antechamber to the King’s bedroom. The room was
crowded with men whispering together in groups and casting their eyes around until they landed on someone, then they stopped and stared. John felt very
uncomfortable in this company and longed to be out in the open air away from the obvious intrigue. A servant appeared at the door and called for Sir
Cedric.
“Come on John and stay close to me. Speak only if you are asked a question and answer truthfully.”
The two of them followed the servant to another room where they were announced.
“Come Cedric, let me see you. A friendly and trustworthy face, I am glad you have made the journey to London.”
Sir Cedric bowed low, with John also bending the knee. John looked up to see a regal lady beautifully clothed sitting in a large winged chair attended by
several other women.
“Your Majesty, I came when I received the news of the King’s failing health and am here to do your bidding, should you need me.”
“This time I fear will be his last illness, his time draws near. Who is this young man with you, I only know of your daughter?” queried the Queen.
“May I present John of Dunston, my first Squire who has accompanied me to London so he may experience our capital city,” answered the Earl. The Queen
extended her arm and John stepped forward, knelt and kissed the ring that adorned the gloved hand. Queen Eleanor smiled briefly and continued talking to
Sir Cedric. “Unfortunately Edward is still on his way back from the crusade so I am left to cope as best I can.” The Queen asked Sir Cedric to sit near her
and they were soon in deep conversation.
John gazed around the room taking in the rich tapestries and beautiful furniture, he also noticed the ladies who had also noticed him. Under their stares
he felt his face beginning to redden so he stared into the large fireplace and tried to hear what was being said.
The Queen finished conversing with Sir Cedric and he and John took their leave and returned to the anteroom. Henri was waiting for them and after a few
words with some of the men there they left and returned to the riverside. On the voyage back to the Earl’s house he and Henri were deep in conversation,
John picked up the occasional word,’cargo weight’ ‘interest rates’ ‘delivery difficulties’ which he assumed related to the wool trade. They arrived back at
the house and John found Sam exercising the horses, John watched him for a moment and recalled Sir Cedric calling him John of Dunston and his ‘first’
Squire, he wondered what ‘first’ meant. On the second day of their visit John and Sam rode into London to see the sights, they found the streets filthy and
crowded compared with their home in the countryside. Anvil did not like the crowds, he snorted and shied, stamped his feet which resulted in him being
pushed and shouted at, this did not improve matters and John guided him into a side alley to calm down. Pushing on through the smaller streets they came to
a short hill atop which was a grand cathedral. John dismounted and told Sam to guard the horses while he visited the cathedral. The building, he found, was
dedicated to St Paul and the inside was gloomy but at the altar end it was lavishly decorated, John knelt in prayer for a moment then returned to Sam. The
two of them continued through the streets and joined a main thoroughfare heading south, soon they could see the tops of the Tower Palace. The Tower of
London Palace was an imposing Castle, workmen were still busy carrying out improvements that the King had ordered. As well as being a Palace the Tower was
also a prison and the gallows outside bore witness to this. John decided not to try and visit the Palace so they turned and rode off keeping to the
shoreline. London was a major port and there were ships from all countries, moored and unloading, or vice versa. They could hear many different languages
being spoken and the whole area was a hive of activity. Soon
crowded with men whispering together in groups and casting their eyes around until they landed on someone, then they stopped and stared. John felt very
uncomfortable in this company and longed to be out in the open air away from the obvious intrigue. A servant appeared at the door and called for Sir
Cedric.
“Come on John and stay close to me. Speak only if you are asked a question and answer truthfully.”
The two of them followed the servant to another room where they were announced.
“Come Cedric, let me see you. A friendly and trustworthy face, I am glad you have made the journey to London.”
Sir Cedric bowed low, with John also bending the knee. John looked up to see a regal lady beautifully clothed sitting in a large winged chair attended by
several other women.
“Your Majesty, I came when I received the news of the King’s failing health and am here to do your bidding, should you need me.”
“This time I fear will be his last illness, his time draws near. Who is this young man with you, I only know of your daughter?” queried the Queen.
“May I present John of Dunston, my first Squire who has accompanied me to London so he may experience our capital city,” answered the Earl. The Queen
extended her arm and John stepped forward, knelt and kissed the ring that adorned the gloved hand. Queen Eleanor smiled briefly and continued talking to
Sir Cedric. “Unfortunately Edward is still on his way back from the crusade so I am left to cope as best I can.” The Queen asked Sir Cedric to sit near her
and they were soon in deep conversation.
John gazed around the room taking in the rich tapestries and beautiful furniture, he also noticed the ladies who had also noticed him. Under their stares
he felt his face beginning to redden so he stared into the large fireplace and tried to hear what was being said.
The Queen finished conversing with Sir Cedric and he and John took their leave and returned to the anteroom. Henri was waiting for them and after a few
words with some of the men there they left and returned to the riverside. On the voyage back to the Earl’s house he and Henri were deep in conversation,
John picked up the occasional word,’cargo weight’ ‘interest rates’ ‘delivery difficulties’ which he assumed related to the wool trade. They arrived back at
the house and John found Sam exercising the horses, John watched him for a moment and recalled Sir Cedric calling him John of Dunston and his ‘first’
Squire, he wondered what ‘first’ meant. On the second day of their visit John and Sam rode into London to see the sights, they found the streets filthy and
crowded compared with their home in the countryside. Anvil did not like the crowds, he snorted and shied, stamped his feet which resulted in him being
pushed and shouted at, this did not improve matters and John guided him into a side alley to calm down. Pushing on through the smaller streets they came to
a short hill atop which was a grand cathedral. John dismounted and told Sam to guard the horses while he visited the cathedral. The building, he found, was
dedicated to St Paul and the inside was gloomy but at the altar end it was lavishly decorated, John knelt in prayer for a moment then returned to Sam. The
two of them continued through the streets and joined a main thoroughfare heading south, soon they could see the tops of the Tower Palace. The Tower of
London Palace was an imposing Castle, workmen were still busy carrying out improvements that the King had ordered. As well as being a Palace the Tower was
also a prison and the gallows outside bore witness to this. John decided not to try and visit the Palace so they turned and rode off keeping to the
shoreline. London was a major port and there were ships from all countries, moored and unloading, or vice versa. They could hear many different languages
being spoken and the whole area was a hive of activity. Soon
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