The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett [191]
They had seen some other travelers, but Aliena had told Richard to speak to no one. To the casual observer they appeared a formidable couple, Richard in particular, on his huge horse, with his sword; but a few moments’ conversation would reveal them to be a pair of kids with no one to take care of them, and then they might be vulnerable. So they steered clear of other people.
As the day began to fade they looked for somewhere to spend the night. They found a clearing near a stream a hundred yards or so from the road. Aliena gave the horses some grain while Richard made a fire. If they had had a cooking pot they could have made porridge with the horse grain. As it was, they would just have to chew the grains raw, unless they could find some sweet chestnuts and roast them.
While she was pondering that, and Richard was out of sight gathering firewood, she was scared by a deep voice close to her. “And who would you be, my lass?”
She screamed. The horse backed away, frightened. Aliena turned and saw a dirty, bearded man all dressed in brown leather. He took a step toward her. “Keep away from me!” she shrieked.
“No need to be afraid,” he said.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Richard step into the clearing behind the stranger, his arms full of wood. He stood looking at the two of them. Draw your sword! thought Aliena, but he looked too scared and uncertain to do anything. She stepped back, trying to get the horse between herself and the stranger. “We’ve got no money,” she said. “We’ve got nothing.”
“I’m the king’s verderer,” he said.
Aliena almost collapsed with relief. A verderer was a royal servant paid to enforce the forest laws. “Why didn’t you say so, you foolish man?” she said, angry at having been scared. “I took you for an outlaw!”
He looked startled, and rather offended, as if she had said something impolite; but all he said was: “You’ll be a high-born lady, then.”
“I am the daughter of the earl of Shiring.”
“And the boy will be his son,” said the verderer, although he had not seemed to see Richard.
Richard now stepped forward and dropped his firewood. “That’s right,” he said. “What’s your name?”
“Brian. Are you planning to spend the night here?”
“Yes.”
“All alone?”
“Yes.” Aliena knew he was wondering why they had no escort, but she was not going to tell him.
“And you’ve no money, you say.”
Aliena frowned at him. “Do you doubt me?”
“Oh, no. I can tell you’re nobility, by your manners.” Was there a hint of irony in his voice? “If you’re alone and penniless, perhaps you’d prefer to spend the night at my house. It’s not far.”
Aliena had no intention of putting herself at the mercy of this rough character. She was about to refuse when he spoke again.
“My wife would be glad to give you supper. And I’ve a warm outhouse where you could sleep, if you prefer to sleep alone.”
The wife made a difference. Accepting the hospitality of a respectable family should be safe enough. Still Aliena hesitated. Then she thought of a fireplace, a bowl of hot pottage, a cup of wine, and a bed of straw with a roof over it. “We’d be grateful,” she said. “We’ve nothing to give you—I told the truth about having no money—but we’ll come back and reward you one day.”
“Good enough,” said the verderer. He went over to the fire and kicked it out.
Aliena and Richard mounted—they had not yet unsaddled the horses. The verderer came over and said: “Give me the reins.” Not sure what he wanted to do, Aliena gave him the reins, and Richard did likewise. The man set off through the forest, leading the horses. Aliena would have preferred to hold the reins herself, but she decided to let him have his way.
It was farther than he had indicated. They had traveled three or four miles, and it