A Perfect Gentle Knight (3 page)

Meredith looked out the window. “It's stopped raining—can we go in the back yard?”

They found Juliet and Orly standing solemnly in front of a rock in the garden. Their arms were black to their elbows and their faces were smudged with dirt.

Other rocks dotted the space. “This is our animal graveyard,” Juliet told Meredith. “So far we have three birds, six turtles, and one rat.”

“A
rat
! I'm scared of rats!”

“So am I,” said Corrie, shivering at the memory of the ones Hamlet had killed. But she was glad Meredith was afraid of them too.

Juliet looked at both of them scornfully. “Me and Orly aren't afraid of rats!”

“You just missed the robin's funeral,” said Orly. “We sang ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful.'”

Corrie showed Meredith her favourite cherry tree. She suggested climbing it, but Meredith told her she was afraid of heights. The rest of the yard was a tangle of shrubs, trees, and uncut grass. Corrie thought of Meredith's pristine back lawn, where she and Meredith had practised cartwheels.

But Meredith seemed to like the wildness. “It's like a
jungle
!” she said, pushing through a thick clump of bamboo.

The yard was long and narrow. Corrie followed Meredith to the back. “What's
that
?” asked Meredith, pointing to a ramshackle cedar shed beside the gate to the lane.

“Oh, nothing,” said Corrie quickly. “Just an old shed with … with garden tools in it.”

“Can I peek?” Meredith approached the grimy window, but Corrie pulled at her sleeve.

“There's nothing to see. Come on, let's go back to my room.” She led Meredith back into the house.

Upstairs, Meredith bent over Corrie's desk. “What's
this
?”

“It's called a diorama,” said Corrie shyly. Meredith peeked into the scene Corrie had created in a shoebox.

“How did you
do
it?”

“I used a mirror for the pond and some of Jingle's gravel for the sand. I drew the tree and barn on cardboard and then I cut them out and glued them on with little tabs so they'd stand up. It's not quite finished—I'm going to borrow some of the twins' wooden farm animals if I can sneak them out of their room.”

“It's
wonderful
!”

Corrie glowed. “I've made lots of them,” she said. “There's no room in here, so I keep them in the basement. I'll show you sometime.”

“I'd
love
to see them!” Meredith sat on the bed and began to tell Corrie all about her house in Calgary and her best friends there. “I miss them
so
much. This school is kind of unfriendly compared to my other one. But at least
you're
nice to me, Corrie. When's your birthday?”

“August twentieth,” said Corrie.

Meredith squealed. “So's
mine
! Isn't that
amazing
? We're twins! I
knew
we had lots in common the moment I met you!”

Corrie was enjoying Meredith so much that she forgot to listen for the front door to open. When it did, her heart leapt: Sebastian was home! What would he think about her new friend?

“Do you want to meet my brother and sister?” she asked, trying to sound casual.

“Sure!” said Meredith. “What's that noise?”

Corrie laughed. “Come and see!”

They ran down to the landing in time to see Orly slide down the banister and squeal as he hit the newel post at each level. Juliet and Harry waited behind to take their turn.

“Sebastian, Sebastian!” all three chanted. Corrie and Meredith picked their way through the tangle of arms and legs at the bottom of the stairs.

A tall boy and a shorter girl stood in the hall. Roz was scolding the twins. “Stop pawing at me—your hands are filthy!”

All the way down Corrie had looked forward to introducing Sebastian to Meredith. But when she saw his face, her good spirits vanished. Sebastian was miserable—pale and tense, his mouth quivering.

“Who's your friend, Corrie?” asked Roz.

Corrie had almost forgotten her. “Oh, this is Meredith. Meredith, this is Roz and … Sebastian.” Corrie kept examining him. He caught her eye and managed a small smile. Then he went into the hall bathroom.

“What happened?” Corrie asked Roz.

“The same as usual,” sighed Roz. “I'll tell you later. Is Meredith staying for dinner?”

“She has to go home,” said Corrie.

“But I'd
love
to stay!” said Meredith. “I'll phone my mum and ask her.”

“We don't have enough food for you to stay,” said Corrie.

“Corrie, don't be so rude!” said Roz.

Sebastian came out of the bathroom and started up the stairs. Roz grabbed each twin by the arm. “Come on, you two. Let's get you washed.”

“Let go!” they screamed. Orly twisted his hand out of Roz's, and Juliet growled like a terrier.

Sebastian looked down from the landing. “Master Jules and Master Orlando, do as you are told,” he said quietly.

“Yes, sire,” they chorused, following Roz into the bathroom.

“
What
did they say?” asked Meredith. “‘Yes,
sire
'?”

“It's just a silly game the twins play. Meredith,
please
go home. I need to be alone with my family, okay?”

Looking hurt and puzzled, Meredith put on her jacket and opened the door. She called back, “Goodbye, Corrie. I had a
really
good time.”

Corrie barely heard her. She had already started up the stairs to talk to Roz.

2

The Round Table

“T
erry pushed his head into the toilet,” said Roz, cradling Jingle against her chest and stroking his head with her fingertip.

“Into the
toilet
? That's horrible!” Corrie pulled Roz's yellow chenille bedspread around her and leaned against the wall. “What did Sebastian do to make Terry so mad?”

Roz shrugged. “Nothing, probably. He's just out to get him, the way he was all last year. And he's got all his friends after Seb too. They follow him down the hall whispering names.”

“What names?”

“‘Homo' and ‘Sebastian Bastard.'” Roz's round blue eyes looked hopeless.

She's so pretty, Corrie thought. But Roz looked too grown up. Her best friend, Joyce, had given her a perm, and now stiff blond waves framed her face. She was wearing a crisp white blouse tucked into a full skirt that showed off her tiny waist. On her cardigan she wore a pin that said “I Love Elvis.” Roz and Joyce had gone to the Elvis concert the month before. They couldn't see or hear a thing, but ever since then Roz had been obsessed with him.

Roz sighed. “If only Sebastian would cut his hair! If he didn't look so different they might leave him alone.”

“I
like
his hair!” said Corrie. “He's fine the way he is! He's different because he's better than all those other boys! They're thugs!”

“Of course he's better,” said Roz, “but if he doesn't want to be bullied he could give in a bit. This whole family is different! I'm tired of it. Last year Joyce and I were too scared to join anything, but now that we're in grade eight we've made a pact. By the end of this term we're going to be popular. We read an article in
Seventeen
that tells you how. We have to act confident and join things. So we've tried out for baton and Glee Club. I really, really want to get on the baton team. But it doesn't help when everybody thinks your brother is such a loser!”

Corrie wanted to hit her. Instead she shook her arm; Jingle squawked and flew up to the curtains. “Sebastian's
not
a loser! How can you say that? It's only Terry and those other guys who think he is. You know that, Roz! Are you going to turn against Sebastian too?”

“Sorry, Corrie,” said Roz. “I know he's not a loser. He's just Sebastian. I'll never turn against him. It's just hard sometimes, that's all.” Jingle landed on the bedspread and marched up and down, picking at the tufts.

“I don't see why you care so much what other people think,” said Corrie. “
I
don't. I like our family just the way it is.”

“Wait until you get to junior high, then you'll care,” said Roz. “It's so important how you look and act. If you're the least bit unusual you won't have any friends.”

“Who cares about friends? You have us!”

“
I
care,” said Roz.

Sebastian pushed open the door.

“Seb, I've told you to always knock!” said Roz. “Jingle's loose!” She cornered the budgie, snatched him up, and put him in his cage.

“Sorry,” said Sebastian. “I just wanted to tell you we're having a meeting.”

“Now?” said Roz. “It'll be so cold out there, and we haven't set the table yet.”

“It's only five,” said Sebastian. “The Elephant has just left and there's lots of time before Fa gets home. Can you get the others and meet me at Camelot?”

His grey eyes pleaded. Silently Roz and Corrie got off the bed and followed Sebastian down the stairs.

T
HE AIR IN THE SHED
was so chilly they had to wear their winter jackets. Corrie pulled hers down to protect her bottom against the damp wood. Her stool was an uncomfortable stump. She helped Juliet pull hers closer into the circle.

Sebastian waited until everyone was seated and quiet around the Round Table. Then he spoke.

“I, Sir Lancelot du Lac, in the absence of our king, call a meeting of the Knights of the Round Table. Pray answer as I call your names. Sir Gawain.”

“Present, sire,” said Roz.

“Master Cor, my squire.”

“Present, sire,” said Corrie proudly.

“Master Harry, Sir Gawain's squire.”

Harry blew his nose, then croaked, “Present, sire.”

“Sir Gawain's page, Master Orlando.”

“Present, sire!” squealed Orly.

“My page, Master Jules.”

“Present,” said Juliet.

“Present, what?”

Juliet giggled. “Present,
sire
.”

Sebastian nodded. “Gramercy. I will now proceed to relate to my noble fellow knights and their servants what has befell me since last we met.” He picked up
The Boy's King Arthur
and read to them how Sir Lancelot smote many knights in a tournament.

Corrie watched the colour return to Sebastian's pale cheeks as the tale went on. His face relaxed and his eyes lost their anxiety. She let her mind be partly at the tournament and partly in the chilly shed.

The walls were hung with painted shields made of garbage-pail lids, cardboard armour covered in tinfoil, and wooden swords. The Round Table used to be a scratched one in the basement. They had cut off its legs to make it low and painted it black. A neighbour had let them have the stumps after he had cleared his yard; they had lugged them home in Orly's wagon.

Sebastian had begun the Round Table game after Mum's death. Now it didn't seem like a game any more—gradually it had taken over almost every part of their lives. When they went grocery shopping with Fa, they were riding on horseback to a fair to select live pigeons and spices. Excursions to the beach were really boar-hunting expeditions. Even in school and church they were knights, squires, and pages. They would give knowing glances at one another, revelling in their secret identities.

Corrie listened to the adventures of her master, the “flower of all the knights.” Nothing existed except the dim, safe space and Sir Lancelot's deep voice.

“And then he gat another great spear, and smote down twelve knights, and the most part of them never throve after.” The story was over.

“That was swell!” said Orly. “I liked how you made the enemy knight's nose bleed.”

“You were very, very brave, Sir Lancelot,” said Juliet.

He smiled at her. “Gramercy, Master Jules. Now, have any of you any news to relate?”

Corrie took a deep breath. “I have no news, sire, but I have a request.”

“What is it, my good squire?”

“Sire, I have been your squire for several years. Don't you … do you not think it is time I was made a knight?”

Sebastian smiled. “I understand your desire, Master Cor. You have been a brave and faithful squire, and you would make an excellent knight. But if you became a knight I would no longer have a squire. And who would be
your
squire?”

Corrie chose her words carefully. “Sir Lancelot, perhaps Master Harry could squire you and me as well as Sir Gawain.”

“That is an interesting idea, Master Cor. I will think upon it and let you know soon. But if you are to be knighted, you will have to pass a trial.”

Corrie gulped. “I know that. I'll … I will do anything you ask of me, Sir Lancelot.”

“
I
want to be your squire!” said Orly.

“No, me!” said Juliet. “I'm tired of being a page.”

Sebastian frowned. “Fie on thee, young pages! It will be many years before you are squires.”

The twins looked rebellious, but they knew enough not to speak any further.

Roz glanced at her watch. “I beseech you, Sir Lancelot, to end this meeting soon so we can get ready for our evening feast.”

“We will not be much longer. Are there any domestic affairs to discuss?”

Corrie remembered Miss Tuck's request. “Yes, sire. The pages are not washing. Their teacher has said they cannot enter the classroom unless their hands are clean.”

“Cannot Sir Gawain remind them to wash?”

Roz scowled. “I do! But they ignore me.”

“Is this correct, Master Orly and Master Jules?”

The twins squirmed under his stern gaze. “Yes, sire,” they muttered.

“Listen to me. If you do not wash your hands and face every morning before school, you will be expelled from the Round Table. A knight is clean. If you want to be knights one day, you have to start behaving like them. Do you understand?”