Arab countries -- Fiction; Crusades -- Fiction; Great Britain -- History -- Medieval period, 1066-1485 -- Fiction
A happy smile spread upon the face of Wulf, for now he knew that Godwin
was himself again.
“Me sure enough,” he answered. “Dream-folk don’t have lame legs; they
are the gifts of swords and men.”
“And Rosamund? What of Rosamund? Did the grey horse swim the creek, and
how came we here? Tell me quick—I faint for news!”
“She shall tell you herself.” And hobbling to the curtained door, he
called, “Rosamund, my—nay, our—cousin Rosamund, Godwin is himself
again. Hear you, Godwin is himself again, and would speak with you!”
There was a swift rustle of robes and a sound of quick feet among the
rushes that strewed the floor, and then—Rosamund herself, lovely as
ever, but all her stateliness forgot in joy. She saw him, the gaunt
Godwin sitting up upon the pallet, his grey eyes shining in the white
and sunken face. For Godwin’s eyes were grey, while Wulf’s were blue,
the only difference between them which a stranger would note, although
in truth Wulf’s lips were fuller than Godwin’s, and his chin more
marked; also he was a larger man. She saw him, and with a little cry of
delight ran and cast her arms about him, and kissed him on the brow.
“Be careful,” said Wulf roughly, turning his head aside, “or, Rosamund,
you will loose the bandages, and bring his trouble back again; he has
had enough of blood-letting.”
“Then I will kiss him on the hand—the hand that saved me,” she said,
and did so. More, she pressed that poor, pale hand against her heart.
“Mine had something to do with that business also but I don’t remember
that you kissed it, Rosamund. Well, I will kiss him too, and oh! God be
praised, and the holy Virgin, and the holy Peter, and the holy Chad,
and all the other holy dead folk whose names I can’t recall, who
between them, with the help of Rosamund here, and the prayers of the
Prior John and brethren at Stangate, and of Matthew, the village
priest, have given you back to us, my brother, my most beloved
brother.” And he hopped to the bedside, and throwing his long, sinewy
arms about Godwin embraced him again and again.
“Be careful,” said Rosamund drily, “or, Wulf, you will disturb the
bandages, and he has had enough of blood-letting.”
Then before he could answer, which he seemed minded to do, there came
the sound of a slow step, and swinging the curtain aside, a tall and
noble-looking knight entered the little place. The man was old, but
looked older than he was, for sorrow and sickness had wasted him. His
snow-white hair hung upon his shoulders, his face was pale, and his
features were pinched but finely-chiselled, and notwithstanding the
difference of their years, wonderfully like to those of the daughter
Rosamund. For this was her father, the famous lord, Sir Andrew D’Arcy.
Rosamund turned and bent the knee to him with a strange and Eastern
grace, while Wulf bowed his head, and Godwin, since his neck was too
stiff to stir, held up his hand in greeting. The old man looked at him,
and there was pride in his eye.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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