He caught the well-known gleam in Beauvallet's eye. "Oho!" said Sir Nicholas softly. "Do you command here, my friend? Now I think you will do as I say, or it may be the worse for you." "Pretty treatment, master, by my troth!" said Joshua. "Well, go to: I do not deny you are the General." "If we are overtaken," said Sir Nicholas, ignoring this stricture upon his ruthless methods, "as I have little doubt we shall be, ride with my lady hot-foot to Villanova, and there await me. Is it understood?" "Well, master, well. And if you come not?" "By this hand I shall come!" said Beauvallet. "What, do you fear for me? Know then that I was never more in the mood to try a throw with death." "That I may very easily believe, sir, and I may add that it does not set me the more at ease," said Joshua. He peered ahead and reined in to a walk. "Softly now! What's here?" A house loomed up ahead, approached by a wicket-gate giving on to the track. There was a low building some three hundred yards further on: stables, Joshua guessed. Sir Nicholas slipped from the saddle, and twitched the bridle over his horse's head. "This should be the place. Follow me now." He led the way off the track into the gloom of the forest. The moss-grown floor muffled the sound of the horses' hooves; they skirted the house, and came round to the back of it, under cover of the trees. The horses were swiftly tethered to a young sapling. Sir Nicholas unbuckled his sword-belt, and drew the shining blade clear of its sheath. "No need to take this to hamper me," he said, and left the scabbard on the ground. He scanned the back of the house, and saw a lighted window on the upper storey. "Aha, my bird, do you lie there?" he said. "We shall see anon. Now I am for you, Don Diego de Carvalho!" They went quickly round to the front of the house. Joshua had his long dagger out, and followed silently in Beauvallet's grim wake. Sir Nicholas went boldly now, the naked sword in his hand, and hammered on the door of the lodge with its chased hilt. "God's my life, we stalk on our fate now!" muttered Joshua, aghast at these high-handed measures. They heard footsteps approaching inside the house, rather hesitantly. Sir Nicholas beat again on the door, an imperative summons, and Joshua took a firmer hold on his weapon. The footsteps came nearer; the door was opened a few inches, and Luis, the valet, looked out. "Who knocks? What do you want?" Joshua's arm slid lovingly round his neck; the point of his dagger pricked the man's throat. "Nay then, my cosset, no sound out of you, or you are sped," he said softly. The man's eyes stared at him, his lips moved soundlessly. "Truss him up," said Sir Nicholas, and passed into the lodge.