Get you gone, traitor and liar, for well I know that Hugh de
Cressi is not dead, who had a certain tale to tell of you to the King of
England. Get you back to the Duke of Normandy and there ask the price of
your betrayal of your liege lord, Edward, and show him the plans of our
eastern coast and the shores where his army may land in safety."
Acour sprang to his feet and his face went white as ashes. Thrice he
strove to speak but could not. Then with a curse he turned and left the
chamber.
"The hunt's up," said Father Nicholas when he had heard all this tale
a little later, "and now, lord, I think that you had better away to
France, unless you desire to stop without companions in the church
yonder."
"Ay, priest, I'll away, but by God's blood, I'll take that Red Eve with
me! For one thing she knows too much to leave her behind. For a second
I mean to pay her back, and for a third, although you may think it
strange, I'm mad for her. I tell you she looked wondrous standing with
her back against that wall, her marble face never wincing when I told
her all the lie about young de Cressi's death--which will be holy truth
when I get a chance at him--watching me out of those great, dark eyes of
hers."
"Doubtless, lord, but how did she look when she called you knave and
traitor? I think you said those were her wicked words. Oh!" he added
with a ring of earnestness in his smooth voice, "let this Red Eve be.
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