The King turned to De Lacy. "You rescued Sir John when he was attacked last April near his own castle; might this be the same band?"
Aymer shook his head. "We killed all of them but one."
"True, I remember now… The flat-nosed one alone escaped… Did De Bury ever speak to you of enemies in these parts?"
"Never directly; though, as you know, he seemed to dislike the Abbot of Kirkstall and suspected him of being, at least, party to the other attack."
"Well, we must wait for even a plausible solution until we have a few facts. Yet I would wager much it is an abduction—and God grant it be so… Of course, it may be the villains did not molest the Countess. In that case, find Sir John and you find her, too."
"The chance is slight," De Lacy said quickly, "yet I shall ride rapidly back for a few miles and, perchance, it may be so. If I be not here by daybreak, Sire, I will join the men en route."
"It will be a relief for you to be on the move," said Richard kindly; "but return here for your escort. We may have clues then; and if the Countess has been abducted, she is quite as likely to be carried South as North."
"I shall be here at daybreak," Aymer answered. He saddled Selim with his own hand, and with Dauvrey beside him hurried away. They rode in silence with eyes alert, scanning sharply the ground on both sides of the road that lay like a silver stream before them. A mile from the castle a soldier rode out from the shadow and reined across the track, his casquetel and drawn sword glistening in the moonlight.
"Hold!" he ordered.
"Yorkshire!" said De Lacy … "Any news?" he demanded, as they swept by.