Three days ago, after Edward Cotton, a knight raised by Viscount Darlington, was stabbed to death in the dueling arena by Isabelle's sword, a blank Lamberton Swift said to the eldest daughter beside him: "Carrie, you'd better find a few people at once, and find Francis in the shortest possible time." ”

Caroline looked at Edward, who was lying motionless on the hard ground, with a lot of blood coming out of his neck, and whispered, "Dad, are you going to let Edward lie here all the time?" I don't want other knights to think that your heart is cold. ”

When Lamberton asked two of Edward's friends to carry his body, he said, "How could I do that? Don't worry, I'll bury Edward, Victor, and the other dead knights according to Templar-like Catholic rites. ”

From the afternoon until long after the end of the supper, the four knights sent out by Caroline had no trouble getting a little news of Francis. The next morning, when the wall clock on the roof of Durham Church had struck five times, the four knights each carried a transfer horse and food and drinking water and galloped away in the direction of the border.

When the four slightly weary knights arrived at the junction of Northumberland and Cumberland, they finally found the man they were looking for in a private tavern. At this time, Francis was cuddling the tavern's owner, who was barely clothed, and a young widow from County Durham was lying asleep in her bed.

Half-asleep in the light of the oil lamp, Francis seemed to see several men in cavalry armor and cloaks, with swords in hand, standing in front of the bed and watching him silently. Turning his head inward, he muttered, "Are you here to seek revenge on me?" Actually, they killed you, and it's none of my business. ”

In an instant, Francis sat up with wide eyes, grabbed a stabbing sword that was placed beside the bed, and jumped out of bed. Before he could raise his sword, four swords glowing in the darkness were placed around his neck at almost the same time.

"Who the fuck are you guys? Are you here to kill me? Francis asked in a low voice, looking at the sleeping widow.

"Francis, if we're here to kill you, do you think you'll still be standing here with your sword in hand?" A middle-aged knight also whispered.

"Okay, what the hell do you want?"

"It's nothing, we just want you to come back to Darlington Castle with us."

"Damn it, Lord Darlington told you to get me?"

"My lord didn't explain like this, but let us bring you back in the shortest possible time."

Francis secretly observed the furniture and furnishings in the room, as well as where the four knights stood. He planned to take advantage of the other party's vigilance to run away or fight the four men with all his might. He just said, "What if I don't want to go back with you?" ”

The middle-aged knight laughed dryly twice and said, "Then, we can only use the sword to talk to you." If one of us is killed by you, it is proof that you were involved in the attack on Sunday morning. Perhaps, you are not aware of the fact that the magistrate and the adult are on good terms. ”

"Fuck you, asshole!"

"Francis, we were actually sent to you by Ms. Swift."

At this time, Francis did not show a strong sense of resistance, and gradually put down the sword in his hand and said, "Okay, I will go back with you." However, no one is allowed to harm this lady. ”

From the moment he entered Darlington Castle, Francis had been placed under house arrest by his father, Viscount Darlington. Now, Lamberton Swift increasingly suspects that the second son was complicit in the attack with several fellow thieves.

Because Francis, as his second son, could easily find out the secret information about who the honoraria army consisted of, when it departed, and which way to Barnard Castle. At present, Lamberton suffers from the absence of any substantial evidence that he can put the second son in the hands of the county magistrate, Baron Crook, as a thief for murder and robbery.

In the end, he made a somewhat satisfactory arrangement. Let his wife, the mother of the siblings, and his eldest daughter, Caroline, try to repair Francis's relationship with the Swift family, and let him say the evidence he wants when the relationship eases.

Two days passed, and Lambberton's arrangement seemed to have worked a little as expected. However, it will probably take a long time for him to tell the truth that he knows. Lamberton began to regret the time he had promised his second son to leave a few days earlier, and he was very desperate to find a very tempting excuse for him to stay in the castle "willingly".

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Carolyn carefully read the contents of the letter, then re-rolled the letter back to its original shape. This was done in order to make it easier to see the seal wax that had been cut in half at the closure of the letter.

After looking at the sealing wax, Caroline returned the letter to the servant. He looked at his father and said, "Dad, it seems that these thieves do not let go of anything of value." Even the sealing wax that the nobles would like to use, they stole it to write letters. ”

Lamberton took a sip of a glass of wine as he looked at his second son and said, "Francis, this is your home, don't you want to stay here with your family?" ”

Seeing that the second son did not say anything, he said, "Francis, you can read this letter first, and then tell me what you think." ”

Francis knew in his heart that this letter must have been written by Isabel's gang, but at the moment he would rather maintain a good relationship with Isabel and the others than become a dispensable ghostly figure in Darlington Castle. After taking the letter handed to him by the servant, he took a quick look at it.

Then, he looked at his father, who was a nobleman, with a look of indifference, and said, "My lord, I don't have any ideas, this is just a very ordinary letter asking for ransom." ”

"Ordinary? I'd like to hear your explanation. ”

"Time, place, ransom amount, and respect for you and your eldest son, Joseph. I think any knight with a chivalrous spirit would write like this. ”

"Francis, thieves are a shameful profession that makes people feel angry and spurned by God, and only allows themselves to fall into purgatory. Why do you have to make yourself that kind of person? ”

"Because I like to live freely."

"If I let Joseph take him back, I think your mother and your sister will be willing to accept you again."

Caroline, who was sitting on the side, also said according to her father's meaning: "Francis, you know that we love you, and you love your family. It's better to be happy with your family than to worry about being hunted by the nobles every day, right? ”

Francis glanced at his biological sister and said lightly: "The second son of a nobleman will always be the second son, this is a fact that will not be changed. If you love me, let me live happily. At least, the smile is still my own, isn't it? ”

Lambton nodded and said calmly, "I know you like to stay on the border, how about Carlisle Castle?" If you wish, I can write a letter to Lord Carlisle at once, and make you a knight who defends the borders of the kingdom and bravely resists the Sugs. ”