"Yes,"Ivo replied, and he nodded slowly. "I will watch her."
"Andone more thing. Now, heed me closely, Ivo. The girl belongs to someone. Thatearring tells us so. We are here to fight the Saxons for William, but that doesnot mean that everything will then belong to us. If someone comes to claim herand there is trouble over the matter, she may have to be returned to hermasters."
"Iunderstand. If someone comes to claim her, I will tell him that she is mine. Wewill talk on it."
WhenTancred laughed, Drogo briefly glared at him, then looked back at Ivo. Hedecided it would be easier to just wait and, if someone came to claim the girl,he would deal with the problem then. "One last thing, Ivo," he said,as the big man moved to search the house for supplies, the girl close at hisheels. "I will take her away from you myself if you hurt her toobadly." He did not really believe Ivo would hurt the girl for he was arelatively gentle giant, but he felt a need to give the warning.
"No,I will not hurt her. Her name is May," Ivo added in a quiet tone as hetook the girl by the hand and led her out of the hall.
"Iam not sure it is wise to keep her with us," Tancred said as he and Drogosat down opposite each other at the big table.
"Thenyou go and take her away from him," Drogo said as he tugged off his heavyleather-and-mail gauntlets.
"No,thank you, my friend. I am most fond of keeping my head just where it is. Ijust fear that she could bring us trouble. By the look of her back, she is amuch whipped slave."
"Thatdoes not mean she is any trouble. She could be a little slow of wit, as Ivo is,and had a master with no patience. Mayhap the lady of the house had the girlwhipped because the master found her too comely. We will wait and see how shebehaves. A servant can do well by one master yet plague another to madness.Also, she now owes Ivo for he rescued her. That might help."
Tancredshrugged his slim shoulders. "As you wish. It is a pity that he could findno wenches for us, though."
Drogolaughed as he tugged off his mail hood and the padded hood beneath it thencombed his long fingers through his sweat-dampened black hair. "You lookfor wenches despite spending your last days in France rutting day and night? Ishould think that you would be in need of a rest."
"Irested on the journey here. I wonder what sort of wenches lived in this finehouse?"
"Cleanones," Drogo murmured as he ran his hand over the smooth, clean oak table."And how can you know that any wenches lived here?"
"Whileyou tended to our belly-emptying friend Garnier, I wandered through the house.There are women's gowns in two of the sleeping chambers. They did not have timeto take all of them. Ah, good, wine," he cried with pleasure when Ivo seta jug and two wooden goblets on the table.
"Theytook a lot of things, though. This is a wealthy man's house, yet there islittle of any value within it."
"Therewill be plunder to be had elsewhere," Tancred said cheerfully as he pouredthem each some wine. "Since you are so close to William, we will becertain to get our share of it."
"Ah,and I thought you had joined this battle for the glory of it and for love ofme."
"Andso I did. Also, William's cause is a just one. But, I will not turn aside anygain either."
Drogosmiled faintly, but made no reply. He shared Tancred's feelings. William'scause was a just one and there would be glory to be found in fighting for it.If they were victorious and could hold onto that victory, there would also berewards. Drogo had considered that when he had agreed to join William. He wasclose to William, although not as close as others. His position was strongenough, however, to promise him a healthy bounty of some kind and even a voicein what that bounty might be. In France, there had been little William couldgive him and, with three brothers' between him and his father's titles andlands, there was no hope of an inheritance.
Inwardly,he sighed, wishing that he were not so prone to thinking matters over. Haroldof England had earned whatever fate befell him. He had pledged to acceptWilliam as his king then broken that pledge. Unfortunately, Drogo could tooeasily see how badly others would suffer for Harold's treachery. That knowledgemade it difficult for Drogo to maintain any real peace of mind.
Eventhe woman who lived here must suffer,he thought as Ivo set bread andcheese upon the table. The woman clearly cared for her home and had worked tomake it a fine place to live, yet she had been driven from it, able to takeonly what she could grab in a few, hectic moments. Drogo doubted that she caredwho sat upon the throne, and she certainly had been given no say in the matter;but she had still lost her home and could easily lose far more in the troubleddays ahead.
"Drogo,"called a rough voice.
Pleasedto be dragged free of his morose thoughts, Drogo smiled at the man standing inthe doorway of the house. "Come inside, Serle. You are most welcome toshare in our bounty. The larder here was not completely emptied."
"Norwere many others," the older man said even as he sat down next to Tancred."There is not enough for so many men, however. We are to rest here for awhile as many of the men did not suffer the crossing well. Where is that prettycourtier Garnier?"
"Herests," Drogo replied and smiled faintly. "He did not suffer thecrossing well either."
Serlelaughed softly then murmured his appreciation of the wine he sipped from thebowl Ivo brought him. "Who is the woman?" he asked when he noticedMay, who still shadowed Ivo's every move.
"Abond-slave called May. No rescued her and now claims her."
"Andout there lie a few men who can lay claim to broken heads, eh?" Serlegrinned, revealing that his front teeth had not survived his chosen life as awarrior.
"Notbroken beyond mending, I pray. I have no time to become tangled in some quarrel.Has there been no sign of the English? Are we to be allowed ashoreunopposed?"
"Itappears so. We now have a few of the Saxons in our grasp. They have told usthat Harold has gone to face Harald Hardrada, yet another who tries to unseatHarold from his stolen throne. It will be a most bloodied throne the victorfinally sits upon."
