the men you are.’
That they did, clasping Tancred’s arm to the elbow. There was no kissing, no embrace, as that completed, they sheathed their swords and mounted their horses. ‘Now go, and God be with you. And above all, my sons, remember you are de Hautevilles and make me proud.’
Geoffrey de Montbray was still praying, headbowed, when they were out of sight. Everyone else bar the head of the house was either joking or choking but trying to hide their emotions and baby Roger, having picked up the mood, wailed like the infant he was.
Tancred had gone indoors before he lost sight of them and his whole family knew he wanted nothing more than to be alone, for they, like he, doubted he would live to ever see their faces again.
CHAPTER SIX
Guaimar of Salerno was deluded to think he could get away quickly, or undetected; in organising his escape the Jew would not be rushed and weeks turned into months of frustrating delay, which put in peril the whole affair. His patrimony was like every city, a place of rumour, gossip and downright betrayal if some citizen suspected there might be a reward for information.
Though the late duke had been respected, and there was always appreciation for a handsome young heir fallen on hard times, there was also in many hearts a residual dislike of the whole Lombard race – with their north European background – who had lorded it over the local populations of the land they had conquered and resided in for five hundred years, without ever assimilating. Their masters requiredthem to pay taxes and to fight when they disputed with their enemies, other Lombard nobles, or even the mighty empires whose world they straddled. Minor offices they could hold, but never were they allowed real power, and just in case they should rebel, which they did often, the Lombards had their hated Norman mercenaries to keep them in place.
What shocked Guaimar was not that some Italians were prepared to betray him – he had grown up in Salerno – but he learnt that the gossip of impending flight was emanating from Kasa Ephraim. The Jew had insisted no more visits be made to his house, but he did send round written instructions with a different body every time on how matters should proceed. Sealing a letter in reply, the young man demanded he explain his betrayal.
The response was blunt, informing him that he was being naïve. He could barely move without news of his activities coming to the attention of the Normans occupying the Castello de Arechi and through them the Wolf. He was well known all over Salerno and he had neighbours, as well as those who observed him in the streets he used frequently.
Osmond de Vertin was not so well supplied with men that he had enough to place permanent guards on his doorway or that of anyone else suspected of fermenting trouble, but he had his informants and, by their very nature, these would be people unknownto Guaimar, and just as importantly, neither he nor Ephraim knew how numerous they were.
He and his sister must be prepared to walk out of the door of the humble gatehouse they now occupied with not a single possession. Any preparations they made would be observed, indeed, he did not know if they could trust even the servants they employed – like Berengara’s maid and his own attendant valet – those who supplied their food, the people who cleaned their house or the priest that confessed their sins, and he would, by following the instructions he had to burn every note from the Jew, cause some suspicions to be raised.
… You may hear it said, it could be whispered to you by someone loyal to your house, that your intended flight is known about, that the horses and supplies being gathered at your father’s old monastery are no secret. They are not to me, since I have arranged for them in your name and likewise sent ahead to various places on the route to the Apennines to arrange accommodation. Thus, it is to be hoped that the Normans will be guarding the routes out
That they did, clasping Tancred’s arm to the elbow. There was no kissing, no embrace, as that completed, they sheathed their swords and mounted their horses. ‘Now go, and God be with you. And above all, my sons, remember you are de Hautevilles and make me proud.’
Geoffrey de Montbray was still praying, headbowed, when they were out of sight. Everyone else bar the head of the house was either joking or choking but trying to hide their emotions and baby Roger, having picked up the mood, wailed like the infant he was.
Tancred had gone indoors before he lost sight of them and his whole family knew he wanted nothing more than to be alone, for they, like he, doubted he would live to ever see their faces again.
CHAPTER SIX
Guaimar of Salerno was deluded to think he could get away quickly, or undetected; in organising his escape the Jew would not be rushed and weeks turned into months of frustrating delay, which put in peril the whole affair. His patrimony was like every city, a place of rumour, gossip and downright betrayal if some citizen suspected there might be a reward for information.
Though the late duke had been respected, and there was always appreciation for a handsome young heir fallen on hard times, there was also in many hearts a residual dislike of the whole Lombard race – with their north European background – who had lorded it over the local populations of the land they had conquered and resided in for five hundred years, without ever assimilating. Their masters requiredthem to pay taxes and to fight when they disputed with their enemies, other Lombard nobles, or even the mighty empires whose world they straddled. Minor offices they could hold, but never were they allowed real power, and just in case they should rebel, which they did often, the Lombards had their hated Norman mercenaries to keep them in place.
What shocked Guaimar was not that some Italians were prepared to betray him – he had grown up in Salerno – but he learnt that the gossip of impending flight was emanating from Kasa Ephraim. The Jew had insisted no more visits be made to his house, but he did send round written instructions with a different body every time on how matters should proceed. Sealing a letter in reply, the young man demanded he explain his betrayal.
The response was blunt, informing him that he was being naïve. He could barely move without news of his activities coming to the attention of the Normans occupying the Castello de Arechi and through them the Wolf. He was well known all over Salerno and he had neighbours, as well as those who observed him in the streets he used frequently.
Osmond de Vertin was not so well supplied with men that he had enough to place permanent guards on his doorway or that of anyone else suspected of fermenting trouble, but he had his informants and, by their very nature, these would be people unknownto Guaimar, and just as importantly, neither he nor Ephraim knew how numerous they were.
He and his sister must be prepared to walk out of the door of the humble gatehouse they now occupied with not a single possession. Any preparations they made would be observed, indeed, he did not know if they could trust even the servants they employed – like Berengara’s maid and his own attendant valet – those who supplied their food, the people who cleaned their house or the priest that confessed their sins, and he would, by following the instructions he had to burn every note from the Jew, cause some suspicions to be raised.
… You may hear it said, it could be whispered to you by someone loyal to your house, that your intended flight is known about, that the horses and supplies being gathered at your father’s old monastery are no secret. They are not to me, since I have arranged for them in your name and likewise sent ahead to various places on the route to the Apennines to arrange accommodation. Thus, it is to be hoped that the Normans will be guarding the routes out
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