained　to　hear。　Kelson　surveyed　the　two　dozen　mounted　knights　settling　helmets　on　heads　and　taking　up　shields　behind　him；　then　shifted　his　attention　back　to　Ewan。
〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　whispered。
Ewan　slowly　shook　his　head。　〃I　dinnae　know　yet；　Sire。　We're　on　the　edge　of　Trurill　holdings；　eh；　Jodrell？　That　means　that　Trurill　levies　are　likely　on　one　side　of　whatever's　dusting　up。〃
The　border　baron　nodded。　〃Aye；　Your　Grace　…　though　it's　God's　good　guess　who's　on　the　other　side。　I'd　wait　for　Macaire　and　Robard；　if　I　were　you。　Sire。〃
〃I　fully　intend　to。〃
〃But；　can't　we　…　〃　Conall　began。
〃No；　we　can't；〃　Kelson　murmured；　giving　Conall　a　warning　look　as　he　twisted　to　take　the　shield　that　his　squire　had　brought　forward。　〃Jodrell；　check　the　men；　please。〃
Conall　started　to　object　again　as　Jodrell