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He shall make my way straight, bless him for a John Baptist. We are for Wanmeeting, my friends. Wanmeeting, then Goltres." Said another "Sir, if that road lead to High March, we must go straight forward to fetch at Wanmeeting." So they disputed at large. She could find out little more.
He himself was no one knew where, scouring the country for traces of the girl Isoult la Desirous, who had escaped from High March. Meantime a detached force under the Golden Knight had surprised Goltres, and put the inhabitants to the sword. They held that stronghold, and were said still to be there. Prosper sent for his horse, and rode down to the council house to see the High Bailiff.
He thus put the man at his ease, and won a tolerable friendship with his brother against the time when the elder would be, in respect of certain fiefs, the vassal of the younger. But from Goltres came none to do fealty, nor from Hauterive, nor from Malbank Saint Thorn. Goltres, in fact, was escheat, and granted out to Prosper's brother Osric and his new wife from Pre.
First he sat down and wrote a letter to the Countess, thus conceived. "To the high lady, the Lady Isabel de Forz, Countess of Hauterive, Countess Dowager of March and Bellesme, Lady of Morgraunt Galors de Born, Lord of Hauterive, Goltres, and West Wan, sendeth greeting in the Lord everlasting. "That which your Serenity lost early is not too late found, and by us.
He shouted through the door, "Ho, there! My horse and arms! Turn the guard out! In three minutes we are off." The woman crept away. She had worked her hardest for him, but he wanted nothing of her. "Dirty weather, by the Rood," said Galors, looking out at the rain. "Dirty weather and a smell of worse. Hearken to the wind in the turrets. Gentlemen, we are for Goltres. Spare no horseflesh.
"You are quite right, sir," replied the other, "it is Goltres; and I am Spiridion, the lord of Goltres, of a most ancient stock yet much at your service." Prosper bowed to his host, who at once resumed his prying and gazing. This did not suit the other's temper at all, for he was above all things a sociable soul. So after a minute he cut in again on another tack.
In fact, he headed within a fortnight of his coming into North Morgraunt a force which was the largest known since Earl Roger of Bellesme had made a quietness like death over those parts. By the time of Prosper's exodus, that is by mid-May, his tactical situation was this it is as well to be precise. He had Hauterive and Waisford. Goltres was in the hollow of his hand.
"Quarter, Messire!" cried the trooper, "here comes one of my betters for you." In effect, a knight on a chestnut horse was coming from Goltres, a most resplendent knight in golden armour, with yellow trappings slashed and fluttering about him. "The Gold Knight!" said Prosper, drawing a sharpish breath; "this is better than I looked for.
It might be well to make sure of my punt." He manoeuvred it under the stair with some trouble, lashed it fore and aft, and entered Goltres by the slippery ascent, addressing himself as he went to God and Saint Mary the Virgin. The wooden stair led him into a flagged passage which smelt strongly of fungus.
The great hulk of Goltres rose threatening above him, fretted by little waves, staring down from a hundred empty eyes. He made out a water-gate and drove his punt towards it. It was open. He pushed in, found a rotting stair, above it a door which was broken away and hanging by one hinge. "The welcome, withal free, is cold," quoth Prosper, "but we cannot stand on ceremony.
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