“I am certain they would take sword instruction from you quite readily.”
Eric’s smile faded. “Nay,” he said. “I do not teach that any longer. I have not in some time.”
“May I ask why?” Jonathan asked. “Because of an old injury? I know you used to serve Henry, long ago.”
“How did you know that?”
“I heard one of the men speaking about it.”
Eric’s gaze lingered on him for a moment as his mood began to sour. “Nay,” he said. “No injury. I am certain a man like you, a Blackchurch knight, would not understand, but not all of us are as strong as you are. I was badly injured in battle years ago, andsince then I cannot bear to pick up a sword. I have not fought in a battle since that time.”
Jonathan frowned. “But you were part of the siege of Axminster,” he said. “I saw you on the wall.”
“Giving orders only,” Eric said quietly. “I tell men what to do. I simply do not lead by example. That is why my sergeants give the men weapons training. If I try to pick up a sword, I break into a sweat. I am not proud of it, but it is the way of things. I’m sure you can imagine how humiliating it is to have you and de Lohr here, protecting a castle I should be more than capable of protecting.”
Jonathan could see that they were on a sensitive subject so he simply shook his head. “We are simply here to help,” he said. “I swear that we never intended to humiliate you.”
Eric shrugged as if he didn’t quite believe that. “It is what Hereford wanted, anyway,” he said. “But your apology is noted. You did not have to do it. I did not expect you to.”
“Why not?”
“Because why would a knight like you apologize to a knight like me? I am beneath such things.”
Jonathan frowned, preparing to deny that statement, but Isabel caught sight of Eric and called to him. He quickly excused himself, going to Isabel, who took the sack from him. She peered into it and, delighted, began pulling out fat purple plums. She began handing them out to her ladies as Jonathan watched, realizing that le Kerque had been reduced to a figurehead, a messenger, a servant to Lady Isabel, and little else because of his fear of weapons. Jonathan had seen men like that before, men who had a brush with death and found the prospect of facing it again terrifying.
A sad situation, indeed.
Pondering that very thing, he slowly made his way back over to Davyss, wondering if he could possibly help le Kerque. Heplanned to tell Douglas what the man had told him, and perhaps together they could figure something out. He had just reached Davyss, who was commenting on the fact that he, too, wanted one of those giant plums, when Eric was suddenly in their midst.
“Listen to me,” he hissed. “Off to your left, near the intersection of the main road and another avenue that leads to the church, are several Tatworth men. I have already suggested to Lady Isabel that she start moving her women back to the escort.”
Jonathan and Davyss immediately looked over at the indicated area. There were crowds of people all around, including merchants and their stalls, so it was difficult to get a clear field of vision. However, they could see a group of men standing near a corner, men who seemed to be having a lively conversation.
“That group over there?” Jonathan asked. “There are seven of them, I think.”
“Aye,” Eric said, spying the same men. “I recognize at least four of them. They usually escorted Rickard Tatworth on his visits to Axminster.”
Jonathan could see that the men were armed. “They are not wearing Tatworth standards,” he said. “Curtis disbanded the entire army. Half went with him and half with de Winter, so who are those men?”
“Knights,” Eric said. He was clearly nervous. “Leominster may have taken the soldiers, but he clearly did not take the knights.”
“Will they know Lady Isabel on sight?”
“They will.”
“Damn,” Jonathan growled. “Eric, you and Davyss move her and the ladies quickly. There is no time to waste. Get them back to the escort and start moving out. Do not wait for me.”
They were already moving, with Jonathan practically pushing Eric in the direction of the women. “Where are you going?” Eric asked.
“To find Douglas,” Jonathan said. “He is wearing a de Lohr tunic, and if they see him, they might confront him.”
“Isn’t he back with the escort?” Eric asked.
Jonathan shook his head. “I saw him and Lady Mira head off toward the north, where the bakers are,” he said, indicating the edge of the market because the escort was on the other side, tucked under the trees. “Go, now. Get back to the castle.”
Davyss was already running up ahead where the women were scurrying back to the escort. Eric was on his heels, and Jonathan, keeping an eye on the Tatworth men, tried to stay lost in the crowd as he headed in the direction he’d seen Douglas and Mira go. He, too, was wearing a standard of the army that defeated Tatworth, so he was trying to stay hidden.
He had to find Douglas.
