In truth, the bureaucrat was a carpet knight, infinitely more at home in the elaborate double dealing of Videssos the city than here on the vast empty steppe.

Ah, the Prince has left," the carpet knight at her right hand said, "and his foreign liege man with him, yet I think his sorcerous ladylove does not like it overmuch.

That carpet knight, Joshua, lost popularity for a while, while Maqueda, who was known always to have been in favour of conscription and perfect readiness to repel attack, gained what he had lost.

A so-called carpet knight was a person who had been awarded a title of knighthood by the king of England on a holiday occasion (or in time of peace), as opposed to knighthoods awarded for military service, or success in tournament games.

"This can be no carpet knight," muttered Montreal between his teeth, as, this time, he summoned all his skill for a second encounter; while Adrian, aware of the great superiority of his charger, resolved to bring it to bear against his opponent.