"It is because he is my cousin, my lord, that I dare make no exception to the law," Diarmid returned. "Shall the people say that there is one law for the common folk and another for the Crown and its relatives? Surely not! There must be justice for all!
"Justice, yes." Rod mounted the stairs, saying, "But sometimes the law must be tempered with mercy to yield justice."
"Gallowglass!" Anselm cried in anger and despair, and Rowena look up in horror to discover that her traveling companion had been her family's arch-enemy.
"Lord Warlock!" Relief washed over Diarmid's face but was quickly hidden. "How come you here?"
'To plead the cause of justice, Lord Duke." The relief Rod had seen in Diarmid's face reminded him how very young the man really was. "The forest laws are well and good, since they keep the deer from all being killed, and allow only enough hunting so that they don't gobble up their food supply and starve—but is not this enforcement too rigid? Is not the whole purpose of maintaining the deer herds so that they are there to feed hungry people if they are needed?"
"A sound rationale," Diarmid said thoughtfully. "History tells us the Forest Laws were made only to save the deer as sport for the great lords—but you give them far greater purpose, Lord Warlock."
Anselm stared, unable to believe Rod was pleading his family's cause—but Geordie stared, stunned, and Rowena looked at him with a sudden wild hope.
"Surely that purpose should be considered here," Rod said. "Is sport for the few more important than the lives of peasants?"
The crowd began to mutter, and the soldiers shifted uneasily.
Rod pressed the point. "Is the law more important than good governance?"
"The law is the key to good governance, my lord." Diarmid frowned, puzzled.
"Then good governance is the purpose?"
Diarmid lifted his head slowly, beginning to understand Rod's direction. "Aye, Lord Warlock, good governance is the purpose of the law."
"Then it is a purpose the law must serve." He turned to Rowena. "Lady, has your husband ever failed in his duty?"
"Never, my lord!" Rowena said fervently. "He has always been diligent and just in his care of his peasants! He is ever about the estates assuring that all is well! The welfare of his people has ever been his constant concern!"
"Even to making her quarrel with him," growled one of her guards, in a voice too loud to be a mistake.
Diarmid turned to the man—and to the whole dozen of her escort. "Surely a wife will speak well of a husband she loves—but what of his retainers?" He saw the man's furtive glance at Anselm and sharpened his tone. "Come, man, you've naught to fear! You shall have a place in my own retinue; you and your family shall have cottages on my estates to shield you from the anger of Sir Anselm! If there is anything to be said against Squire Geordie, speak!"
"Not one word!" the grizzled peasant cried. "Not one word is there to be said against him, my lord, and everything for him!"
"Aye!" cried a younger man. "He is beside us even at the plow to be sure the furrow is straight! He marches out with the sowers to broadcast the seed!"
"Aye!" cried another. "When the harvest comes, he is ever beside us with scythe and flail! If a plowman is sick, it is he who sneezes!"
"We would follow Geordie to the death, my lord." The old peasant made it half a threat. "Call him to battle, and we will follow him all, man and boy, because we know that our welfare is his concern."
"It is for our sakes he is here!" cried the youngest. "When the grain rotted in the bin, he swore we would not starve though it cost him his life! I pray you, my lord, let it not do so!"
Now Anselm shook off the man who was whispering in his ear and stepped forward. "My son has always been an excellent steward of the land and governor of his people, Lord Diarmid. If it is justice you seek, you should reward him for his diligence and care, not take his life!"
"There's truth in what he says, my lord." Rod turned to Diarmid. "People are more important than deer."
"They are, Lord Warlock." Diarmid was beginning to show a touch of excitement which, for him, was amazing. "But by your own argument, if we do not enforce the Forest Laws, how shall we feed our people with game in time of famine?"
"It is because famine looms that Geordie has slain deer to feed his people," Rod countered. "But money will serve to buy food as well as a bow and arrow will. Might I suggest a fine—say, a thousand pieces of gold?"
The lords gasped in horror and began to talk furiously among themselves.
"Very wise, Lord Warlock." Diarmid nodded slowly. "A fine that would build a manor house—or feed fifty villages through a hungry winter! Yes, so high a fine would make even a duke think twice about hunting out of season, and would surely deter any lesser lord."
"I shall give you all I possess!" cried Rowena. "All my dowry, land, and jewels worth a hundred gold pieces!"
"Rowena, no!" Geordie cried.
"What use is a dowry without a husband?" she retorted, and turned back to Diarmid. "I can offer no more than that!"
"I can!" One of the earls shot to his feet. "I offer one hundred pounds and ten!"
"And I a hundred and fifteen!" A baron leaped up beside him.
"A hundred and twenty!"
"A hundred and thirty!"
Rod stood, amazed, as the auction mentality took hold. Diarmid only nodded, keeping mental score, and when the bidding stopped, called out, "That is eight hundred fifty, my lords, but not enough!"
"Then I shall offer a hundred and fifty of gold!" Anselm cried. "Remember, my lord, you said it would go to feed the hungry!"
"And so it shall!" Diarmid stood up. "I shall lock it in a separate coffer and shall open it as soon as Squire Geordie's folk find themselves short of bread!" He turned to the assembled noblemen. "My lords, I thank you! May we all show as much generosity and care for our fellows as you have shown today!"
The lords stared at one another; charity had certainly been the farthest thing from their minds when they set out on this trip.
Diarmid turned to advance on Geordie, drawing his dagger. Voices shouted in anger, but Diarmid only stepped behind Geordie and severed his bonds. Geordie raised his hands, rubbing his wrists in amazement, and the shouting died. Then Diarmid reached up, shook the chain to unhook it, caught it as it fell, and handed it to Geordie. "Use this to buy food for your people—and if they are ever in need again, tell your duke rather than taking up your bow!"
Rowena ran to throw her arms about her husband, and the crowd cheered.
In the midst of the shouting, Anselm stepped up to Rod with his hand on his sword. "If my son had been slain, Lord Warlock, I would have rebelled—and this time, I swear, I would have torn down my overweening little brother and his arrogant Queen!"
"Even though they sent you a judge who had sense enough to see that Geordie was an invaluable asset?" Rod asked.
" 'Tis not Diarmid who saw sense, but you who showed it to him!"
"Why, thank, you, Sir Anselm," Rod said slowly.
Anselm stared, realizing that he had paid Rod a compliment. Then he recovered and demanded, "There may be truth in that—but rumor says you have left your post to wander the land as a doddering knight-errant! Who shall temper the Crown's justice now, if the Lord Warlock has left his position to roam at his pleasure?"
"Why, my son Magnus," Rod told him, "though I doubt he'll be needed. Alain embodies all the mercy the Crown will ever need. No matter what you may think of your relatives, Sir Anselm, your nephew has a positive genius for sound judgement."