Narrator:
It's a slow morning getting up and getting ready. Hesketh's retainer, Bill, stands watch up on near the ridgetop. Finally, they start to break camp. Hesketh is still saddling Wholestein when a sharp whistle atrracts everyone's attention to the ridge.
Standing at the top, overlooking the camp is a knight on horseback. Clad in scale and holding a lance, he peers down and stares at the camp.
Richard, clad in his normal non-ceremonial chain, looks around.
Sir Richard:
Hesketh, why don't you finish saddling Wholestein up? I'll take a trot up the hill and see what our visitor wants.
Sir Hesketh:
But, Baron, thy horse is no more saddled....
Narrator:
Hesketh trails off as Richard picks up his shield and leaps onto Buekephalos' bare back. He wheels and picks up his lance from where it leans against the tent and is off, neither he nor the horse looking in the least bit uncomfortable with the lack of bridle or saddle.
Sir Hesketh: [muttering as he tightens the girth strap]
'tis not meet that a Knight of such rank should hail another without the proper accoutrements.
Narrator:
Richard trots up the hill, covered shield in plain view and lance leaning back over his shoulder. As he comes within 200 yards of the knightly figure, his bell-like baritone carries clearly across the intervening distance.
Sir Richard:
Hail, Sir Knight! How can I help you this fine morning?
Narrator:
The figure takes a moment to consider the large and obvious device on Richard's shield before responding. Richard's crest has 3 of the four quarters of the well-known Stanley family crest, with the top left quarter bearing the rather distinctive sign of the Helm.
Raymond:
Hail Good Sir! Who may I have the good fortune of meeting this Fine Morning?
Sir Richard: [Left eyebrow ascending swiftly]
Funny; I was about to ask the same of you.
Raymond:
[begins working his way down the slope towards the encampment leading his horse]
Well Sir as I have asked first would you do me the honor of your name?
Sir Richard:
Ah, but you have yet to answer my question, Sir Knight. Still, my name is Sir Richard Stanley, Baron of Arundel. And you are...?
Raymond:
I am Sir Raymond Lambert. I have been looking for your party Sir. I have a message from Duke Regginal for the Duchess Tabytha.
Sir Richard:
I have just joined the Duchess' party, Sir Raymond, but I do not believe that Her Grace will be pleased to see you. No point in delaying the event, however. I do not believe we have met before, Sir Raymond, but I'm a little surprised that a Knight of Devonshire would not recognize my crest. Are you new to His Grace's service?
Raymond:
Unfortunately yes. My father has a small holding in Quinazoline. With the Duke's new measures my father believed it trenchant to send me into the Duke's service as a measure of good faith.
Narrator:
Once the pair reach the bottom of the hill Raymond begins attempting to dust himself off. He also wipes off his shield which bears his family's coat of arms. Once he has done all he can to prepare himself for his meeting with the Duchess he looks to Sir Richard.
Raymond:
Sir Richard. I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Would you lead me to Her Grace so that I may deliver his Lordship's message?
Richard:
That was generally my intent.
Raymond:
I meant no disrespect sir. I merely meant to explain that as horrid as the condition of my clothing and person are I feel compelled to proceed.
Narrator:
Richard nods and leads Raymond to Tabytha. Raymond takes in the fact that an armoured ox on two legs [Sir Hesketh] is keeping a careful eye on him. A dangerous looking man to be sure. One of the women in the Duchess' party stares openly at Raymond for a second. She looks like a Stanley, actually, she closely resembles Sir Richard. Raymond concludes that she must be one of his sisters.
Gloriana: [not exactly friendly]
You.
You are the man who follows us.
Why?
Narrator:
Raymond sees the Duchess look at him. She undergoes a transformation. A second ago, she was just another woman in the company of close friends. But in the span of seconds she has become The Duchess of Devonshire.
Raymond kneels and bows his head to his Duchess.
Tabytha: [gesturing for Raymond to rise]
Give me your message, Sir -
[short pause as she recalls who this is. Tabytha is quite good at this, if Raymond were better known, there would be no pause at all]
Raymond of Quinazoline.
Raymond: [not raising his head]
It is a verbal message, my Duchess.
Duke Regginal wishes for you to return to Devonshire. He misses you greatly and is filled with sorrow at your departure.
Tabytha: [slightly angered]
Verbal?
[light bulb goes off]
Regginal didn't directly command you, did he Sir Raymond?
Raymond:
Duchess.
The Duke's command was "I wish someone would go and bring her back."
Narrator:
Richard suppresses a snort which comes out more like a sneeze. Glorianna stamps on his foot and Tabytha ignores him completely.
Tabytha: [very angry]
[microscopic pause as she evaluates how much of her temper she can use on this man (almost all of it out that she cares to on this nobody, out here in the sticks, in the company of her best friends. Only the presence of a future McKitrick Lord slows her down) and how much of her temper she wants to use (enough to leave a smoking hole where this guy stands)]
And you thought you'd just bring me back?
[If words could kill, Raymond, his horse, and all of the grass behind him would have turned to dust]
Raymond:
Duchess, no. I thought... I mean... Forgive me My Lady I meant no disrespect! I...
Tabytha: [calming a bit - this poor clod thought he was doing his Duke a service. Strong loyalty is hard to find.]
Sir. Go home.
Raymond: [caught on the horns of a dilemma]
Duchess. I cannot. I will see you home. If you choose to delay your return I can only follow and wait.
Tabytha: [He's had his chance -see 'words could kill' above]
And take credit for 'bringing' me home? Leave my sight!
Raymond: [relieved to hear a clear command he can obey]
Duchess as you command.
Narrator:
With that Raymond jumps to his feet and runs for his horse. He mounts and is shortly out of sight. Where he stops and waits. Bill whistles a few notes.
Sir Hesketh:
Sir Raymond awaits just past the top of the hill, out of your sight.
Sir Richard: [To Tabytha, speaking formally]
Your Grace, I think we have a problem. This is obviously a Knight of very little brain. Having come all this way without so much as a request, can we really doubt that the damn fool will follow you like a puppy wherever you go?
Tabytha:
It'll be a cold day in...
[Pauses, gets a grip on herself]
Damn! That stupid, patronizing, ignorant fool-of-a-Knight! Do whatever you want with him, but keep him out of my way!
Narrator:
With that, Tabytha storms into her tent. Hesketh turns towards Richard.
Sir Hesketh:
Her Grace dost seem most displeased with this unfortunate young man. I wonder how we can keep him out of trouble?
Sir Richard: [chuckling]
No, Hesketh, I think the issue is choosing between putting him on a short lead or binding and gagging him. Any man who volunteers to get in between his Lord and Lady wears trouble like a birthmark.
Sir Hesketh: [sighing]
Methinks there is truth in that statement. Mayhaps my armsmaster can aid Sir Raymond. What say we put him on perimeter watch?
Sir Richard: [nodding]
Sounds like a good idea. You might want to warn Bill to keep a sap handy to conk Raymond on the head with if he does something too stupid. A man like that is apt to charge into a thicket of enemies and get himself slain.
Sir Hesketh: [Looking vaguely disturbed]
'struth, My Lord, I'd hope he had more sense than that...
Yet, I think I may mention it.
Narrator:
Sir Hesketh rides off to talk to Sir Raymond.