Free The Incorporated Knight by L. Sprague de Camp, Catherine Crook de Camp

fight at the height of the harvest," observed Sir Dambert.
     
                  "Nay," said Emmerhard, "they live farther north and so have already finished their field work."
     
                  "How about you, Father?" asked Eudoric.
     
                  Sir Dambert shook his head. "Aye, certes, would that I could help thee; but 'tis the same with me. I lack enough men to guard the castle as 'tis. I dare not strip it of all protection, lest Rainmar essay a sudden descent in spite of royal bans. Moreover and besides, Rainmar hath a plenty of men, the which he feeds on the usufruct of's robberies. An we put on ten guards, he'll come at thee with a score; an we put on twenty, he'll summon up two score, eh?"
     
                  "A fine basket of grapes," snorted Eudoric, "when a harmless, law-abiding gentleman can't make an honest living. Let me think ... I recall the saying of the soldier of fortune, Karal of Gintz: 'If thou canst not vanquish them, unite them with thyself.' "
     
                  Gruffly, Dambert laughed. "Tell me not, son, that thou think of turning reaver likewise!"
     
                  "Nay, nay. Methought a call upon the lord of Hessel and a friendly discussion might yield results. At least, it's better than driving the coach to Kromnitch empty of passengers, they being daunted by fear of another ambuscado."
     
                  Emmerhard said: "Have a care that he clap thee not up in's dungeon for ransom."
     
                  "Has he not a daughter?" asked Eudoric. "Me-seems I have heard of such an one."
     
                  "Aye," said Emmerhard. "A truly nubile daughter, whom Rainmar would dearly love to marry off. Trouble is, none of his noble neighbors will countenance a union with this caitiff rascal. So Rainmar faces the choice of, imprimis, leaving poor Maragda an unwed spinster; secundus, of wedding her to one of his scurvy knaves of low degree; or tertius, of reforming his evil ways."
     
                  "Well, sir," said Eudoric to the baron, "since your own lovely daughter jaculated me forth, I have been casting about."
     
                  "Eudoric!" cried Sir Dambert. "Thou shalt not marry into that clan of banditti! I forbid it!"
     
                  "Easy, Father. I have no intention of wedding the lass, at least so long as Rainmar pursue his larcenous course. But think: if Rainmar accept me as a suitor, he'd be less fain to rob his prospective son-in-law's coach, would he not? With a call at Castle Hesse l from time to time, we should be able to keep the pot on the boil until the Emperor settle his score with Aviona and our men-at-arms come home. Then we can do as we list."
     
                  Dambert gloomily shook his head. "Oh, thou art clever, son; cleverer than becomes a knight, forsooth. Thine estate of knighthood entails obligations—"
     
                  "Chide not the lad," said Baron Emmerhard. "In these degenerate days, when a stroke of the pen oft outweighs a slash of the sword, we need all the wit we can muster."
     
    -
     
                  Days later, Baron Rainmar of Hessel , a huge, red-bearded, broken-nosed man, stared suspiciously at his caller. Behind him, men-at-arms handled pikes and fingered crossbows.
     
                  "State thy business," he barked.
     
                  Eudoric allowed a smile to cross his normally serious face. Although a little shaken by the row of Rainmar's victims—hanged, impaled, or beheaded— beside the front gate, he hid his feelings. He said:
     
                  " 'Tis merely a friendly visit, my lord; my first to your hold. I must avow my admiration for its strength."
     
                  "It serves as a shield 'twixt me and mine envious neighbors—but is this all thou came for? I can scarce