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The White Company: Nigel

At Twynham Castle Alleyne met his angel again. She was the Lorings' only child. He became squire to Sir Nigel, while Lady Loring engaged him to teach the wayward Maude and two other girls. Maude was no easy pupil, given to strange moods. In spite of the abbot's warnings, teaching three girls was to Alleyne a joyous experience.

Time came for him to follow Sir Nigel to the wars. Maude was far above him in station, yet he told her of his love and begged her for some word of hope. "Win my father's love and all may follow," she told him. Sir Nigel was a small man with a lisping voice, but when he said, "let us debate the matter further," it meant a fight. He spoke of his "small deeds," and he called a deadly hand-to-hand fight a "small bickering." With Alleyne, John Aylward, and one hundred and fifty archers and men-at-arms he set sail for France. They fought a bloody battle with two pirate craft. Alleyne had his first taste of war and fought bravely. Sir Nigel's sword flashed everywhere at once. Aylward led the archers and John took the big Norman captain prisoner by sheer strength. They lost nearly all their men, but captured both pirate ships. In a fast-sinking ship they landed at Bordeaux, where King Edward was mustering his forces to carry the war into Spain. Here Alleyne fought a duel and came out a hero. Five English knights held the list against all comers. The English won two bouts, their opponents two, and Sir Nigel won the fifth. Then an unknown knight came forth from the East and challenged the victors. Four knights went down before him in short order, but Sir Nigel broke even. The White Company was at Dax and he set out to take command. With him were Aylward and John and his two squires, Alleyne and Ford. In the brushwood they saw many strange lean people who fled before them. Some were too weak with hunger to move. Their feudal lord had taken the last fruits of their toil. At a hotel they found the strange champion of the tournament. He was Du Guesclin, a French knight, known to Sir Nigel. His wife, Lady Tiphaine, was with him. They all went for the night to a chateau. Here they found several other knights and squires. They had a great feast and made merry, unmindful of the starving peasants.

Lady Tiphaine went into a trance, which she called the blessed hour of sight. She saw the English driven out of France, but the power of England spread to many lands. She saw Sir Nigel's castle besieged by a mob led by a big yellow-haired man. Lady Loring and Maude stood on the wall, directing the defenders. The big leader was slain and his followers dispersed. She told her husband that he also was in great danger, but he laughed at the idea. When all were asleep the enraged peasants stole into the chateau and murdered all but eight. Sir Nigel, Alleyne, Aylward, John, Du Guesclin and his wife, and two others fought their way to the keep. In a narrow passage at the head of the stairs they held the mob off. The peasants set fire to the buildings. The stairs fell away and they were about to be enveloped in flames when the White Company arrived and rescued them.