The Fallen Crown (2 page)

The clang of his hammer told me that he was working.  His smithy was close to the river.  He needed water to temper the steel and it needed to be away from other buildings.  The danger of fire was too great. One of his many sons ran to fetch him as we approached.  He stepped from his smithy red and sweating. Even though the days were still cool his furnace was, as ever, red hot.

"Yes my lord?"

"I would have you make a good sword for my two squires.  They both have one but they need one made by Alf of Stockton."

He bowed at the compliment. He pointed at some shafts of iron which were laid on a table just outside the smithy.  "They are sword blanks. I pray you each lift them.  When you find one that is just a little too heavy to lift over your head with your right hand then fetch it to me."

As they went I said, "Too heavy?"

"Yes lord.  They will become stronger for they are young men.  They will grow into their swords. If they were fully grown then I would not use this method. When I have fitted the guard and the pommel each weapon will be better balanced."

They both came back with their pieces of iron.  Alf nodded and took a piece of rag.  He tore it in three.  He tied one piece to Richard's blank and two pieces to Gilles. "You young masters should come here at the end of each day to see the progress of your blades."

Richard, who was the youngest asked, "How long will they take?"

"As long as they need.  You do not hurry a sword. His lordship's sword has never let him down.  Each smith puts part of himself in every sword he makes. For those who serve the Earl of Cleveland it must be the best.  You will have to be patient." He pointed to swords in various stages of manufacture. "The blade has to be hammered and tempered.  It must be balanced. See those, they are almost ready for their point and these for sharpening.  Finally they have the pommel and the guard fitted.  You young masters will help in that process.  These swords are for sale in the markets of Anjou and Normandy."

As we headed back to my castle Gilles asked, "Did your former lord not have a sword made for you, Richard?"

Richard shook his head, "I was the one who fetched and carried for the others. The sword I offered to the Earl was one I took from the field."

I remembered that day.  I had made a good decision to spare his life and accept his offer of his sword. "And when you are full grown then we shall visit with Alf again and have your mail made. For the present that which you wear will have to do.  Now go and see to Rolf and your horses. We ride at the end of the week.  I would see how my people fare.  Make sure that all is well.  Check every piece of leather and groom all the horses well."

"Aye lord."

I sought John, my Steward. He was less parsimonious since the last attack by the Scots.  He had realised that my expenditure on weapons, mail and the castle were well spent.  Some men built fine castles to make a statement.  They told the world that they were important.  My castle was not like that.  It served one purpose: to protect the Tees valley and my people.

"When the
'Adela'
docks
I want her turned around as quickly as we can, John.  We need more men from Anjou." The Normans and the French were not as good natural bowmen as those we had in Wales and in England.  Griff of Gwent attempted to reverse that by training any likely archers. There were many good men at arms and Brian and Padraig made sure that any they sent were good warriors.

"Aye lord.  And I have a list of things which we need. We will need to build a larger bread oven.  The one we have cannot keep up with the demand."

I pointed to the outer bailey. "There is room aplenty by the river wall.  It is safer there too."

"I will get the men to building it immediately. And there is something else, lord. The mill is not producing as much flour as we need."

The mill was by the manor of Norton.  It was inconvenient having to transport it by cart along the greenway. "Any suggestions?"

"Father Henry said he had seen a mill at an abbey he visited. They had dug a leat from the river so that they could divert the river to power the mill.  It saved them having a mill pond." He pointed upstream. "There would seem to be a good place."

"Ask for the Father's advice.  I think it is a good idea.  If we are besieged again it will save us  being cut off from our mill. And we have goods aplenty to send and sell in Anjou?"

"We have.  The tanners have produced much leather and the women are adept at making many things from it. The wool we produce too is much sought after. The potters are getting better and one day we can sell our own pots and tiles made from the clay of Stockton."

"Good. I shall visit my manors this week. I will hold sessions the week after.  Have all the cases I need to hear ready for then and be ready to collect the taxes." He nodded. Those tasks brought in an income.  He liked them. "Next month I expect to take a conroi south.  I wish everything to be ready.  Servants, tents, horses, weapons and food. I rely on you John."

"I know sir and I will not let you down."

"On the morrow I will take a tour of my land."

He already knew that I was leaving a healthy garrison.  He had no fears there. My chores were done and I retired to my solar.  I had had a busy morning.  Alice would have placed my jug of wine, bread, cheese and ham there already.  She knew my habits. I enjoyed looking south and west from my window.  I felt I could see all the way to Gloucester and Matilda.  My lady and I knew we were fated never to be together but it did not stop me dreaming. As with all such fantasies it led me to try to come up with a strategy to defeat Stephen once and for all. Had the Earl of Gloucester not been so arrogant we might have joined forces after we captured Lincoln and defeated Stephen of Blois.  He had been weak then.  The moment had slipped away and now we were having to claw back land lost in his campaign. The defection of the Earl of Chester had changed everything.

I left my castle before either Philip of Selby or Dick returned.  I was not worried.  Both were clever men and would not be caught.  Better that they take their time and gain valuable intelligence than come back too soon with ill founded news. I took just my squires and ten men at arms.  I was not travelling far but with the bandits and brigands who abounded once I left my valley it was as well to be prepared.

I would travel to Gainford and thence to Barnard Castle.  Sir Hugh had a castellan at his manor.  He held Barnard Castle for the Empress and one day he would return to Gainford.  He had had William my mason build him a fine gatehouse and barbican. He still had a castle with wooden palisades but little by little he was improving it.

Spring in England, especially the north, was unpredictable.  When we set out it was as though winter had returned. A chill wind hurtled in from the north and was in our faces for the first few miles.  It was only when we turned, just before Yarm, that we managed to get a little respite. The wind made conversation impossible.  That was probably just as well for I had much on my mind. Sir Hugh was a fine knight but I had given him a task which was almost impossible. His nearest aid, should he be attacked, would come from his small garrison at Gainford. It would take a rider almost half a day to reach my castle and even if we left straight away he would have to hold off an enemy for at least a day. His castle was well built and had a curve in the river for protection but he did not have a large number of men to defend the walls. I hated leaving him alone while I went to fight for the Empress.

After halting for some refreshments and a warm at the fire in Gainford Castle we pushed on to Barnard Castle. The approach from the east was deceiving.  The castle seemed to have no natural defences. It was only when you tried to get around the castle that you saw how formidable they really were.  That was Hugh's problem.  The river could be forded or even bridged and once he was besieged then an enemy could overwhelm him.

He greeted us at his gate.  His men had spied my banners coming from some distance away. "Good to see you again,  lord. I will have rooms prepared for you and your squires."

"Thank you.  I thought Stockton was cold but here it is even colder and I am sure I felt a few flecks of snow!"

He laughed, "You did lord."

I turned to my squires, "See to the horses and then join me in the Great Hall." As squires the care of the horses was second only to their duty to protect me.

His wife bobbed a curtsy, "It is good to see you, my lord.  I have had mulled wine prepared and there will be hot food soon.  I will go and hurry the servants."

I smiled, "No on my account, dear lady. I need little in the way of comfort these days."

She smiled, "Nonetheless lord, I would not be showing you the proper respect if I did not."

We sat before his roaring fire. "How goes the work on your defences, Sir Hugh?"

"I have made devices to pour oil and boiling water from my walls. We have laid in great supplies of pig fat. I know that is the best deterrent."

"And how will you keep them from your walls?"

"I am loath to improve a castle which may well be returned to that traitor Balliol. I will not give him a drawbridge but we now pull in the bridge each night.  I keep scouts and hunters in my woods.  If Scots or strangers are seen then we pull up the bridges straight away."

"Good.  But remember, I am but a day away.  It seems to me that you are in a good position to hold off an enemy for a few days at least."

He hesitated.

"Speak, Sir. Hugh.  You know me better than that."

"When you are away, lord as I know you must, then who will come to my aid?"

It was a good point. "Sir Erre and Sir Richard are both well placed to come to your aid. If the enemy was the Scottish army then all would retire to my castle anyway. I would say send to Durham but I fear that is full of enemies too."

"I will have to pray that Sir Hugh and Sir Erre can reach me in time then." He sounded resigned to his fate.

I drank some of the mulled wine.  It tasted good. I came to a decision. "I will also leave Philip of Selby and his archers.  They are well mounted and if they reached you before an attacker then I am confident you could hold off the Scots. Do not forget the men who live in this valley have no love for the Scots.  Their lord, Balliol, might but not his people. Use them on your walls.  We have shown before that doughty folk using slings and bows can defeat mailed warriors."

My squires returned and we spoke of other things.  "Think you that this is the year the tide will turn for the Empress, Lord?"

"I hope so but I confess that I do not have enough knights to force the issue.  The Empress and I are dependent on the Earl of Gloucester."

"Why does he not support the Empress more than he does?"

That was a very good question. "I am not certain but in my dealings with him, over the years, I have seen that he sees himself as his father's son.  He can never be king but he seeks power.  He seeks a throne. He has one now.  It is the west of England.  He has conquered large parts of Wales yet that is poor country." I shook my head for I could not understand the strategy. "If he conquered more of the south and the east then he would have even greater revenue!"

I realised I had become heated.  My squires looked fearful but Sir Hugh smiled, "Fear not Gilles and Rich. Your lord is a passionate man.  He fights for this country and has greater vision than any other I have met.  It is why we all serve him."

The doors of the hall swung open and servants appeared with trays laden with food. "Your men are eating with the men at arms, my lord.  They have fine fare too."

"Thank you mistress now pray come and sit by me.  I would hear of your children!" I was regaled with tales of their young family and it made me think about the young family I had never seen, my son's.

I decided to head home through Durham and we left before dawn. I had not seen Geoffrey Rufus for some time nor had I heard from him.  He had not been the Bishop his appointment had promised.  Most of that was the fault of William Cumin, his secretary.  He was in the pay of the Scots. It meant that the Bishop neither supported nor opposed the Empress. He had to tread a fine line between appeasing the Scots and upsetting me. If I was going away then I needed him to guard my northern borders or at least warn me of Scottish incursions..

We passed through empty villages as we headed east. In some lay bodies, decayed and eaten by animals, in open view. It was desolate. Where we did see life, on distant farms, the sight of my horsemen drove the people within to bar their doors.  Had I had time then I would have investigated but time was pressing. The days were still short. The city of Durham had always been prosperous. It was the jewel in the northern crown and yet, as we headed through the outskirts, I saw few people and those I did see were fearful and scurried away as we passed. As we neared the walls I said, "Richard, unfurl the banner."

My ten men at arms were led by Wilfred. As we neared the walls he said, quietly, "I like this not, my lord. Is this safe?"

"I know not Wilfred and, like you, I am cautious. Keep your eyes open. I shall just take Gilles with me. If we are admitted then I will speak with the Bishop. If we are not admitted then that tells us much. I do not intend to stay long.  Keep your eyes and ears open."

"We will, my lord."

The gates were closed.  That was not a surprise. The land was on a war footing. A face appeared at the battlements. I had taken off my helmet and my hands were not close to my weapons.  I came in peace, "I am the Earl of Cleveland and I would speak with the Bishop."