The Silver Falcon (62 page)

“Of course. He has to be. He’s the captain of the queen’s bodyguard,” the little fellow said, filled with pride. “I thought you knew him. You ought to know that.”

“I’ve known him for a very long time, actually, but I didn’t know he was serving the queen now.” William’s voice was shaking. Knowing that Odon was with the queen and therefore very close to Marguerite filled him with hellish dread. “Let’s go.”

Odon, thought William. Odon is to blame for Enid’s death. Why does that not surprise me? His stomach hurt, as if it were filled with sharp stones. He’ll pay! “I’ll take you back to your father,” he said roughly.

They left the forest at a breakneck gallop.

“But you have to show me where I can find him,” William said, spurring on his horse to even greater speed.

They had not quite crossed the field in front of the city gates when a rider came toward them. “Adam,” he called
out. “Adam, where are you hiding?” The man looked around searchingly.

William immediately recognized Odon. He seemed to be in a panic.

“Here I am, Father,” the boy answered loudly, throwing up his arms in the air.

“What are you doing with my son?” cried Odon when he saw William.

The realization that Odon cared for his son, like any other father, struck William as completely unexpected, but it did not soften his rage.

“He saved me, Father,” Adam reported. “I cut my leg with the knife.”

William leaped down from his horse, leaving the boy in the saddle. Odon dismounted, too. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but William did not give him the chance to speak. He pounced on him, grabbed his surcoat, and shook him, beside himself with fury.

Odon, however, was no stable boy. He was a trained fighter with plenty of battlefield experience. He loosened William’s hand with a skillful twist of the wrist and punched him hard in the midriff. William staggered and fell back onto the damp earth. A sharp stone poked painfully into his back. Odon came after him and dug a silver spur into his shin. William sprang up, but his back and leg hurt badly, and Odon was quicker. His fists struck William’s nose and stomach so accurately that he doubled over. Then Odon kicked him in the kidneys so hard he could hardly breathe.

“No, Father, you mustn’t beat him! He helped me!” cried the boy, terrified. “Please don’t hurt him.”

Odon looked at his son, who was still sitting on William’s horse, in disbelief. “What are you whining about? You saw him attack me, didn’t you?” he snarled at Adam, dropping his guard for a moment.

William knew he could not let this opportunity pass. He gritted his teeth, straightened up, and punched Odon in the face from below. He was not a trained fighter like his opponent, but rage and desperation gave him strength. He was lucky and caught Odon’s chin in such a way that he collapsed as if his legs had been swept from under him. William drew his hunting knife, dragged his adversary upright, and put the blade against his throat.

In the meantime, the boy had climbed down from the horse. “Let my father go,” he cried, pummeling William’s back with his little fists, but this did not distract William.

“Do you remember the woman in the forest?” he shouted as Odon tried to struggle free. William’s nose was throbbing as hard and painfully as his outraged heart. “You killed her and ripped her unborn child from her womb. That was
my
son!” he shouted, beside himself with rage, pressing the knife against Odon’s neck. He would kill him, here and now. Finally, he could avenge Enid’s death. He had never been able to forgive himself for not being there to help. Now at last he could make it up to her.

“I had nothing to do with it,” Odon protested cravenly as the blade dug into his skin.

The child’s blows became weaker and finally stopped. He looked expectantly at his father.

“It’s no use lying, Odon. Your knife, the one you gave this boy, tells a different story. The plaque with the elm leaf is missing on one side. I found it in my Enid’s house the day she died, in her bed.”

“But I didn’t kill her, it was Bevis and…” Suddenly, Odon burst into mocking laughter. “You didn’t know before today and only found out because of the knife? Your friend Robert never said a word? That faithful soul has known for years—I’ve no idea how. I wonder why he kept it quiet?” He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. “Perhaps because he dreams of climbing into bed with you at night.”

“Be silent for once, you devil, or I’ll slit your throat,” William threatened, pushing his knife into Odon’s neck hard enough to draw blood.

“Please,” Adam begged fearfully, touching William’s arm. “Please don’t kill him.”

The sight of the boy pleading for mercy calmed William down. For so many years he had felt sure it was his destiny to avenge the murder of Enid and their child. He had spent many sleepless nights imagining how he would bring her murderer to account, if he could only catch him. Yet now that he had Odon in his power and had only to drag the knife across his throat to carry out his revenge, the thought of spilling blood repelled him. He could hardly breathe. He couldn’t let Odon get away with it.

He tightened his arm around Odon’s throat. “You killed Enid and my unborn son. For that you
will
pay.”

“But I’ve told you it wasn’t me. It was the other two. She lay with me of her own free will. I couldn’t have known she was yours. You weren’t there, after all.” Odon’s voice became shrill, sounding like a frightened woman’s. “The idiot tried to protect her. Where were you?”

“That needn’t concern you,” he said through gritted teeth, feeling like he was about to choke. “Just because she was alone and unprotected doesn’t give you the right to have your way with her and then kill her. If you’re as innocent as you claim, why didn’t you help her?”

“Risk my own skin for some savage?” Odon laughed out loud. “She wasn’t worth it.”

“Father, no,” cried Adam in shock.

“Shut your mouth, Adam. This all happened long ago. Things have gone well for our good William here. He’s had a better wife for some time, a new son, even a title,” he said, with such a degree of condescension that William could hardly control
himself. The knife pressed against Odon’s skin again, drawing out a trickle of blood.

Fat tears rolled down Adam’s cheeks, leaving dirty streaks on his skin. William could not tell whether he was crying with disappointment or fear, but he felt sorry for the boy. He had nothing to do with his father’s misdeeds and certainly deserved a better example than Odon. William thought of the village reeve and his daughter, and he suddenly knew what he had to do.

“You took my son from me, so today I shall take yours from you,” he announced calmly.

Adam’s eyes opened wide.

“If you do anything to him, I’ll kill you,” Odon threatened hoarsely, trying to free himself from William’s grip. He calmed down when William increased the pressure on the knife.

“Oh no, Odon, I’m not like you. I wouldn’t touch a hair on an innocent child’s head, and I wouldn’t allow anyone else to.” William breathed in deeply and calmly. In the place where hatred had lurked moments ago, he now felt only emptiness. “I shall take the boy as my page and bring him up to be a decent human being. If you have any feelings for him at all, you will behave like a man of honor yourself in the future.” He pushed Odon away like a sack filled with refuse, seized the boy, and set him on his horse before swinging up into the saddle behind him. “I advise you to keep quiet, or the king will find out you had his falcon poisoned.”

They returned to the castle together without exchanging a single word about what had happened.

“Come with me,” William ordered once they had handed over the horse to a stable boy. They strode off toward his tent.

Robert was feeding the falcons, so William had to wait. He put his finger to his lips, indicating to Adam with a severe look that he should keep quiet.

Once all the falcons had their fill and were securely fastened to their blocks, William went up to Robert and punched him hard in the pit of the stomach.

“What have I done now?” his friend asked, bent double, his face contorted with pain.

“How long have you known?” William demanded.

“Known what?” Robert stammered, rubbing his stomach and groaning.

“That Odon had Enid on his conscience. Why didn’t you say anything? How could you keep that secret from me?” William was overcome with despair and close to tears. “Once a traitor, always a traitor. I never should have trusted you.”

“But Will, please! I was just afraid for you. I knew you would have attacked him without a thought, but you’re just a falconer who knows about lures and such. Whereas Odon is a soldier who knows all the arts of war.”

“And yet today I beat him,” said William exultantly.

“Jesus! Are you all right?” asked Robert anxiously, grabbing William’s arm.

“Yes, of course,” William shook his hand off.

“And Odon? You didn’t…”

“No, he’s well, far too well. I could have killed him, but—” William broke off and shook his head. “I dreamed of this revenge for years, and then I couldn’t carry it out.”

Robert clapped him on the shoulder with relief. “You were right not to heap guilt upon yourself. His death wouldn’t have brought Enid or the child back to life, but an act of revenge would probably cost you yours.”

“Still, he owes me a son, and today I took his. Adam,” he called, waving to the boy, who was still standing by the tent’s entrance. “This is my new page. For the moment he’ll stay here with you. I’m making you responsible for him. You will not touch him.”

Robert looked at him, surprised and saddened at the same time. “I…you…” he began, but his voice failed him.

“I know the boy is Odon’s bastard, but he shouldn’t have to pay for his father’s sins,” William explained. “I shall make sure he becomes a decent human being.”

“You can rely on me. Of course, I don’t know what a page is supposed to learn since I’ve never been one, but I can teach you what to do with hounds and falcons. Come, I’ll show you two falcons that belong to the king.” Robert put his hand on Adam’s shoulder kindly and steered him gently toward the rail where John’s peregrines sat.

William watched them uneasily, wondering whether Odon would let the matter with Adam rest.

When they set off for the hunt the next morning, William rode beside the king, thanks to the white gyrfalcon, and carried on an animated conversation with him. Odon had to be at the queen’s side at all times, so he was forced to take up a position near the rear with the ladies. He twisted his reins furiously between his fingers.

William’s gift to the king had been on everyone’s lips since the day before. Everyone, truly everyone, praised the noble creature’s beauty and William’s open generosity. The lords were curious to see whether the falcon was good at hunting, too; some had even placed bets.

For Odon, it was already beyond irritating that William had received Marguerite as his wife, but it was almost unbearable that now William had the king’s particular favor again thanks to his absurdly costly gift. The worst, though, was that William had revealed to everyone the identity of the boy who would be accompanying him from now on.

Several knights had already congratulated Odon for having his bastard taken on as William’s page and praised his daring choice. Odon kept his feelings to himself, nodding in apparent agreement even though he was consumed with rage. He could have done without today’s hunt, since he still understood little about falcons. But he understood them well enough to know how to do them harm. Logan had always impressed on him that cured meat was like poison to them. He had acted cautiously enough to avoid being found out, so he was all the more surprised to discover that William knew and might report the matter to the king if he did not remain silent. Did William have a secret witness?

Who could it be? Guy, the lad he had recruited to kill the bird, wouldn’t be bothering anyone. Showing considerable forethought, instead of paying him, he had killed him as a precaution. Had someone found the body? Odon snorted. He had made sure no one saw him. William couldn’t know anything, Odon thought. Perhaps he was just suspicious. Nevertheless, Odon decided to stay on his guard until he could ensure that William fell into disfavor with the king. He had no idea how he was going to go about this yet, but it was just a question of time.

The long procession of barons, falconers, dog handlers, hunt assistants, and their accompanying ladies who wanted to join in the hunt with their little merlins soon reached a broad plain with fields, marshes, and small ponds, where winged prey had been sighted earlier.

Odon stretched up in his saddle and looked at Robert. Adam was laughing. He seemed to be enjoying himself. The boy looked so like Carla! It pained him to lose her son to William, for he was fonder of Adam than of Rotrou. His son by marriage looked exactly like him, but from Maud he had inherited precisely the characteristics Odon most disliked. He looked around again, searching for Adam. His eyes met Robert’s, and his nostrils flared. Woe betide you if you come near my son, you accursed sodomite,
he thought, staring at Robert. But Robert just smiled and laid his hand on Adam’s shoulder in a friendly manner.