wished to see?"
"No, my lord I have two tasks. I was charged by the Archbishop of York to escort gold. The King, it seems, asked for it."
"Aye. These Normans are easily bought!"
I closed with him. "And I bring news of treachery at home. I have missives from Durham and York as well as news of my own."
"Then do not tell me for I know the King would wish to hear it first." He shrugged, "Besides we have enough treachery here! There are knives behind every smile. Come we will fetch this treasure and I will fete you and your men this night."
The damage to the ship had not been repaired and Sir Richard asked, "Trouble?"
"Danish pirates. We slew them."
"Then the feast shall be a good one." He pointed to the ship, "Raymond, have those chests taken to the keep and place them in the donjon." Captain Jack approached. His arm was in a sling and he had a bandaged head. "And can I do anything for you Captain?"
"A berth for a couple of days so that we can effect repairs and we need supplies."
Sir Richard waved over the official who had been hovering, "Hugo, you can forget collecting taxes. This ship is on the King's business. Whatever the captain needs he shall have. Do you understand?"
The man gave a surly smile, "Aye my lord." As he departed Sir Richard said, quietly, "A robbing bastard that one. I will get rid of him when I have proof he is defrauding the King. He is sneaky and, I daresay, treacherous. He is one of the many I do not trust. Come let us walk your horses back to the castle. In my experience that journey from England ruins horses for days, if not weeks."
Once we were given our chambers we met with the castellan in his hall. Wulfric and the others were in the warrior hall but my squires were allowed to join us. Sir Richard explained the problem to me although I could see that he was not telling me all.
"There is some disquiet amongst the nobles. I think that this is the work of Louis. He ferments dissension. He is a cunning king for he wants Normandy for his own but he feigns sympathy for over taxed nobles. The treasure you brought means that King Henry can lower the taxes. It may sway more of the nobles to his side."
"Surely it is not just about the taxes."
"No. Many of the nobles wish for larger estates."
"But that would mean one lord losing out. They cannot all be happy about that."
"That is what is so insidious. King Louis has set lord against lord. The King has to try to keep the peace between warring barons as well as fending off rebellion from others. It is a drain both on the King's health and his warriors. He will be grateful to see his champion again."
"Why does he have a tourney planned?"
"No but his barons fear you. Your reputation on the northern borders precedes you and your campaigns in the last two years have made you a marked man. They are less likely to rebel with you at the King's side. You and the Earl of Gloucester are seen as a formidable combination."
I leaned forward, "The news I bring for the King suggests that King Louis is fermenting discord along the borders."
"It may well be that the best thing for the King to do is to conquer France!"
"Would he do that? Could he do that?"
"No for, like me, he is getting old but in his prime he would have done. I fear that will be the task of his heir."
"The Empress Matilda."
He nodded, "I should tell you that there is some disquiet. The Count of Anjou is seen as a threat. Many of the Norman barons are less than happy. Some would prefer her cousin, Stephen of Blois to be King. He is, after all, a man."
"That is foolish. The son of the Count and the Empress, Henry will be King of England and Duke of Normandy!"
"And therein lies the problem. There are those who support the Curthose still. They do not like the Dukedom and the Kingdom combined."
I felt drained. There was no solution to that problem. The King would never divorce the two. When he died would the Empress and the
"No, my lord I have two tasks. I was charged by the Archbishop of York to escort gold. The King, it seems, asked for it."
"Aye. These Normans are easily bought!"
I closed with him. "And I bring news of treachery at home. I have missives from Durham and York as well as news of my own."
"Then do not tell me for I know the King would wish to hear it first." He shrugged, "Besides we have enough treachery here! There are knives behind every smile. Come we will fetch this treasure and I will fete you and your men this night."
The damage to the ship had not been repaired and Sir Richard asked, "Trouble?"
"Danish pirates. We slew them."
"Then the feast shall be a good one." He pointed to the ship, "Raymond, have those chests taken to the keep and place them in the donjon." Captain Jack approached. His arm was in a sling and he had a bandaged head. "And can I do anything for you Captain?"
"A berth for a couple of days so that we can effect repairs and we need supplies."
Sir Richard waved over the official who had been hovering, "Hugo, you can forget collecting taxes. This ship is on the King's business. Whatever the captain needs he shall have. Do you understand?"
The man gave a surly smile, "Aye my lord." As he departed Sir Richard said, quietly, "A robbing bastard that one. I will get rid of him when I have proof he is defrauding the King. He is sneaky and, I daresay, treacherous. He is one of the many I do not trust. Come let us walk your horses back to the castle. In my experience that journey from England ruins horses for days, if not weeks."
Once we were given our chambers we met with the castellan in his hall. Wulfric and the others were in the warrior hall but my squires were allowed to join us. Sir Richard explained the problem to me although I could see that he was not telling me all.
"There is some disquiet amongst the nobles. I think that this is the work of Louis. He ferments dissension. He is a cunning king for he wants Normandy for his own but he feigns sympathy for over taxed nobles. The treasure you brought means that King Henry can lower the taxes. It may sway more of the nobles to his side."
"Surely it is not just about the taxes."
"No. Many of the nobles wish for larger estates."
"But that would mean one lord losing out. They cannot all be happy about that."
"That is what is so insidious. King Louis has set lord against lord. The King has to try to keep the peace between warring barons as well as fending off rebellion from others. It is a drain both on the King's health and his warriors. He will be grateful to see his champion again."
"Why does he have a tourney planned?"
"No but his barons fear you. Your reputation on the northern borders precedes you and your campaigns in the last two years have made you a marked man. They are less likely to rebel with you at the King's side. You and the Earl of Gloucester are seen as a formidable combination."
I leaned forward, "The news I bring for the King suggests that King Louis is fermenting discord along the borders."
"It may well be that the best thing for the King to do is to conquer France!"
"Would he do that? Could he do that?"
"No for, like me, he is getting old but in his prime he would have done. I fear that will be the task of his heir."
"The Empress Matilda."
He nodded, "I should tell you that there is some disquiet. The Count of Anjou is seen as a threat. Many of the Norman barons are less than happy. Some would prefer her cousin, Stephen of Blois to be King. He is, after all, a man."
"That is foolish. The son of the Count and the Empress, Henry will be King of England and Duke of Normandy!"
"And therein lies the problem. There are those who support the Curthose still. They do not like the Dukedom and the Kingdom combined."
I felt drained. There was no solution to that problem. The King would never divorce the two. When he died would the Empress and the
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