“And I, my lord baron,” said Sir Oliver proudly, “will give you fair warning that I will speedily to the king, to lay before him the history of this day and the insults to which I have been subjected through you and your groundless suspicions of me.  I have not resisted what you have chosen to do, knowing well the use you would have made of such resistance.  But I have not forgotten the many acts of aggression and hostility of which you have been guilty; and this last day’s work, in which your servants have made themselves, as it were, masters of Chad, shall be answered for at some future day.  You have thought good to threaten me.  I too will threaten you.  I threaten you with the displeasure of the king when this thing comes to his ears; and I shall seek him now without delay, and tell him all I have suffered at your hands.”

Chapter X:  From Peril To Safety.

“My son, what hast thou done to thyself?”

Edred was stumbling across the courtyard, supported by Julian, his face streaming with blood and muffled in a great kerchief.  He was unable to speak himself, but Julian spoke eagerly for him.

“I trow the fault is half mine.  It was done in tilting.  I was careless, and saw not that Edred’s guard was down.  I fear me I have something hurt him.  I trust it is not the eye.  Look to it quickly, sweet mother.  It was a nasty blow.”

“It is not of serious nature,” muttered Edred through his wrappings; “it will be well right quickly.”

The mother hurried the two boys into a small room of her own where she kept medicaments of various kinds, and where all wounds of a trifling character were washed and dressed.  Julian hurried to fetch her all she needed; and just at that moment Sir Oliver came hastily in looking for his wife.

“How now, Edred?” he exclaimed.  “Hast thou been in the wars again?” for Edred was something famed for getting hard knocks and ugly scratches in his mimic encounters with his more skilled and dexterous brothers.  “Why, boy, but this is a worse business than usual.  I am sorry for it, for I had something purposed to take thee with me to Windsor on the next morrow, as well as Bertram, and show thee to the king, and give thee a glimpse of the world of court.  But if thou be in such plight as this, thou wilt scarce be fit to go.”

“I must await another time,” muttered Edred, in the same indistinct way, and Julian added with an air of chagrin: 

“It was a villainous mischance.  I would I had been more careful.  I am always having the ill luck to hurt Edred.”

“Nay, the fault is mine!” exclaimed the other boy.

“And now thou wilt be hindered from seeing the king and his fine court.”

“Perchance thou wilt go in my stead.”

“Nay, that will I not.  An thou stayest at home for fault of mine, I will stay to keep thee company.

“Now, gentle mother, prithee see if he be much hurt.  I cannot rest till I know.”