Four or five times a day did Richard ask Osmond and Fru Astrida if they thought Alberic would return, and it was a great satisfaction to him to find that every one agreed that it would be very foolish in the Dame de Montémar to refuse so good an offer, only Fru Astrida could not quite believe she would part with her son. Still no Baron de Montémar arrived, and the little Duke was beginning to think less about his hopes, when one evening, as he was returning from a ride with Sir Eric and Osmond, he saw four horsemen coming towards them, and a little boy in front.
“It is Alberic himself, I am sure of it!” he exclaimed, and so it proved; and while the Seneschal delivered his Lady’s message to Sir Eric, Richard rode up and greeted the welcome guest.
“Oh, I am very glad your mother has sent you!”
“She said she was not fit to bring up a young warrior of the marches,” said Alberic.
“Were you very sorry to come?”
“I dare say I shall not mind it soon; and Bertrand is to come and fetch me home to visit her every three months, if you will let me go, my Lord.”
Richard was extremely delighted, and thought he could never do enough to make Rouen pleasant to Alberic, who after the first day or two cheered up, missed his mother less, managed to talk something between French and Norman to Sir Eric and Fru Astrida, and became a very animated companion and friend. In one respect Alberic was a better playfellow for the Duke than Osmond de Centeville, for Osmond, playing as a grown up man, not for his own amusement, but the child’s, had left all the advantages of the game to Richard, who was growing not a little inclined to domineer. This Alberic did not like, unless, as he said, “it was to be always Lord and vassal, and then he did not care for the game,” and he played with so little animation that Richard grew vexed.
“I can’t help it,” said Alberic; “if you take all the best chances to yourself, ’tis no sport for me. I will do your bidding, as you are the Duke, but I cannot like it.”
“Never mind my being Duke, but play as we used to do.”
“Then let us play as I did with Bertrand’s sons at Montémar. I was their Baron, as you are my Duke, but my mother said there would be no sport unless we forgot all that at play.”