The Grail Quest Books 1-3: Harlequin, Vagabond, Heretic by Bernard Cornwell Page A

finger. 'You've discovered anything about that?'
    'No.'
    'Or who stole the lance?'
    'No.'
    'Do you not care any more?'
    Thomas leaned back in the chair and stretched his long legs. 'I'm doing a good job of work, father. We're winning this war, and this time next year? Who knows? We might be giving the King of France a bloody nose.'
    Father Hobbe nodded agreement, though his face suggested Thomas's words were irrelevant. He traced his finger through a puddle of ale on the table top. 'You made a promise to your father, Thomas, and you made it in a church. Isn't that what you told me? A solemn promise, Thomas? That you would retrieve the lance? God listens to such vows.'
    Thomas smiled. 'Outside this tavern, father, there's so much rape and murder and theft going on that all the quills in heaven can't keep up with the list of sins. And you worry about me?'
    'Yes, Thomas, I do. Some souls are better than others. I must look after them all, but if you have a prize ram in the flock then you do well to guard it.'
    Thomas sighed. 'One day, father, I'll find the man who stole that goddamn lance and I'll ram it up his arse until it tickles the hollow of his skull. One day. Will that do?'
    Father Hobbe smiled beatifically. 'It'll do, Thomas, but for now there's a small church that could do with an extra man by the door. It's full of women! Some of them are so beautiful that your heart will break just to gaze at them. You can get drunk afterwards.'
    'Are the women really beautiful?'
    'What do you think, Thomas? Most of them look like bats and smell like goats, but they still need protection.'
    So Thomas helped guard a church, and afterwards, when the army was so drunk it could do no more damage, he went back to the widow's tavern where he drank himself into oblivion. He had taken a town, he had served his lord well and he was content.

Chapter 3

    Thomas was woken by a kick. A pause, then a second kick and a cup of cold water in his face. 'Jesus!'
    'That's me,' Will Skeat said. 'Father Hobbe told me you'd be here.'
    'Oh, Jesus,' Thomas said again. His head was sore, his belly sour and he felt sick. He blinked feebly at the daylight, then frowned at Skeat. 'It's you.'
    'It must be grand to be so clever,' Skeat said. He grinned at Thomas, who was naked in the straw of the tavern stables that he was sharing with one of the widow's daughters. 'You must have been drunk as a lord to sheathe your sword in that,' Skeat added, looking at the girl who was pulling a blanket over herself.
    'I was drunk,' Thomas groaned. 'Still am.' He staggered to his feet and put on his shirt.
    'The Earl wants to see you,' Skeat said with amusement.
    'Me?' Thomas looked alarmed. 'Why?'
    'Perhaps he wants you to marry his daughter,' Skeat said. 'Christ's bones, Tom, but look at the state of you!'
    Thomas pulled on his boots and mail coat, then retrieved his hose from the baggage camp and donned a cloth jacket over his mail. The jacket bore the Earl of Northampton's badge of three green and red stars being pounced on by a trio of lions. He splashed water on his face, then scraped at his stubble with a sharp knife.
    'Grow a beard, lad,' Skeat said, 'it saves trouble.'
    'Why does Billy want to see me?' Thomas asked, using the Earl's nickname.
    'After what happened in the town yesterday?' Skeat suggested thoughtfully. 'He reckons he's got to hang someone as an example, so he asked me if I had any useless bastards I wanted to be rid of and I thought of you.'
    'The way I feel,' Thomas said, 'he might as well hang me.' He retched drily, then gulped down some water.
    He and Will Skeat went back into the town to find the Earl of Northampton sitting in state. The building where his banner hung was supposed to be a guildhall, though it was probably smaller than the guardroom in the Earl's own castle, but the Earl was sitting at one end as a succession of petitioners pleaded for justice. They were complaining about being robbed, which was pointless considering they had refused