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  I nodded, "Thank you for the advice, my lord. I know that I am young and naïve and that I have much to learn. You are, I know, a consummate politician and know how the court works. I am just grateful for my little castle on the Tees where I am away from the intrigues of politics and power."

  “I agree that politics are far removed from the glory of the battlefield but wars are won there too. Think on that. Those wars are bloodless.”

  “In war, my lord, there is always blood. You know that.” We looked at each other in silence. He had tried to sway me to his side without revealing what his plans were. I could have gone along with him but my father and Athelstan had not brought me up that way. I would remain my own man who was true to himself.

  Sir Barnard had arranged for a troubadour who came and sang songs about Sir Guy. They were not very good songs and the troubadour was not the best I had heard but William enjoyed him until he fell asleep and I had the opportunity to return to my chambers. I had much to think on.

  Stephen's presence, here in the north, so soon after I had been made earl was not an accident. The fact that he was here made me suspicious of my host. What was their connection? Then I wondered about Stephen of Blois. I wondered how he had reached here. I decided that I would use my squires to ask pertinent questions which would not arouse suspicion. I had had little to drink and I would rise early. William always rose early and it would not seem strange for me to be abroad in the early hours when everyone else was recovering from a night's heavy drinking.

  Although I had no need to doubt my hosts I slept with a chair behind the door and my sword close to hand. I had experienced a knife in the night before now. I would not risk it with my son so close.

  As I expected my excited son had me up before dawn. I took him, when we had dressed, down to the stables. I woke John and Leofric. "I want you two to watch my son." They both nodded. "Without being obvious I want the both of you to discover where Stephen of Blois has been before he reached here. Can you do that?"

  Leofric grinned, "Aye, my lord."

  John was not as quick as Leofric and he just nodded and said, "Yes my lord."

  William would help disguise their questions and the three of them left. I woke Wulfric and led him into the inner bailey. "I want to know the intentions of Stephen of Blois. Where is he going when he leaves here?"

  "Is there trouble, my lord?"

  "Let us say that I have an itch and I cannot scratch it."

  “I got to know some of his men last night. I will do my best.”

  Sir Hugh and I left together just before noon. I would have left earlier but the night's carousing meant our host was still abed until late in the morning and it would have been rude to leave while he was in bed. It gave my spies the chance to gather as much information as possible. I would wait until I was back in Stockton before I asked for the details they had discovered.

  I used the opportunity to catch up with Sir Hugh. The death of Sir Guy might have ramifications for the young knight. "What did you make of Sir Barnard?"

  "I think, my lord, that he is good company. He has made me feel more than welcome." They were considered words. Hugh was telling me that he had been courted by Sir Barnard.

  "Had you seen much of him before his father's death?"

  He shook his head. "He returned towards the end of his father's life. I think his father's steward sent for him."

  “Where had he been then?”

  “He travelled my lord. Is there a problem? Should I be wary of Sir Barnard?”

  It would not do to build barriers between Sir Hugh and his nearest neighbour. Perhaps I was making more of the presence of Stephen of Blois. Shaking my head I changed the subject. "And how does you manor fare? Did you suffer much in the winter? It was mild in the east."

  "No, my lord. We were not bothered by wolves and we only lost one or two of the old people to the winter sickness."

  "You were lucky. Sir Richard lost a whole family to that vile contagion and many of my knights had similar problems."

  "Perhaps I was due for a change in fortune." He had lost all of his family. His only relative now was Sir Edward's squire, Gille. "And will we be campaigning this year?"

  "Eager for war, young Hugh?"

  He laughed, "No, my lord but eager for the profits of war."

  "At the moment there are no enemies for us to vanquish but I believe that will change. The whole valley prospers and that normally induces jealousy in others. The Scots are still our closest enemies."

  We reached my castle at dusk after bidding farewell to Sir Hugh. As we dismounted I said, "Wulfric I wish you and my squires to dine with me this evening. I am keen to learn what news you gathered."

  "Aye my lord." I smiled for Wulfric preferred the rough company of his men at arms to that of my wife. He was a rough and ready soldier but Adela would not mind his manners. John and Leofric often dined with me. Adela was keen to turn them both into gentlemen. Their backgrounds were lowly. I knew many such squires who never became knights. Adela was adamant that the two squires would, one day, both become lords of their own manors. She had an unwavering belief in my ability to improve my fortunes and therefore the fortunes of those who served me. I was lucky to have her.

  After bathing and changing I sat at the head of the table while I waited for the others to arrive. Sir Hugh's question had been a good one. If neither the King nor the Bishop required me to go to war what should I do? I knew that I could not raid the lands of the King of Scotland. King Henry had forbidden that. What else could my men do? Idle hands oft turned to mischief.

  My reverie was ended when William burst in dragging his mother. Adela shook her head, "He has been full of the journey my husband and is determined to tell me all!"

  I laughed, "He was quite the centre of attention but he was a good boy my wife. You can be proud of him as I was."

  William then gave his mother a blow by blow account of all the places we had visited. Wulfric and my squires entered whilst he was in the midst of it. They listened with amusement. It made it easier for Wulfric as he was able to relax as William was the centre of attention.

  Adela was the cleverest woman I had met, outside of the Empress and, as the meal drew to its close she knew I wished to speak with my men. "Come William. It is time for your bed."

  "But I want to stay with the other men!"

  That made them all laugh. I affected a stern expression, "Then you should know, young William of Stockton, that my men all obey me without question! It is time for bed!"

  He hung his head, "Yes, my lord."

  I grabbed him and hugged him. "You did well, my son, and I am proud of you. In a few years you, too, might be part of these discussions but for now go with your mother."

  He brightened, "Yes father!"

  Once he had gone I stood and poured my men some of the red wine we had brought back from our last visit to Normandy. I sat and spread my arms, "Tell me all."

  Wulfric began, "The Lord of Blois and his men were preparing to head west and visit Carlisle. There is a new castellan there, Geoffrey de Bois. He is a distant relative of Lord Stephen."

  "And what did you make of his men?"

  "They are well armed and armoured. They are paid well and I think they are good warriors. They have great respect for Stephen. They think highly of him and would follow him anywhere."

  "What you are saying is that he would be hard to defeat."

  "For others perhaps but we could take them. Erre and the others from Miklagård were not impressed by them."

  I turned to the squires. As I had expected it was the more thoughtful Leofric who answered first. "They came from the north east, my lord. They came through the wall to the west of Hexham."

  "Think you they landed in Scotland?"

  "That was where they were evasive my lord. It was almost as though they had all been told not to say whence they had come."

  I was intrigued. "How did you question them?"

  "I said that they would have had a warm welcome
had they stopped at Stockton when they travelled north. One of their squires blurted out that they had not come from the south but the north east and that the land there was cold and harsh. I could see from their reactions that he should not have said what he did. I said, as casually as I could, that Sir Hugh Manningham always kept a fine table. They did not recognise the name. I deduced that they had not crossed through his land. That only left the gaps in the wall to the west."

  Wulfric nodded approvingly at Leofric's logic. "That would make sense my lord. When they have visited Carlisle they can return from whence they came."

  "You have all done well. Tomorrow, Wulfric, send two of your men north to Hexham with a message for Sir Hugh. I will write a letter this night. I would know where they go, these men of Blois."

  He nodded. John ventured, "My lord his men are as loyal to him as yours are. They think he is a good man." There was a naïve innocence about John which was quite endearing. I hoped that others would not take advantage of such an innocent nature.

  "He may well be, in his own way, John. However he does not have the best interests of the Empress Matilda at heart and I do not trust him."

  When they had left I summoned my steward and clerk, John son of Leofric. I dictated a letter to Sir Hugh. I asked him to keep watch for Sir Stephen and his conroi. I wanted to know what he was about. Despite John's words there was something about Stephen and his actions that I did not trust. Robert of Gloucester and the King had both chastised me for my suspicions. He was trusted by them. Perhaps it was the memory of Stephen trying to abduct the Empress all those years ago when I had escorted her back to the Emperor. Men can change and Stephen, like me, had been much younger then. Perhaps he was a different person now. I would watch yet.

  Chapter 3

  As the first hints of spring began to show I threw off the lethargy of winter and looked to my castle walls and my men. William the mason was already hard at work finishing off my gatehouse. I discussed with him the prospect of adding another large tower which would accommodate more men and add strength to the town end of the castle. He said he would draw up plans but that work would take a long time and much stone. I did not mind for I had seen greater castles than mine and knew just how strong they were compared to mine. He had drawn plans showing how we would make the town’s gates stronger. That, too, would make my castle harder to take. With doughty men on my walls it was hard to see how an enemy could breach them. Then I set about organising my men and assimilating my new warriors.

  Erre and my new men would not fight as mounted men at arms; it would take too long to train them but there would be times when they fought alongside my dismounted men at arms. Then their unique skills would come into their own. We fought on foot. We practised using the six of them and Wulfric as the heart of my line. I knew some of the others resented the place of honour being given to such new men but they had been brought up to fight and protect the Emperor. I knew that if we fought on foot then they would be able to stop anyone getting close to me.

  I also set John to begin William's training as a squire. They used wooden swords, much as the Romans had done. John was firm with William. He was a good teacher. The aim was to harden my young son up. Each day they would spar for hour upon hour until William could barely raise his arm. Adela had questioned this at first but I dismissed her concerns. Women could never understand what was needed to train a warrior. It was hard and harsh; it was almost brutal but it was necessary to forge young squires into knights. William's tears soon stopped and he learned what it was to be a warrior. It would not be long before he would be able to ride to war with us. At first he would not fight. But that would be another stage on his journey. Campaigning was yet a further skill to be added.

  Some of my men at arms had now become married, as had some of my knights. It was a sign that they were getting older. When their wives became pregnant I was pleased for they would become warriors when they grew. Wulfric and Dick continued to train and seek replacements. It was too late if we waited until a warrior fell. There had to be someone ready to take their place. The new men were kept at the castle where they could be trained until they were good enough to fight with my warriors. I was acutely aware that we had been very lucky of late. Luck did not last.

  Close to Easter Sir Hugh sent me a message that Stephen of Blois had left the north by sea from the River Wear. That meant he had passed through Durham on his way east. That disturbed me. He had been very close to my land and yet we had not seen him. Had he passed close by Durham? What connection did he have there? Sir Hugh's diligence had paid off. I was just happy that he was away from my heartland.

  It was as I was just finishing my sessions and preparing for the visit of the King's collector of taxes when I had a message from Robert of Gloucester. It seemed that the Welsh, under the leadership of Owain ap Gruffudd, the son of the king of Gwynedd, had begun to push north and east from the stronghold of Snowdonia. They were ravaging the lands around Chester. The Earl of Chester was secure enough in his castle but the rich lands of Cheshire were suffering. I was ordered to march south with a force of my men to relieve the pressure on the Earl. It was a long letter and I took it as a sign of my recent elevation that Robert of Gloucester entrusted me with such knowledge. He would be bringing an army from the south. He commanded me to meet him on the plains of Cheshire. I was urged not leave the north undefended. The Earl of Gloucester only asked for a small force of knights.

  Even as I sent riders to summon my knights I could see the Earl’s strategy. I would be the anvil and Robert the hammer. When I approached the men of Gwynedd I had no doubt that they would outnumber me. Robert of Gloucester was clever. When the attention of the Welsh was on me then he would fall upon them. I only sent for four of my knights. I would take just those whose manors lay close to Stockton. My other knights would provide protection for our homes. The Earl had not said how many men he wished me to bring and I would not risk took many.

  Sir Edward, from Thornaby, brought fourteen men; Sir Richard of Yarm sixteen, Sir Tristan of Elton ten and Sir Harold of Hartburn twelve. The bulk of the men in the conroi would come from my castle. I took Wulfric and twenty men at arms and Dick and nine archers. I left Aelric at the castle to work with my new archers. They would provide the defence.

  As the knights were all so close they reached my castle within an hour of my summons. As was my wont I did not command, as was my right. Instead I asked if they were ready for a campaign in Wales. I was delighted when they all enthusiastically agreed.

  Sir Edward rubbed his hands, "The last time we fought the Welsh we came home with more cattle than there are in the whole of Scotland!"

  Sir Richard laughed. He too had profited from our raids against the Scots and knew this could be the opportunity to increase our wealth without risking revenge from those we defeated. "Do you have a plan, my lord? Or do we wait for the Earl of Gloucester?"

  "I believe that the Earl is gathering a large army. He is relying on our proximity to enable us to get there before him."

  Sir Edward snorted, "So that we can draw the sting from this Welsh wasp!" Edward had been critical of the Earl’s strategy before. He had been a man at arms and saw every battle from that viewpoint. His men loved him.

  "I do not mind. If the Earl is not there to give me instructions then I have a free hand."

  Harold had been my squire and, I think, knew me as well if not better than any other. "How many men will you lead, my lord?"

  "We will take forty eight men at arms, thirty six archers and half a dozen men to watch the horses and feed us. That will give us a force of almost a hundred men; fast enough to evade an army and yet big enough to be able to do some serious damage. Choose your own servants to look after your needs and your baggage. The bulk of the men at arms will be mine. You will each leave enough men to guard your homes but I have sent messages to the other knights in the valley to keep a close watch on our own homes. With a new Castellan at Durham and Carlisle as well as a vigilant Sir Hugh I think the
normal Scottish raids may not materialise this year. I have a young priest from Norton, Father John, who will be our healer. I intend to leave Edgar here to command the men at arms."

  Sir Tristan was the youngest of my knights. The son of Sir Richard he was Sir Harold's best friend. He was also the poorest of my knights. "Will we need our war horses, my lord?"

  "We will take them. The Welsh are a small people and whilst the land of Wales does not suit destrier the land of Cheshire does. The sight of our fine horses charging them may help us win without even drawing a weapon."

  "And when do we leave?"

  "We will gather tomorrow at dawn by Sir Richard's Manor at Yarm. I intend to make the journey in less than five days."

  "You will take Aiden?"

  "Of course, Sir Edward. I will not run blindly into the Welsh defences. I want the element of surprise on our side. We have fought in that land before and Aiden is familiar with it." I rose. "If you have no further questions then I suggest you leave to say your farewells."

  Adela already knew of my orders and she was resigned to being alone again. I knew that when I was away she would spend much time seeing to the poor of our town. She had a good heart and, having been a prisoner who was subjected to much hardship, she constantly sought to alleviate that in others. She improved the lot of the poor and the sick. My daughter, Hilda, had now grown enough to be left with Seara and Mary the slaves. They enjoyed looking after my children. The problem was William.

  As I was packing the clothes and equipment I would need he came in to watch. "You are going away?"

  "Yes, my son, I am. The King wishes me to go to fight the Welsh." I knew it was the Earl of Gloucester who had summoned me but I found it easier to use the word ‘King’ for now that I was now an Earl too it might confuse my son.

  "You said I could come with you next time."

  I turned and faced him. "Do not try to twist my words. It is not the behaviour I expect from my son. I told you that when you were old enough I would take you. You are not old enough as this request proves." I saw his lip begin to quiver. "See, this proves I am right. When you can take my commands without crying then, perhaps I will consider taking you."