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otherwise nothing new and interesting to be learned here at the moment, Jim
thought. It was simply more of the same debate between King and Earl. He
looked back into the room he had just left and was almost run into by Agatha.
Hastily, Jim ducked out of her path. Still invisible, he and Hob moved back
into a corner of the room.
Agatha was walking quickly, like someone who knew her way well. But the sound
of the King's voice checked her before she reached the half-open door. She
stopped dead, then moved forward in short, quick, silent steps until she could
see through the opening without being seen herself.
Jim, trusting to his invisibility, moved quietly up behind her, to see what
she was seeing. Her position gave her a full view ofCumberland ; and,
ifCumberland looked in the right direction, he would see her. But the King
could not be seen at all from this angle and, therefore, could not see her.
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Meanwhile, both she and Jim could hear him talking. The subject had changed
to horses, and, temporarily at least,Cumberland seemed to have given up trying
to hold his monarch on the subject of lords with treasonable intentions.
" sending me a stallion fromTours , which I have bought," the King was
saying. "If the beast is half as good as those Frenchmen promised, I should
have a warhorse beyond price."
Cumberlanddid not make the obvious answer, that the King was well beyond the
age of needing a warhorse and his only use for one would be to look at it and
preen himself on possessing it.
"I know a young man," saidCumberland , "of the Lockyear family, who are known
to have an excellent eye for horses. Perhaps I could send him to look at the
horse?"
"Never heard of them," said the King. "In any case, I have already made up my
mind about this horse. They tell me that at the gallop he will leave any other
destrier behind& "
Jim's mind was doing some galloping of its own. Somehow, the King would have
to be maneuvered out of this room, if Agatha was to escape to the hall unseen.
He waited with interest to see how she would manage it.
He moved from behind her to a position at her right, from which he could see
into the room at an angle that showed him the King. His Majesty was sagging a
little in his chair, as if the wine was getting to him. Not surprising if it
did, thought Jim, considering his age and probable physical condition.
As he watched, the King looked down at the floor and his eyes closed,
momentarily, as if he might be about to slip into a doze.Cumberland 's gaze
lifted. He exchanged looks through the partly open door with Agatha,then
nodded slightly and looked again at the King, who was opening his eyes once
more.
"In any case," saidCumberland , "let us drink to this new horse of yours,
your Highness. A noble steed like that deserves a toast." He filled up their
glasses, lifted his to the King, and poured its contents down his throat,
almost ostentatiously emptying the container.
The King took up his wine more slowly. "A toast " he said, but his voice had
thickened not a great deal, but enough to be noticeable if you were listening
for it. He also emptied his glass, but he took somewhat longer thanCumberland
had; and when he put it down, hand and glass together dropped heavily onto the
table beside his chair. The empty glass goblet toppled over.
He took a deep breath.
"Robert," he said heavily, "since Agatha has chosen to ride and you will have
things to do, I think I shall rest me a little while 'lay me down to bleed a
while, and rise to fight again& ' eh, Robert?"
Cumberlandsmiled that grim smile again and reached down with one arm,
literally hoisting the older man to his feet and revealing considerable
strength. He had not even bent his body to do so; and the King was heavy from
years of rich living and idleness.
"Your arm, Robert& " Edward said again, the thickness in his voice now
blurring his words almost beyond understanding.
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Cumberlandoffered his arm, and the King passed his own through its angle.
Leaning heavily on the taller, middle-aged Earl, and with uncertain steps, the
older man first let himself be led, then stopped and pulled back, on seeing
the direction they were going.
"I thought, Majesty," said the Earl, in answer to an uncertain mumble from
the King, "sincea bed of mine was closer& for a short nap& "
"You're a good lad, Robert. Let us go& " The two of them disappeared from
view.
"Bah!" said Agatha to the thin air. She strode into the room, took the Earl's
goblet, filled it with wine, and, sitting in the chair the King had abandoned,
took some hearty swallows.
"Well?" shesaid, whenCumberland reappeared and sat down. "How did his
Highness take it when you told him I was riding?"
"He did not take it happily, my Lady," said the Earl. "But he accepted it.
Still, I would suggest the excuse is wearing thin."
"And why do you call it an excuse, my Lord?"
"Yesterday, you were riding," saidCumberland . "But today you were down
visiting that manling in the dungeons, were you not?"
"And what gives you the right to say that?" said Agatha. "Do you have spies
following me now?"
"Of course," growled the Earl. He poured a small amount of wine into the
goblet the King had emptied and sipped at it, then set it down again. "Do you
not have your spies on me? Does not everybody have their spies on everybody
else here at Court? Do not take me for a child, my Lady."
"I would take it amiss, my Lord," said Agatha slowly, "if you were to insist
to his Majesty I have done anything but ride, this day."
The Earl laughed shortly, and drank a little more.
"Your wits are astray, I think, Lady Falon. You have one claim on the King. I
have several. This I have told you before: Those who last long around the
Throne do not do it on a single moment of favor. It is a game I know well. You
will find that out if you count me as one you can play with."
"I think not in my case, Sir."
"Time will tell, Lady Falon."
"What do you want from me, then?"
"Some of whatever you get. You surely did not expect it otherwise? There are
only two powers here. One is the King. The other is those of us who advise
him. And of those, I am the strongest."
"And you are the King's half-brother, after all," said Agatha. "It could be
that has bred in you, somewhat, and given you an illusion of greater strength
than indeed you have. I may be a weak enemy, my Lord, but I warrant you I can
be a valuable friend."
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"This is not a public market, my Lady. I am neither to be frightened nor
bought. I repeat, there are those of us who advise his Majesty too many for
you to think of having your own way with all, even if you were powerful enough
to do so. Like the King himself, you will have to live with us, as we live
with each other. His Majesty is not a fool, you know. He will not have
forgotten the hard death of his father, strangely and secretly, after he had
been forced to resign the throne. He will make sure nothing like that happens
to him, and the best way he may do so is to keep the powers of those about him
in balance."
"And what then is supposed to be the sum of this lesson you rede me, my most
wise and experienced Lord?" said Agatha.
"Simply that he has a use for me in keeping that balance," said the Earl."Not
so you. I may control him utterly one day. You never will. For now you have my
assistance as long as I earn by it in the long run. There may come a time when
I will demand of you what your aim and plans are. When that time comes I would
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