"Christopher Stasheff - Warlocks Heirs 01 - M'Lady Witch" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stasheff Christopher)

"Surely, Highness!" The steward moved aside with alacrity, then signalled to a footman, who stepped to the stairs and signalled down to the porter.


Alain didn't see; he was aware of nothing but a red haze, his feet following the steps down to the Great Hall automatically. The porter yanked the
door open as the prince came to it, and he stormed out,' his face thunderous.


In the courtyard, his escort raised a cheer that cut off as though it had been sheared. Sir Devon stepped up, his face dark. "Have they offered you
insult, Highness?"


" `They'?" Alain cried. "No, not 'they'-only she! An arrogant chit of a girl who holds her liege and lord in little esteem!"


"Assuredly she has not spurned you!"


"Spurned me? Aye, as a tyrant would spurn a dog! I shall be revenged upon her, upon their whole house!" The leader looked shocked for a second,
then masked his sudden fear with narrowed eyes and a hard face. He turned back to his fellows. "They have offered our Prince grave insult, sir
knights."


He was satisfied to see the same momentary dismay on every face-all of them knew of the magical powers of the Lord Warlock and his family.
Moreover, all of them knew Cordelia's brother Geoffrey to be the best swordsman in the kingdom. But even as their leader had done, they all grew
stone-faced, and reached to touch the hilts of their swords.


"Say the word, Highness, and your revenge shall be executed," the leader said.


"Oh, not so quickly and easily!" Alain roared. "I shall see humiliation and shame ere I see blood! 'Tis insult I've been given, and dire insult must
answer! Away, good friends! For I must think long and hard on the manner of this vengeance! Away!"


Out they thundered through the gatehouse. The sentry on the wall looked up, ready to give the porter the signal that would begin their revenge for
the insults given their young mistress. His heart sank at the thought, for he knew that if they raised their hands against the Heir Apparent, the Royal
Army would have them sooner or later, and they would all be drawn and quartered. But loyalty was loyalty, and Cordelia was his young mistress,
and the daughter of the Lord Warlock, to whom he had sworn his allegiance.


Besides, he was more than a little in love with the lady, as most of the younger men of the castle were.


The steward, however, was older, and a bit more practical. More to the point, he had seen enough of life to recognize rash words that would
probably be atoned for in time, and to know that young people frequently say things they do not mean. He only shook his head-so the drawbridge
stayed down, and Alain and his young knights rode. out unharmed, across the drawbridge, and down the road to the plain.