He waved and met the Yorling's attack with a wicked swing of his sword that, if it had connected, would have taken that man's head clean off his shoulders.Instead, the Yorling lifted his sword to parry.I heard the clatter of steel quite distinctly from where I stood and saw the Yorling swerve his horse to the side and slice through Robert's stirrups, as he had done to that anonymous Tweedie a few moments before.Robert swayed in the saddle and tried to maintain his balance, until the Yorling closed, put one foot underneath his and tipped him out.
'Robert!'I screamed.
As Robert sprawled face forward, the Yorling lifted his sword and delivered a resounding whack across his rump with the flat of his sword.I heard my mother grunt with either satisfaction or malice or a combination of both, and then the Yorling was raising his sword high in the air as his horse danced on its back hooves.
'For you, my fair Lady of Lethan,' he said, kissed the blade of his sword, and saluted us.Or rather, he saluted me for his gaze fixed on me before he gave the most charming of smiles and, shouting to his men, galloped away.
I watched him go, marvelling at his horsemanship as he darted between Father and Archie of Whitecleuch and headed straight up the hillside with his men following, whooping and yelling as if they were demons from the deepest pits of hell that the Reverend Romanes so loves to gabble on about.That man was so thrilling that I watched him long after he disappeared into the dark.I wondered who he was and why he was here and where he was going.I wondered other things as well, but they are for my own private thoughts and should not be allowed out to graze, lest you think more ill of me than you probably already do.I knew that my Mother thought ill of me that September day.
'Well.'Mother broke my thoughts with her usual stern rebuke.'Are you not going to see if he is injured?'She was watching me, her head to one side and her eyes narrow, wise, and all-seeing.
'He is all right.'I stared into the night.
'He is lying there groaning on the ground.'Mother nodded to where Robert lay.
'Oh!'I recollected myself.'Oh, Robert!'And I nearly ran down the stairs in my sudden anxiety to redeem myself.And to ensure that Robert was all right, of course.
Chapter Three
LETHAN VALLEY
SEPTEMBER 1585
'Robert!'
He lay on his face, groaning softly.I put my hands under him and helped haul him upright, with his face twisted in pain and one hand on his haunches.'Are you badly hurt?'
'Not too bad,' he said, trying to be brave.'That devil in the yellow jack unhorsed me and landed a foul stroke.'
'I was watching,' I said.'Luck was not with you.'
I saw Mother embracing Father, both of them chatting noisily as if they were young people in love and not grey-haired oldsters who should have known better and behaved with more propriety.
'I think he cut me badly.'Robert was rubbing at himself.
'You will have the luck next time.'I wondered if I should offer to check his wounds, decided that I had better not look at that part of him and offered him my arm for support instead.
'He ran too fast for me to catch him,' Robert said.He limped at my side.I saw his father and my mother talking as the men of Lethan dismounted and discussed the late encounter with rough laughter and much exaggeration.To hear them talk you would think they had won a major battle rather than merely chase a bunch of young callants away from the door.
'Come on, Robert.'I knew that Mother and Archie of Whitecleuch were discussing Robert's recent participation in the action.I wished he had acquitted himself better although I knew he had at least tried.He had proved himself to be no coward, even though he had been bested in single combat.I took Robert to one of the chambers upstairs and eased him onto the bed.He lay there, face down and giving the occasional piteous groan.I thought his wound must be causing him considerable pain and wondered what was best to do.I was loath to leave him yet unsure if I could help by remaining.
'Well then!'Mother bustled in, all decision and authority.'How is he?'
'Not well,' I said, part aggrieved that Mother should interfere and part relieved she was there for if anybody knew what to do, Mother would.'Robert's wounded,' I said, looking at her hopefully.
'I saw.'Mother did not waste time.'Lie still and let's have a look at you,' she said and, without hesitation, dragged Robert's breeches down past his knees.
'Mother!'I was not sure whether to be shocked, surprised or something else as I had a sudden look at Robert's haunches all delightfully bare for my inspection.I looked, expecting to see a huge open wound gushing out blood.Instead, there was a faint weal, slightly red and with the skin only broken in one place.
'Oh tcha!'Mother tutted.'Oh, you poor wee soul.'She stepped back, shaking her head.'I am surprised you are able to walk at all after enduring that.'She surprised me with an expansive wink.'Do you think he will survive?'
'Is it that bad?'Robert spoke over his shoulder, trying to squint backwards to view the injured part of him.
'Oh, bad!'Mother shook her head again.Suddenly tutting again, she looked at me.'I've seen worse in an infant!Now get up and get along with you.'She turned away in disgust.'And you, Jeannie, can see now why Robert Ferguson is not right for you.A woman needs a man, not a greeting little boy.'For one horrible moment, I thought that mother was about to slap him as he lay there, but she resisted the obvious temptation and instead hustled me outside the door.'I do wish you would find a man,' she said.
Tempted to sneak back and watch poor Robert hauling up his breeches, I knew that Mother would not approve and instead walked into what we fondly called the Great Hall, from where a jubilant noise was emanating.
In case you have never been in the great hall of a border tower, pray allow me to describe it for you.As I have already explained, Cardrona Tower was no larger than many others in the Borders, a solid, four-storey, whinstone-built lump of masonry that would withstand the wind and weather for many centuries unless the English or some reiving band took crowbars or cannon to it.With walls some five feet thick, the interior was necessarily cramped, making the great hall a little less than great although it did extend the full width and length of the building.
