King Henry's Champion (17 page)

I began to doubt myself.  I looked at the pots, the jars and the discarded clothes which lay on the table. Could I have been so wrong? I picked up the bag, intending to repack it when I stopped.  The back felt heavier than it should.  I took the woman’s knife and ripped it across the bottom of the bag.

“Noooo!” She launched herself across the table and was barely restrained by my men.

A handful of coins fell from the bottom and a bag.  Both looked familiar. I threw one of the coins, without looking at it, towards Wulfric. He held it between his fingers so that the others could see.  It was a coin with the image of Conrad upon it. He bowed his head in apology. “If you open the bag, Wulfric, you will find that it is the same as the one we found in Sir Guy’s bags.”

He opened the bag carefully as though expecting another sharp knife. He sniffed and said, “Wolfsbane!”

I turned to the woman.  She looked cool and calm. “There is little need for deception now.  You were sent here to kill me and as many of my men as you could.  The four who came on the ferry with you were accomplices or perhaps decoys.  It matters not.  I know much already.  I know that King Luis the Fat is the paymaster and he is using Imperial coins to throw me off the scent.  I know that the knight who set you has a white surcoat with a red griffin upon it.” She suddenly started.  Her mask fell away. I smiled, “I just need his name.”

She leaned back into the chair and smiled, “And his name will never pass my lips.”

“Let us see how you feel after some time in my dungeon.  Take her away.  Wulfric place a guard on her door but I want the key.  No one goes to see her without my permission.”

“Aye my lord.”

There were just my three squires left when Wulfric and my men at arms took her away. William asked, incredulously, “How did you know?”

“I did not know for certain.  Much of that was guesswork but she gave herself away.  Make no mistake, my son.  She is a most dangerous woman. And our enemies will do anything to have me out of the way.  I am flattered that I am so important to their plans.”

Wulfric handed me the key when he came back.

“You or Roger will supervise her feeding.  The door will only be opened to give her food and to take out her night water and soil. You will get the key from me.  I trust all of you but this woman looks to have skills in the art of seduction.  I recognise the type. I saw many women such as her in the east.  They come from the land north of the Holy Land.  Some are witches.” The men all crossed themselves.

“As you wish my lord.  You were right and yet she seemed so innocent to me.”

“That is the skill they have. We will leave her for a while.  Hopefully the darkness and the loneliness will make her talk.”

“And if not, my lord?”

“Then we use some of the techniques we saw in the hall of the Earl of Gloucester.”

“But she is a woman, my lord.”

“Aye Wulfric, a woman who could have poisoned us all.”

“And those four men, my lord?”

“That was a mistake on my part.  I hope it does not cost us. Find Richard of York and discover what you can.  Then have our horses saddled.  I would follow Dick and see if we can find more about these intruders in my land.”

Leofric was already racing to get my sword and William brought my shield. “I shall not need the shield.”

As Leofric strapped on my sword he asked, “Why did Sir Harold not discover the camp, my lord?  He is closer to it than us.”

“That is a good question and I know not why. We will ask him on our way back.”

As we headed west the snow began to fall.  It was that time of year when sudden snow flurries could fall in a flash.  It became heavier and heavier.  I stopped for I could no longer see which way Dick and Aiden had gone.  There was little point in riding when I did not know where they had gone. Reluctantly I turned around and headed for Hartburn.  Sir Harold did not have a motte and bailey. He used a fortified hall. He had a stream on one side and a ditch on the other. The palisade was strong and his hall had a stone ground floor with a cellar for his horses.  It suited my former squire. 

He was in his yard practising with Ethelred his squire.  They stopped when I entered.  “My lord, this is unexpected.”

“Aiden found men camped not far from here.  We were seeking them.” Harold looked shamefaced. “You knew of their presence?”

“I knew that there were poor men living there and hunting a few rabbits.  I thought nothing of it.  I lived in Sherwood once.”

I felt angry for I had been let down by someone I had trusted. My voice was cold, “They were enemies. They came to kill me and my family.”

As soon as the words were out of my mouth I regretted them for my former squire became upset.  “I am sorry lord! Of course! I should have known…”

“No harm was done but, Harold, you are now a knight and a lord of the manor.  Your demesne guards the western approach to my home.  I feel let down for I thought you, of all people, would have been vigilant and diligent.”

“I promise, my lord, that from now on I will be.”

“Good.  There are four men who I sent south.  I have discovered that they too may be enemies.  If you or your men find them then apprehend them and send for me.”

“We will.”

Just then I heard horses as Aiden and Dick rode in with the archers.  Aiden shook his head, “I am sorry, my lord.  The snow hid their tracks.  We lost them close to Yarm.  Sir Richard had not seen them but there are many places to ford the Tees upstream.”

I was as guilty as any and I explained to them about the four men and the eastern woman. “We were right to take precautions but they were not enough.  We have to be even more vigilant over Christmas.  The nights are long and they will not leave until I am dead.”

Harold nodded, “Then they will have to die first, my lord.  I will not let you down again.”

I did not enjoy that last week before Christmas.  My men and I spent every moment of daylight searching for the men we knew were hiding close to our lands.  Our prisoner remained both calm and silent. I made sure that our security was as tight as it could be.  I wanted her broken and not free. Each day my hunters returned empty handed.  The problem was that there were many places close to the river where they could hide. I wondered if they were further upstream.  I sent messengers to Sir Richard and Sir Geoffrey to ask them to watch close to the river there.  I was nervous on Christmas morning. Alice knew of my fears and we both walked the kitchens.  I admired Alice’s courage for neither of us was certain if a spy had gained access to our food. She had been both diligent and vigilant, watching how each dish was prepared. She tasted everything.  I held my breath as she did so.  I tasted everything too.

“You had no need to do that, my lord.”

“I did, Alice, I did.”

Alf and his wife as well as the two priests joined us for the feast.  With Dick, Aiden, John and Wulfric, as well as my squires, it felt like a family.  Sadly just Alf’s wife was the only woman.  I mentioned to Alice that she might join us but she shook her head.  “It is too soon, my lord.  I am happy to serve you and the people I now call family.” Once we all ate the first course and no one fell over then I relaxed. Perhaps I had worried too much or given too much credit to our enemies.

Alf’s wife, Anne, was not used to such heady wine and she had too much to drink. Unlike some that I knew she did not become unpleasant in her cups but funny.  She sang rude songs which had poor William laughing and blushing in equal measure.  Even the priests found them funny. At first Alf was embarrassed but when he saw that none of us were offended he shrugged and sang some of his own ribald songs. It became a proper party.  Adela would have whole heartedly approved. I smiled for I knew that my father and his oathsworn would have been in their element. When Alice came in with more heated wine Father Nicholas came over to me.  “My lord, I would beg a boon of you.”

I had had more wine than I normally did and was feeling quite happy.  “Ask away.”

“It is Christmas, my lord, and you have a prisoner in your dungeon.”

“I hope you are not suggesting that I give her the wine we drink?”

“No, my lord, but I would like to let her confess to her sins and give her some comfort. It is Christmas.  It would be a kind act.”

“You are too kind, Father, she is an assassin.”

“I cannot help my nature.”

“Wulfric who is the guard tonight?”

“That would be Gurt, my lord.”

Although Gurt was new, he was a tough and reliable warrior.  I took the key from around my neck and gave it to him. “You are wasting your time but consider it a Christmas gift to you.”

“Thank you, my lord, the Lord will bless you.”

I was distracted for John stood and began to sing.  My standard bearer could be clumsy in many ways but he had a beautiful singing voice.  He sang a Christmas song and it moved Father Henry to tears.  “Your squire has the voice of an angel.”

His song prompted everyone to sing songs from their childhood.  I knew few of them for I had been brought up in the east but the others had songs they had all learned at their mothers’ knee. I found it beautiful.  It was only when Wulfric came over to me that I realised how much time had passed.

“My lord, Father Nicholas has been a long time with the prisoner.”

“Has he?”

He nodded, “I need to make water.  I will see how they fare on the way back.”

As he left Alice came in with some pork crackling she had prepared.  We had had much to drink and the salty pork skin was perfect.  “Come Mistress Alice, your lord insists that you join us!”

She might have refused but Alf’s wife, Anne, put her arm around her, “Come my dear! I have had enough of being the only woman amongst this army of men!”

Father Henry persuaded her, “You have toiled all night.  It is time for you to put your feet up.”

He handed her a mug of her own mulled wine and sat her on a seat.  I could see that she was touched by the gesture. We sat and talked. Anne was grateful to have another woman with whom to converse.  I saw John and Leofric help an obviously drunk William, surreptitiously to his chamber.  I did not mind.  He was on the cusp of manhood. I had had my indiscretions in Constantinople and my father had not known.  The servants had seen to the mess I had made. It was a rite of passage.  He would learn and he would swear to forego drink in the morning.  We all did and then forgot as soon as the next jug was uncorked.

Wulfric destroyed the mood.  He burst in. “Father Nicholas and Gurt have been murdered.  The prisoner has escaped.”

I sobered up in an instant.  I raced from the room and ran, with Dick and Wulfric close behind, to the dungeon. Gurt lay with his throat cut just outside the cell door.  Inside lay the body of Father Nicholas. He too had had his throat cut.

“I have no idea where she got the knife, my lord.”

“I do.  We did not search her clothes nor her body- she was a woman.  Had she been a man we would have stripped her.  It is my fault that Father Nicholas and Gurt are dead.  We must find her.”

Wulfric yelled, “Call out the guard!”

Everyone raced into the bailey and I organised the pursuit. Christmas meant that my men and servants were celebrating as we were. The snow helped us.  We saw her tiny footprints. They led across the inner bailey to the wall. I dreaded finding another slain sentry.  When I reached the battlements I saw that the footsteps stopped. She had jumped over my wall.  I could only hope that she had died in the fall.

“Get torches.  We must search the river.”

“Shall I summon the men from the town?”

Aiden had appeared behind us.  “No, Alf, if Aiden cannot find her then she is lost forever.”

As I reached the bottom of the stairs John held my sword and Leofric my cloak. Dick had the river gate opened and we went out to the misty and icy river. Our breath formed clouds before us.  It was cold as a wolf winter. We saw where she had landed and her steps led to the west. The ferry was still tied to the quay and the sentry, although asleep was there to stop it being taken.

“Should we get horses, my lord?”

I shook my head, “No Leofric.  In the time it takes to saddle them she can be gone.  On, Aiden.  This is our best chance to find her.”

To be frank even Alice could have followed the steps.  The snow was fresh and no one had been there for some hours. It was virgin snow. We ran. Some stumbled. The drink and the food had dulled our senses.  She had had little food and her hatred was strong. She would know this was her one chance to escape my wrath. My only hope was that she might freeze to death. We passed the last house and still the footsteps followed the river.  Aiden suddenly shouted, “I see a movement, lord”

I too saw something against the white of the snow and then I heard the muffled sound of hooves on the snow.  She was mounted. We reached the sheltered ground where her companions had awaited her.  Aiden found the horse shit which confirmed that they had had horses waiting.  From the hoof prints and the footprints Aiden estimated that there were three men and four horses. They had returned to the place Aiden had found them the first time.  If we had not celebrated Christmas and used our normal patrols then we might have seen them.  Then again; we might not. These were resourceful enemies we faced. They would have watched and waited.  They knew we would celebrate Christmas and had gambled on a lack of patrols. It was a despondent line of men I led back to my castle. The snow was falling hard again. The tracks would soon be hard to see in the dark. I had lost a fine young priest and a good warrior.  I had lost a clue to the identity of my enemy and an evil woman was loose.  Things could not have been worse.

When we returned to my castle the two bodies had been taken by Father Henry to the church. I went to join him.  He was arranging the bodies into a pose of peace. “On this night of all nights they should be as close to God as they can be.” He looked at me.  “I am a man of God but even I find it hard to forgive someone who can kill as coldly and callously a man who only wanted to do good in this world.”

I nodded, “I think Christ made a similar sacrifice father.  Father Nicholas will be well received in heaven.”

“You are right, my son, but it is sad to think that a man who could have done so much good has been taken from us.  This is a wicked world.”

“No Father Henry, it is a good world with some wicked people in it.  I have buried too many good men myself but I believe that they are happy in heaven and I will strive to eradicate the evil that exists.”

“Amen to that.  Will you find her?”

I nodded, “We will find her but she will never stand trial.  She has lost any rights she might have had with these two murders. I have been gentle long enough.  I must now be ruthless. I beg your forgiveness now, father, before I commit the sins I know I shall.”

“For this heinous murder, God will forgive all, my son!”

We left at first light.  I took five archers and five men at arms along with Aiden and my squires.   Alice and the kitchen servants had some food for us to take.  I would hunt them until we found them. We were not following a large band but the cunning plot had made me wary of leaving my castle undefended.  Was this a clever lure to drag us away from my castle? We wrapped for the cold with thick cloaks and woollen mittens. That was one comfort.  The woman who had called herself Lavinia had only the clothes she had escaped in.  No cloaks had been taken. It would be fitting if we found her body frozen on the road west.

We found where they had crossed the river.  It was just a mile beyond the place Aiden had lost their trail. Aiden’s sharp eyes picked out the broken branches overhead and the lock of dark hair entwined in the snowy twigs.  It was the woman’s. The icy water chilled us to the bone but the enemy had suffered the same.  They had left a trail on the other side for they had ridden in single file.  There was a trail, albeit faint. However Aiden discovered that another five riders had awaited them here.  There were now eight men and the woman. They must have scouted the ford out in daylight. They now headed south and east.  I had thought they might try to get to Scotland but it seemed that was not the case. They were riding in the snow which had not drifted. They were seeking a road. I could tell that they were heading away from the great road which went from London to Stockton.  Perhaps that was unintentional.  It would have been easy to become lost in the dark.  The clouds would have obscured the stars.

An hour after we had crossed the river we found where they had camped. It was still warm.  They too had been forced to rest. It spurred us on. The snow had stopped during the night and the last of the clouds had disappeared making a bright St Stephen’s day.  The sharp light made tracking easier.  We risked our horses and travelled faster.  Our beasts had had plenty of rest and good grain. I had to think that they would be in better condition than those we followed. We began to trot rather than walk.  No one but those we pursued had been across this ground. It was midwinter and farmers stayed indoors.  It was desperate men who braved the snow and cold of Yule.

I was faintly annoyed when Aiden suddenly stopped.  He dismounted. “My lord I can see from the tracks that two of these horses are carrying a heavier burden.  They are making deeper prints.”

I nodded, “Two of them are mailed.”

“Aye, my lord.”

That spurred us all on.  Wulfric and I rode next to each other.  “It must be the knight from Berwick and his sergeant, my lord.”

“That would be my guess too.” I ran through the events of the last ten or so days. I should have detained the four men and had them tortured for information.  Their leader had obviously been waiting upstream for them.  When his four men had reached him he must have waited close by for news of my death.  He would not have known that I had captured his poisoner. That was why they had been at the castle on Christmas day! Their original plan would have been to kill us then with her escaping in the confusion. We had thwarted but part of that plan.  It also meant that they knew where they were going.  They were not lost.  If they were headed south and east then I knew where they were going.  It would be York.  They would have a ship waiting there. The inn on the river was the connection.

Yarm was just five or so miles to the north east of us. “Aelric, ride across country to Yarm.  Tell Sir Richard what has occurred.  I need him to take riders on the road to York. They might be able to catch our prey on the road.”

“Aye my lord.”

I could not risk deviating from the trail for I might be wrong.  Sir Richard could use the road to York and might be able to make faster time. He might even intercept them. I wondered if this could be a forlorn hope for I saw the hills rising ahead of us.  That meant the enemy would soon reach the road. We had to push on. A mile or so after I had sent Aelric for aid we found the road. We could not see it but the ground was firmer underneath our horses’ hooves and we could see the flatter snow running south.  The hooves were no longer in single file.  They were riding in a column of two.

It was noon when we spotted them.  They were on the road some way ahead of us.  We saw them when we crested a rise on the road and, as this was a straight Roman Road, spied them ahead.  Wulfric looked at me and nodded.  We were both correct.  We saw the two white surcoats. They were the crusaders; it was hard to see them against the snow. I put spurs to Scout. We would make it a race to see who had the stronger horses.  I was gambling on ours. We outnumbered them and even if some of our mounts failed we would still be in a good position when we caught them.