To Murder a King Read online

  “Well where is he then, Captain?”

  “He is escaped. He is now in his aketon and he will be hiding. We might as well return for we have lost him now. The Earl of Oxford has escaped!” I was angry and weary as I turned Jack to head back to the bridge at Radcot. If Sir Thomas had not sent the knights to help us then de Vere would be captured or dead!

  Chapter 19

  Henry Bolingbroke was waiting for us with his uncle. “Well?”

  I told him what had happened. “He stripped off his armour and disappeared.”

  “Perhaps he is dead.”

  “No lord. Just because we wish it does not make it so.”

  He nodded, “At least we have our victory and now we head to London. You and Master Henry shall be knighted. You have deserved it.”

  I shook my head, “Lord, the Earl left men in Stratford. They hold Sir Richard and Lady Anne hostage. We need to ensure they are safe. We will join you in London within the week.”

  He shook his head, “Any other man would jump at the chance of knighthood.”

  “Lord the men they left were not knights. They were mercenaries. Henry’s grandparents are in danger!”

  He waved an arm. “You are a strange man. Go!”

  We had no chance of reaching Stratford soon but I decided to ride as far north as we could. We managed twelve miles and reached the village of Rissington. It was more of a hamlet than a village. There was neither inn nor alehouse. The farmer who had the largest farm offered the use of his barn for twelve pennies. It was too much but he promised us some soup his wife had made and so I paid.

  Roger of Chester saw to Jack’s wound. It was a superficial one but it needed to be tended to. My men at arms and archers were appalled at the behaviour of the Earl of Oxford. “The man never even attempted to fight, Captain. He ran! Even worse he discarded his armour and weapons.”

  I smiled at the indignation of Natty Longjack. Others voiced their disapproval of such a craven lord. As we had ridden north we had seen the men slain when they had fled and met the Earl’s pikes. We saw others who had fallen foul of the swamps and pools which lay close to the river.

  Wilfred of Loidis shook his head, “Better to die facing a man with a sword in your hand than to sink into a swamp and drown.”

  John said, “And what about his poor squire? The coward loses his horse and takes his squire’s whom he expects to slow down the Captain. It is a good job the Captain is a fair man. He only knocked him out.”

  Natty laughed, “Remind me never to annoy you, Captain. That was a mighty blow!”

  My son Tom loved the way the archers and men at arms spoke. His eyes lit up with their words. I did not regret bringing him now. When we reached Stratford, I would leave him with the horses. He would be safe.

  The farmer and his wife brought in the cauldron of soup. We each had our own bowls and wooden spoons. It was one of the first lessons we learned in the Free Companies.

  Henry had been silent since before the battle and I sat next to him and Peter as the soup was ladled out. The farmer’s wife had also made rye bread. It was a couple of days old but it worked well with the soup. I had finished and Henry was still moving his soup around as though it was too hot.

  “Eat! I do not think that arriving home half-starved will help your grandparents at all.”

  “But Sir Hugo and the others all fled the field. They could be at Stratford by dawn!”

  “They will do as we do. When they think the pursuit is ended they will rest. Their horses will be tired. They marched from Stow and ours rested.”

  He nodded and ate. Peter gave me a grateful smile. I was also worried about Sir Hugo and those who had fled the battle of Radcot Bridge. My worry was Edgar. I feared that they might head to my home. I had promised Henry that I would ensure his family was safe and I would do so.

  I waved over Lol. He and the other archers who had married were worried about Sir Hugo and his vengeance. “Lol, when we ride for Stratford I would have you go to our home. It may be a waste of time but have the tenants and villagers come within my hall. Let us protect them from Sir Hugo. Take Tom with you. He will be safer there.”

  He nodded and I saw the relief on his face, “Captain I will go now. I have a good horse and the food has filled my belly. Alan and Jack will sleep easier knowing that I will be there.”

  I waved Tom over. “I have a task for you. I fear bad men may come to our home. I want you to go with Lol and protect your mother.”

  “I would rather stay with you.”

  “You can be home in a short time and we will have to fight a battle. I cannot watch over you and defeat our enemies.”

  “Then I will do as you ask.”

  Lol had brought Tom’s horse, “Come young Tom. You and I will get to know each other on this ride through the night!”

  “God be with you.” I felt empty as my son and archer disappeared into the night. It was for the best but I still worried. We had already prepared our beds. As I rolled into my blanket I wondered if I should have sent more men to my home. It was too late now but the sound of Lol son of Wilson’s and Tom’s horses’ hooves disappearing in the distance was the sound of hope.

  We left before dawn and pushed our horses so that it was dusk when we approached Stratford. Reassuringly we had not passed any others from the battle. Perhaps they feared the retribution of the Lords Appellant and kept away from the main road.

  Peter knew the hall better than any and he and Natty Longjack crept close to the house while the rest of us prepared to use force. The two scouts returned to us silently. “They have guards on the doors and they are an unsavoury band. They wear no livery. We glimpsed the Reeve, old Harold, and he had been beaten. He had a bandage upon his head.”

  I nodded, “It is my decision. We go in hard and we go in fast. We cannot allow these men to hurt any more people. If we have to kill then so be it. Do we know how many men there are?”

  “No Captain. We counted three men at the front gate and two at the back. From the noises we heard there are more within.”

  Roger, take three men and two archers. Go around the back with Peter. By the time you get there the rest of us will have taken the front gate. Stephen, I would have those three guards dead and without making a noise.”

  “We will do so, Captain. Henry, you and John get to your grandparents. We will follow but leave us to deal with any men between you and the lord and lady. If you see Captain Mavesyn then leave him for me.”

  “Do not worry, Captain. My blood is cold and my eye is sharp. This night will show if I have the mettle to be a knight.” We left the cover of the outbuilding and headed towards the gate. The wall next to the gate was more decorative than functional but the gate was substantial. The three men lounged inside warming themselves on a brazier. I had my sword and dagger in my hand. I did not even look at my archers for they knew their business better than any. Stephen must have given them a signal for four arrows flew and three guards fell. One was still moaning as we leapt over him. We did not need to worry about him. The gate to the hall was not barred and we opened it silently. I waved to the right for a corridor led to the kitchens. John Bowland led two men there. The main chamber in the hall was to my left. I had Walter of Loidis and three archers with me. I opened the door. There were five men there. They had two terrified serving girls half-naked. I could only guess what they intended. I knew that Henry and John, along with a pair of archers, would be racing to get to his grandparents but I guessed that these five were the leaders.

  I gestured with my sword, “It is all over. The Earl of Oxford has fled and the Constable of Chester lies dead. The army you served is now speared over four counties. You have two choices, flee now or stay and suffer the consequences.”

  It could have been that the five men were simple and did not understand but I thought it more likely that they thought they could take the five of us. They were all big men. They grabbed weapons and ran at us. There were two terrified girls in the room and I wanted no accidents.
The obvious leader swung an axe at me. It can be a terrifying weapon but I had seen them used before. I deftly flicked the axe aside and, stepping in, rammed my rondel blade into his side. It punctured the mail and struck something vital. Blood began to pour from his mouth and his dying hands clawed at me.

  Just then the door burst open and Captain Mavesyn limped in. Since I had seen him last life had treated him badly. He drew his sword and dagger. All around us men fought but it was as though we were the only two, “I will have you now, lickspittle of the King. You will not trick me this time.”

  He swung his arm and brought his sword from the side and above him. Sir Robert had a higher ceiling than most and the Captain was able to generate a great deal of force. I used my ballock dagger and the angle of the blow to twist the blade towards the floor. I lunged at his boot. I had a sharpened tip and the sword pieced the leather and his foot. He screamed and swung again with his sword. This time he went directly for my neck. I ducked and rammed my dagger upwards into his skull. He died instantly. I realised that the sounds of fighting had ended. My men had been outraged by the half-naked girls and only one man survived the encounter.

  “Bind his hands, Walter, and you two cover the girls. Silent David, come with me.”

  I could hear shouts and screams in the hall. They seemed to be coming from upstairs. I reached the landing on the first floor in three strides. I saw Garth of Worksop. He had a wound to his leg. He waved me to go on. There was a clash of steel from the bedroom. When I entered I saw John and Henry engaged with two men. Henry was losing and John was disarmed. Even as the brigand brought down his axe I lunged and my sword tore into his throat spraying blood in the room. Silent David launched himself at the back of the man who had driven Henry into a corner. Silent David’s huge arms enfolded the body of the bandit and Henry slew him.

  I turned and saw Lord and Lady Stratford. They both had a look of absolute terror on their faces. They gripped each other tightly. I think that their fear was for their grandson. “Henry can you and John take charge here? I would search the rest of the house.”

  By the time I reached the ground floor all was over. The bandits had either died or they had run. We had one prisoner. Roger of Chester said, “I will shackle him in the stables, Captain.” He shook his head. “These have behaved as animals. Four of the male servants lie dead and there was a serving girl…” he shook his head as though to expunge the memory of what he had seen, “It is not right what they did to her.”

  I nodded, “Then do not waste time shackling the prisoner. Let him confess and then hang him.”

  It was summary justice and it was necessary. Sir Robert was a magistrate and he could confirm my sentence afterward. I sheathed my sword and sent men into the woods to fetch our horses. Henry stayed with his grandparents and I sent for Roger and Stephen. “I am worried about Edgar and my home. We leave after we have had some food and the horses have eaten grain. Henry can stay here with Peter and Garth of Worksop. They can keep the doors barred and summon help from the town. Lol should have the village and my hall warned but Sir Hugo and Sir Bohemund may think they have naught to lose.”

  “Aye Captain.”

  When we were ready to leave Sir Robert and Henry came to see us off. We had learned of the way these twenty men had behaved. They were men who served Sir Bohemund. I was glad that we had done what we had done. Sir Robert confirmed my sentence. “I fear that my wife will never recover. I have sent for the doctor for she cannot move her left arm. I fear the shock has hurt her. Had Henry not returned when he did she might have died.”

  “I would not leave if it were not necessary. I fear for…”

  “My grandson has told me. Go and may God be with you.”

  We were fewer in number now and we rode faster. We were spurred on by the memory of what we had seen at Stratford. The men there had been the sweepings of the gutters. Sir Hugo had men who were equally foul and yet would be better armed. Even if Lol had reached my walls then there would be a handful of farmers and their families to defend my walls. Apart from Edgar and Lol they would have bows only. Most would not have bodkin arrows and Sir Hugo and Sir Bohemund, encased in armour, would be safe from their missiles.

  We had a long forty-five miles to ride and we pushed hard. We were lucky that, for most of the way, we rode down the old Roman road which went from Wales to London. When we stopped it was for our horses and not for us. We ignored the chafing saddles and the hunger pangs. We ate and made water when we watered our horses in the village troughs. I do not think we had ever made such a fast journey. It was when we stopped at Syresham, just nine miles from home, that John son of Jack said, “Captain do you know that it is almost Christmas?”

  I shook my head. I had forgotten. “And last year we had such a celebration that we thought we lived in a perfect world. How wrong we were.”

  Dick Stone Heart said, “Not so, Captain. When I lost my wife and child I felt as you did. It has taken time but I now spy hope. When you took in Edgar and Edith and they had their son that was a glimmer in the darkness. They were saved from a fate they did not deserve. God took my family for a purpose. I am too insignificant to divine what that is but I am content. I can begin my life again. Life is not perfect but we make our own lives to be the best that they can be. God made a perfect world and it is man who spoils it.” Those words of hope from one who had lost all made the last ten miles fly.

  We heard the fighting long before we saw the battle. My house lay just half a mile from the road. The river we had used to make our moat was to the south of it and there lay the bridge. As we crested the small ridge which overlooked my hall we saw men advancing towards the walls. The walls were defended but I saw that there were more than thirty men trying to scale them.

  I shouted, “Stephen, take your men and flank the attackers. The rest of you don helmets. I know we are weary and our horses gone but we cannot allow our people to suffer.”

  “Aye Captain!” While we donned helmets and swung around shields my eight archers galloped down the road towards the river. With my helmet and shield in place I dug my heels into Jack. We had no time to form line. We would have to plough our way into them and hope that our sacrifice would divert them and allow Stephen and his archers to destroy them.

  Roger of Chester nudged his horse next to mine. He shouted, “Captain, these are bandits we fight. We take the head of the snake and they will break. Let you and I engage the two knights!”

  “Aye. Sir Hugo is mine. There is bad blood between us.”

  As we neared the walls I saw that Lol and his bodkin arrows had made a difference. Two sergeants lay with their mail pierced. On the walls Edgar with a pot helmet upon his head swung his hammer at those who tried to scale the walls. The two gate towers had, within them, Lol and my three tenant farmers. Their bows had accounted for three horses and I saw some of the attackers wounded. I saw stones flying and striking those attacking. That would be Tom.

  The sun was setting behind us and the ground was hardening with a December frost. Our hooves began to thunder and, above the cacophony of battle, Sir Hugo must have heard us. I saw him turn and wave his sword at us. He shouted something and Sir Bohemund, along with their squires and ten sergeants, the only ones who were still mounted, turned their mounts and moved towards us. His squire handed him a lance and Sir Hugo sheathed his sword. I could see that Sir Hugo had misused his horses more than ours.

  Lol, in the tower, had seen the movement. An arrow flew and I saw a sergeant plucked from his saddle. With their backs to the men on the wall they were vulnerable. Then I saw arrows from my right as Stephen the Tracker led his archers against those assailing the walls. Some of them sent arrows towards the mounted men. Once we closed with the mounted men then those on the walls and our archers would not be able to risk arrows for fear of hitting us. The twelve of us would have to prevail.

  Sir Hugo had his visored helmet. The sun was setting and soon we would be fighting almost in the dark. A visor would inhibit his ability to figh
t. He would still be harder to beat than when I had fought him in Windsor. He now had a lance. All had told me that he had never lost when fighting from a horse and using a lance. As we closed I pulled my shield a little tighter and braced myself for the impact. I was grateful that our closing speed was slower than Sir Hugo would have wished but I saw him pull back his arm. He intended to punch me hard. It was the uneven ground which saved me but not my mount. The half-frozen field must have had a small hole for Jack’s foreleg went into it. He was weary and not as surefooted as he normally was. I heard the snap and my horse’s head dipped and swung to the right. Sir Hugo’s lance ended any suffering my horse might have felt. The lance entered his head and snapped. I kicked my feet from my stirrups as I began to tumble from the saddle. My dying horse forced Sir Hugo to swerve. I hit the ground with my right shoulder. It was a hard fall on half-frozen ground and it hurt but my aketon’s padding saved me from worse injury. As I jumped to my feet a sergeant galloped at me. I was still raising my shield when Dick Stone Heart’s arrow struck him in the neck and he fell from his saddle. I had no time to thank my archer for Sir Hugo wheeled his horse around to charge me with the stump of his lance. That was his undoing. He should have drawn his sword.

  His weary horse lumbered towards me. He was but ten paces from me. I feigned fear and pretended that I was frozen to the spot. Sir Hugo pulled back his lance. He had no tip but a splinted lance could blind me. He was aiming for my head and reliant on me raising my shield. He had a courser and it would trample me into the ground. I waited until the last moment and as his lance came at me I jumped to the right and swung my sword into his leg as he passed me. He wore poleyn and plate but my sword hacked into the leather binding behind the knee. My sword wounded his horse and tore into his tendons. I heard a feral scream from within the visor and, in the darkening light of dusk, I saw blood on the blade.