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  I said, “Aye for it will be good for your men to brush shoulders with real warriors!” I saw the grins appear on the faces of my men at arms.

  The Sheriff had servants show us to a chamber where there was water to freshen our faces. Alfred helped me take off my mail. I left my sword in the room as we descended to the hall. The Sheriff’s wife and children were there. She was a shy, mousey woman and after curtsying she said, “I will leave you and my husband to speak alone, Earl.” Had she been the wife of one of my lords then they would have commented about their wife but he seemed to dismiss it as unimportant. It told me much about the Sheriff.

  His captain of the guard and squire sat with us at the table as well as his chaplain. A servant poured wine and then left. I did not touch the wine but looked directly at the Sheriff. “You are remiss in your duty, Sheriff.” He looked shocked. Before he could protest I went on. “You have had a Scottish Brigand on your borders raiding your land for some time. He recently took up residence close to Bellingham. Twice I have been called upon to deal with the results of his raids. He is now dead but the Earl of Cleveland should not have to travel almost sixty miles to deal with a problem which lies on your doorstep.”

  He drank wine to give himself thinking time and mine remained untouched. “I thank you, lord, for helping out Durham. I am certain that the King will be pleased. What you do not know is the size of the problems I have with the barons of Northumberland. Many of them are of a rebellious nature. It takes me all of my time to collect taxes from them. The de Percy family are particularly belligerent. I have not enough men to send out to deal with the peripheries of this land.”

  I nodded, “Then you were told of the incursions?”

  He looked at his captain of the guard, “We were told, aye.”

  I looked at the captain, “How many men do you have in your garrison, Captain?”

  He looked uncomfortable to be questioned by a knight who had a reputation such as me.

  “Thirty, lord.”

  “All are mounted.” He nodded. “Sheriff when was the last time you were assaulted here in the New Castle?”

  “When the Scots came, lord and you drove them hence.”

  “And these lords you fear, de Percy and the others, have they ever offered violence towards you?”

  “No lord but they do not pay the taxes they should and they could attack us.”

  “Yet they have not. Captain you could have left half your garrison to watch the castle and taken the other half to deal with these bandits.”

  “Lord, they would have outnumbered us!”

  I banged my hand upon the table, “They are bandits and it is your duty to protect the people of this county! Are you saying that their lives are worth less than yours?” I could see in their faces that was exactly what they thought but they could not say that to me. They remained silent, “Sheriff I have just returned from helping the Scots to fight rebels.” I saw the surprise on their faces. “It was on the orders of the King. When I write to him I will tell him of the problems here in the north. If you value your life here in the New Castle then deal with bandits as you should. And as for these so called rebellious barons then send to me if you feel threatened.”

  He nodded contritely, “Yes Earl.”

  Chapter 9

  The peaceful year

  The wars in Scotland and Wales were ended and they were followed by a short time of peace. It was not a time without turmoil. King John and his barons grew even more estranged. Despite the fact that he had no foreign wars nor domestic insurrection the country was still plagued by unhappy barons and minor disputes not to mention general unhappiness with the King’s rule. The relaxation of the interdict should have made things smoother but relations with his church were not good. What alarmed me most was the sinister reappearance of the Templars. Their lands in the east and their holdings there were being taken by the Seljuk Turks. Eymeric, Master of the Knights Templar in England, was increasingly by the King’s side. I did not trust the Templars.

  However, events further south did not affect us as much and, with Scotland and the bandit problem solved my knights and I could turn our attention to our manors and our families. All of my knights were now fathers. Both Sir Fótr and Sir Peter had children. Sir Peter had a daughter, Margaret, and Fótr a son, Thomas. For Aunt Ruth this was another blessing. She had more young babies who would grow into children and she could help to make them into lords and ladies. Since I had returned from the Holy Land her life had changed immeasurably.

  We also had sadness. James Broadsword died. He was old and he died in his bed and not with a sword in his hand. He would have preferred to die in battle for he had ever been a warrior but it was not meant to be. None of us got to say farewell to him. If he had had an illness then he had kept it hidden from all. I would have liked to have told him how much I valued him and that his arrival in La Flèche was a sign that God favoured us for he was a true warrior. The other men at arms were more distraught over his death than any warrior we had lost in combat. It was almost as though he was some sort of lucky charm. Men went to war and returned and James was always there. He knew what to say and he was an ear for those who needed one. His boots would be hard to fill.

  We buried him close to the grave of Dick the Archer. It was fitting that they should lie there together with Ralph of Bowness and John of Craven. All had helped to make Stockton what it was and we would not forget them. We would have another name to toast at the remembrance feast. His death made me look at my defences again. Ralph of Appleby was the next oldest warrior. He had suffered wounds. It had not incapacitated him but slowed him down. He was happy to be my castellan and organize my garrison. I walked the walls with him.

  “Ralph this will be your castle to defend. How best should we go about it?”

  “In a perfect world we would have a keep but I know King John forbids it. Perhaps two new towers. If we build them over the north gate then an enemy would have to ride around the walls to reach the next gates. There are only the river gate and the main gate. Both of those have a barbican.”

  We had learned from La Flèche. We had a triangular wall. Inside the buildings were square but three walls meant just three gates. The north wall led to the town. It was a good plan. I nodded my approval.

  “Of course, Sir Thomas, it will be expensive.”

  “We still have the money to spend that we took from the Scots and, until we war again with the Scots, we have the income from Huntingdon. See Geoffrey and order good stone. We might as well have a castle which looks good too.”

  The only point in having a fortune was to make you safe and secure and your family comfortable. I would invest in the future in Alfred, William, Isabelle, and Rebekah. I would ensure that they did not have to endure what I had, the loss of my land. My two girls were growing too. Rebekah had seen ten summers and Isabelle eight. Time would pass quickly and the young sons of my lords would come courting. I would lose them.

  Instead of planning campaigns my life was split between improving my defences and ensuring that my borders were kept clear of bandits. Alexander of Hawick had been a lesson. Once a bandit had a hold on a land then it was hard to shift them. The general air of rebellion which pervaded every conversation was not good for the stability of my land. If lords could refuse to obey the law then why should not the ordinary farmers? Why should men work and pay taxes when they could steal and not be brought to justice? I was ruthless. Every transgressor was given a fair trial but many were hanged. Others had their fingers lopped. It was draconian but it worked. Soon bandits found other valleys to haunt. Sir Ralph found that many bandits gravitated to his manor and I took my knights and men at arms to scour his land too. After half a year between the Tyne and the Nidd, the land was free from bandits. The rest of the country suffered for Sheriffs were too concerned with collecting taxes and spying on lords to bother hunting down bandits.

  Richard de Percy exemplified the unrest and he visited me six months after we had returned from Scotland.
He was less friendly than on his first visit.

  After politely greeting my wife and aunt who then left us he launched into the purpose of his visit, “Earl, many of those who fought alongside you were disappointed when you rode north and joined the Earl of Chester in supporting the King who ravaged the Tyne Valley. Was it well done?”

  “Would you like some wine, Sir Richard?” I would not be hectored in my own castle. To calm myself I poured him a goblet, “The knights I left in France still send me jars of it from my old estates. I think you will find it pleasant.” I handed him a goblet. My steely stare belied the gentle words. This was my hall and men spoke politely to me. They did not interrogate me.

  He sipped it, “Yes, lord, it is a fine wine but it still does not explain your actions.”

  “Sir Richard I do not need to explain my actions to you or any other knight who harbours treachery in his heart. I did what I did to protect your lands! Had I not done so then King William might have been overthrown and Lord Dunbar attacked you instead.”

  He ignored my explanation. I do not think he even heard it and instead leapt upon one word. “Treachery!”

  “You would overthrow the lawful liege of this land.”

  “You mean the lawful liege who had the rightful king, Arthur, murdered. Some say by his own hand.”

  “Yet he was anointed. Is there another?” He was silent. “You berated me for fighting for William of Scotland. Had I not done so then he would have lost his crown.”

  “Good!”

  I ignored the interruption, “And in his place would be men who were not bound by the treaty of Norham. Then your lands would have been invaded and attacked by others like Alexander of Hawick. Oh, we would have beaten them. Of that I have no doubt but what of the lands they ravaged and the people they slew? When the Scots were gone would they be brought back too? We fought those people in Scotland. The land we fought upon was Scottish. I do not trust the Scots. I do not like the Scots but I know them to be my enemies. Do you know your friends? “

  He leaned forward, “What do you mean?”

  I held up the wine. “When this wine came it also brought a message for me.” I did not tell him that I still owned a house in Anjou and that Anna and Jean were, effectively, my spies there. I paid them a stipend and they acted as my agents to buy wine and delicacies we could not buy in England. Each ship brought a report of what they had learned. “The last message spoke of English lords. Fitzwalter among them, who are at King Philip’s court. They conspire with the French and are said to be aiding Prince Louis. The French have an invasion fleet. Did you know that?”

  I could see that he did not know about the invasion, “Perhaps that would be a good thing. A French invasion might rid us of a bad king.”

  I laughed, “You are naïve! Do you honestly think that the French would not take advantage of a rebellion to place their own puppet on the throne? Fitzwalter has tenuous claims to the throne. I have fought the Scots many times. I have fought the French more. I know that my loyalty is to England. Can you say the same?”

  Percy had a fiery temper. I had insulted him but, at the same time, I had spoken the truth. He shook his head but it was not a convincing action. “I would not see a foreigner rule my country.”

  “Then you understand me and my purpose. That is why I do what I do and when King John is dead and buried there will be a young King, Henry, who will rule and he will need barons like yourself to guide and mould him.”

  “Not you?”

  I shook my head. “My great grandfather gave his life to that end. My family has done enough for the royal family. I will defend them but this is my home. This is my valley. This is where I will stay.” I saw him playing with his wine as he summoned the courage to ask me something. “Spit it out de Percy. The one thing you know about me is that I do not betray friends and brothers in arms. You can speak in confidence and know that it will go no further than these walls. But do not think to inveigle me with treacherous talk.”

  “King John has sent letters to knights asking them to serve with him for he intends to invade Normandy and to recover it.”

  I knew that he had had such an invasion planned almost a year since but had been forced to call it off because of lack of support. “I have had no such letter.”

  I saw his face. That was the reason for his visit. He wished to know if I would be going to Normandy with the King. He smiled, “Then like those of us who have had the letter and refused service you will be staying in England.”

  “You refused?”

  “Normandy means nothing to us.” I nodded. Perhaps he was right. There were too many barons in Normandy who were closely tied to the French. We had lost it and I could not see how it could be returned to us. He hesitated, took a drink of the wine and said, “While the King is in France there will be a secret meeting of those who oppose the King. We will meet in Leicester. I have been asked to invite you. All know you to be a leader who knows how to win battles.”

  “And you think that I would fight against the King of England?” I shook my head, “Then you do not know my family.”

  “And if we do choose to fight against King John and his tyranny?”

  I said, “I agree, he is a tyrant and he should change. I will support any representation to request him to make such a change but I will not take up arms against him.”

  “And if he takes up arms against you?”

  I finished off my goblet of wine, “Then I will fight him as my great grandfather fought against Stephen of Blois.” I put the goblet on the table and smiled, “But I do not think that it will come to that, do you?”

  We both knew that there were many lords who would be easier to defeat than me. He nodded, “Then I will tell the others that I have spoken with you, Sir Thomas, and that while you support our desire for freedom, you will not countenance war.”

  “That is my position.”

  After he had gone I considered my words. I did not like King John’s rule but I had now put myself and my valley in extreme danger. The barons north of the Tyne and south of the Ouse were all in rebellious mood. The east was against the King. Only in the west did he have any support. He was a foolish King. He had gone to France and he gambled. He was throwing the dice and his kingdom was the wager.

  I was honour bound to speak to my knights. I visited each one of them in their hall. I took Alfred and William with me. They needed to know what their father did. The decisions I made would echo into eternity. All of them felt the same as I did. They shared not only my views but my decision. Many would say that we had sold out. We had served King John twice in as many years and we had not endured as much of his ire and malevolence as others. We were still over taxed but we had not lost land nor had we been fined. Others had. That was why Robert Fitzwalter had fled the land.

  My valley settled into an uneasy peace. There was the threat of rebellion and war but we had peace. While our yeomen toiled and the land prospered, every knight, squire, man at arms and archer spent each day preparing for war. Our fletchers made arrows and our smiths made weapons. King William had made good on his promise and the revenue we received paid for the weapons of war.

  When the rider brought the news of the defeat of the English army by King Philip of France at Bouvines in northern France I feared the worst. King John had not been defeated. He had recaptured Anjou and beaten Prince Louis. It was his Flemish and north allies who had been defeated. It was the end of John’s ambitions. He had to pay a hugely damaging amount of gold and give up Anjou and his claims to the remaining lands in France save Aquitaine. He returned defeated and broken.

  Towards the end of the year the Earl Marshal arrived at my castle. This time he came by ship. He looked even older. Aunt Ruth was quite concerned when she saw him. “Earl, you were not so foolish as to go to war in Normandy, were you?”

  He smiled and kissed her hand, “No, dear lady, I am an old warhorse and I stayed in England with Prince Henry.”

  I ventured, “Perhaps, Earl, had you been
in Normandy the King might not have lost.”

  Shaking his head, he said, “He did not lose. It was Emperor Otto who lost. From what I have heard it was almost an allied victory. King Philip was unhorsed and nearly captured. It was a bloody battle but the French won and the Emperor defeated.” He smiled, “If your nephew had been there, lady, and leading the nights, then who knows. No one knows more about leading knights into battle that the Earl of Cleveland.”

  I saw the pride in my aunt’s eyes, “It is a family trait, Earl. I will go and speak with the cook. We should eat something memorable this evening!”

  The Earl smiled as my aunt left. “Had she been a man she would have been a fearsome knight!”

  I nodded, “You did not come here just to flatter me, my lord. Speak, I beg of you. We live in uncertain times and there are men whose eyes are filled with daggers. My service for England is now viewed as something to be abhorred. If the King were to fall then…”

  He sighed, “You are right. Even my son now expresses doubts about King John. I am here, Sir Thomas, to ask you to use your influence amongst the rebels. You have been invited to their meetings. There was one in Leicester I believe?” I said nothing for I had told de Percy that I would be discreet. The Earl chuckled, “Honourable! I like that. Well, no matter. There was a meeting and they decided to appeal to the Pope. The King has also appealed to the Pope. Perhaps he can arbitrate between the two parties. You and I stand in the middle. We stand for England.”

  “Could you not attend the meetings?”

  “I would but I fear I will not be invited. You, on the other hand will be.”

  “And you think that I should attend?”

  His voice became serious, “You have refused so many times before that one more might result in your name being irrevocably associated with King John and I fear for your family should that day ever dawn.”

  “But that means you would have me as a spy!”