Michael JECKS - The Leper's Return

He stood and put a hand on the weeping leper’s shoulder. Rodde’s hat had fallen from his head, and his tousled hair hung loose, obscuring his face. Gently the monk took Rodde’s hands away and lowered Quivil to the ground before closing the sightless eyes.

Baldwin ran out with his servant, leaving the quietly fuming Jeanne in the hall. Out near the kitchen he found Emma, sobbing hysterically and holding her arm.

“It was the hound, your blasted hound! You should have killed it when I said; you should have killed it. It’s mad! Look at me, look at my poor hand, and all because I was trying to stroke it!”

“Edgar, what happened?”

The servant shook his head sadly. “I am sorry, sir, but she says Uther went for her. She tried to be friendly with him, and when she made to stroke him, he bit her.”

Baldwin looked at her skeptically. “Where did he bite you?”

“Here! Look!” she wailed, holding out her hand.

There on her wrist, Baldwin could see the toothmarks by the light of the moon. Blood was drawn on two gashes where the canines had gouged the skin, but they were not the deep wounds of a savaged limb – they were no worse than Baldwin himself had received when enjoying a tussle with the dog. Teeth like Uther’s would do vastly more harm than this. “Is that all?”

“All? What more proof do you need, you unnatural fellow! That dog is vicious, it’s a brute. What do you mean by asking if that’s all! What more do you need? A corpse?”

The knight eyed her with frustration. That she was scared he didn’t doubt, but to say that Uther was in any way ferocious was ludicrous. “Look, Emma, perhaps we should go indoors and get your wounds seen to.”

“Why, so you can try to persuade me I imagined this? Look: blood! The dog must be killed. Now!”

“Where is he?”

Edgar answered. “Hugh took him back to your room, sir.”

“Sir Baldwin?”

“What now? Oh, sorry, Hugh. What can I do for you?”

In answer, Hugh said nothing, but pushed past Emma to a bush by the wall. He stared for a moment, then reached in, and brought out a long stick. Passing it to Baldwin, he stood and stared at Emma with his arms folded.

The knight studied it, and glanced helplessly at the impassive servant. “Well?”

“That’s why Uther bit her. She kept stabbing him with it. I saw her from the window.”

One end of the stick had been sharpened to a point. Baldwin tested it on his finger as he surveyed the maid. “Is this true?”

“The hound attacked me. He’s mad and vicious.”

“Is it true you baited him?”

“Answer him, Emma.”

Baldwin turned to find Jeanne at his side. She was watching her maid with an expression of contempt. “Did you make the dog try to bite you?”

“No, I only had the stick to defend myself.”

Baldwin broke the stick in half and threw it away. “That dog is less cruel than most humans, and you tried to beat him into betraying his nature. You did so to make him appear dangerous so that you could get him destroyed. You are less humane than he is.”

“Emma, you are released from my service. I will not give you a home when I return to Liddinstone. You must find somewhere else to live,” said Jeanne coldly, then she spun on her heel and went back into the hall. Baldwin walked after her.

“Madam, I am sorry if my hound has been the cause of your losing your maid.”

“Can you believe that I would want you to have your best dog killed because of a foolish woman who mistreats him?”

“No, of course not. And I don’t think I could suffer her to live with me, either.”

She shot him a look. Baldwin was smiling broadly, his happiness a mixture of delight at the removal of the block from his path, and new-found confidence. Now he was certain of her answer. He held out his hands to her again. “Come, I think we were about to talk of something important when your maid interrupted us.”

“Yes, Baldwin?” she said, and walked into his arms.

It was unfortunate that Hugh had thought Uther should be freed from his confinement. More so, that Uther felt left out when he saw his master kissing and embracing Jeanne. So it wasn’t surprising that he jumped up at them, although he was surprised at the way his master shouted at him.

Simon and his wife knew nothing of the scene. Upstairs in their room, Simon threw a tunic at his wife. She was still naked on the bed, languidly running her hands through her long blonde hair.

“You should get dressed,” he grinned.

“It was you who delayed the process,” she retorted, spreading the green velvet tunic beside her over the patch where he had been lying only a few moments before. “If you hadn’t decided to attack me as soon as we got up here, I’d be ready now.”

“My apologies, Lady. In future I’ll leave you to dress alone.”

“I don’t think so,” she chuckled, rising from the mattress and pulling a shift over her head. Simon watched her as she clothed herself, smiling to himself. When she was ready, and he had pulled on his hose, shirt, and tunic, he held out his hand and they left the room together.

Simon was filled with expectation. He knew only too well how much Baldwin wanted a wife, a woman who could comfort him and provide him with children, and his friend had selected the widow. All Simon hoped was that she would accept him and be the lady he longed for.

He walked down to the screens. The way was curtained. Margaret paused, her grip on his hand tightening. “Do you think they’ve agreed?”

“That’s in their hands.”

He smiled, but she could see his confusion: he wanted to go in and hear good news, but he wasn’t sure that he would.

“Come, my love,” she murmured, her mouth at his ear. “The anticipation is killing me.”

With a resolute movement, Simon swept the curtain aside and they walked in. In front of the fire sat Jeanne. Baldwin was nowhere to be seen. Jeanne rose elegantly as they approached. “I think Baldwin will be back shortly.”

“He left you here?” Simon asked.

Jeanne caught the note of enquiry in his voice, and her eyebrow rose. “His dog came in here and jumped up at us,” she said, and lifted her arm. There, beneath her arm, were two massive muddy footprints. “Baldwin is seeing to him.”

Simon shook his head. So his friend had failed. As soon as he had tried to persuade Jeanne to marry him, the blasted dog had ruined things again.

“Uther has already caused the removal of Emma from my service,” Jeanne continued, seating herself. “I fear Baldwin was rather angry with the dog. I can’t imagine why.”

Her words made Simon grit his teeth. She was being so cold and unresponsive, yet Simon was convinced she knew perfectly well that Baldwin wanted to have her for his wife, and she must also be aware that he adored his dogs – especially “Chopsie.” “It is a shame,” he said quietly. “I hope Baldwin will not do anything hasty with Uther.”

“”Hasty?“ Oh, I don’t think his treatment of the brute would be at all hasty.”

Just then there was a clap from behind them. Simon spun around to see his friend walking in, wiping his hands on a towel as if cleaning them of dirt – or, Simon thought, blood.

“Simon! Margaret! Are you ready to eat?”

The bailiff couldn’t stop himself glancing at Jeanne. Baldwin saw the look, and raised his eyebrows. She returned his glance, innocently widening her eyes.

“I told them you were seeing to Uther,” she said. “Have you done it?”

“Baldwin, you haven’t had him killed, have you?” Margaret demanded.

“No,” said Baldwin.

“But… Then what were you doing?” Simon stammered.

The knight laughed out loud. “I don’t want him leaping all over me while I am celebrating! Simon, Margaret, meet the lady who will be my wife! Jeanne de Liddinstone has accepted me, providing I keep the brute away from her while she is in her best tunic.”