Zander turned on Sir Hugo. “This is madness.”
“I’ll let God decide that.”
“Men favored by God die in battle all the time. It is the same at tournaments.” He turned back to Lord Yves. “You must refuse him this request.”
Lord Yves made a steeple out of his fingers, with the tips on his mouth. He thought about that. “He has a strong argument with you. I cannot ignore his accusations.”
He repeated what Sir Hugo had said, while Sir Hugo stood there glowering. Zander had heard it all before and was tired of the lies.
“Tell him the truth, Sir Hugo. That was not how it happened, and you know it.”
“It is. Do you now also insult me by saying I am lying?”
“Not lying. Just being forgetful.”
“My memory is good enough to remember treachery such as yours.”
Zander turned to Lord Yves. “We were getting him out. I was helping him. Then he broke away and ran back. We had passed a group of fallen Saracens and some had helmets and swords decorated in gold. He wanted the spoils and left us in order to collect them.”
Sir Hugo’s face reddened. “Lies!”
Zander ignored him. “It is the truth, I swear to you.”
Sir Hugo grew agitated. He looked worried. “There is more that I did not say before. A new cause.”
“What is that?” Lord Yves asked.
“I have good reason to believe he has dishonored my daughter, and thereby me and my family.”
Zander gritted his teeth. The devil take the man. He had just ruined his own daughter for the chance to fight this combat.
Lord Yves’s heavily lidded gaze swung slowly to Zander. He looked right into Zander’s eyes. Zander returned a steady gaze of his own, but he doubted Lord Yves concluded he was innocent.
Lord Yves turned to Sir Hugo. “You witnessed this?”
“No, but—”
“Others did?”
Hugo shook his head.
“I have decreed that the reason for combatà l'outrancemust be announced. I will not have a woman’s name stained on nothing more than a father’s suspicions. That cause is rejected.”
Hugo huffed and frowned and got red again.
“As for the other, you each have a story and I am not the man to choose which is true. I will permit the combatà l'outranceon that cause, Sir Hugo.”
Beaming with satisfaction, Sir Hugo left the solar. Zander glared at Lord Yves. “You as good as signed a death warrant. He is unable to compete.”
“You mean that leg? He won’t be using it much.”
“It isn’t just that.”
“Ah, you assume his age will defeat him. You think he is too old.”
Far too old. Zander swallowed the response. Lord Yves was of similar age to Sir Hugo. His host probably would not take well to arguments that knights lost their prowess once they passed five and thirty.
“There is one other combatà l'outranceso far. They will all take place late this afternoon after the other combats are done. The priest will come to you before they start.”
