The Forest Lovers - Softcover

Excerpt: ... learned that she had heard him. He put the cup to her lips again. Some was spilt, but some was swallowed. She motioned an answer to his question. "Yes, lord," he made of it. "Isoult, I ought to be angry with you," said he; and she looked untroubled at him, too far gone to heed the blame of lords or men. "No, no," her lips framed as she closed her eyes. She fell asleep holding his hand, and he watched by the bed till midnight, warning off with a lifted finger any who came from the Countess for news of him. Hard thinking sped the vigil: he wondered what could have happened to bring her so near her death or ever he could have word of her. Galors, he was pretty sure, had got to work again; it was good odds that he had been running in couple with the lady of the dead knight. Their connection was proved to his mind. Then Isoult, having escaped by some chance, had naturally headed straight for him-very naturally, very properly. It was his due: he would fight for her; she was his wife. Ah, Heaven, but she was more than that! There were ties, there were ties now. What more precisely she was he could not say; but more, oh, certainly more. Weak things moved him always: here was a weak enough thing, white and shadowy in a bed! He felt the stirring of her hand in his, like a little mouse. Poor frightened creature, flying from all the forest eyes to drop at his feet at last! By God, he would split Galors this time. And as for the woman-pooh, give her a branding and let her go. At midnight Isoult woke up with a little cry. Her first words were as before-"Danger! danger!" "You are safe with me, dear," said Prosper. "Danger to you, my lord!" "To me, my child? Who can be dangerous to me?" "Maulfry and Galors. Maulfry most of all." "Maulfry? Maulfry?" he echoed. Ah, the lady! She told him everything that had passed from the hour she left Gracedieu, and even Prosper could not but see that she had had one thought throughout and one stay. Maulfry's smiling...