as if jolted into surprised recognition that his orders mattered. "Walter Sybyle, of the Mercers' Company, is alderman for that ward, and I have offered him reinforcements. Though the fool will probably refuse them out of jealousy for his Guild!"
"As long as it is only jealousy, and not treachery!" muttered Brembre shrewdly. "I don't altogether trust that man."
"Then let us send a company of pikemen and be done with it," advised Thomas Holland sensibly. But it appeared that they would give such offence to London pride as to jeopardize the citizens' much taxed loyalty.
Finding it useless to wait upon other people's advice, Richard's mind was beginning to work clearly on its own account. In fact, this thing was becoming rather fascinating, like a game of chess in which one enjoys outwitting a wily opponent. "Don't forget that raising the movable part of the bridge will let shipping through into the Pool," he pointed out. "These insurgents won't dare try to get across in the comparatively few rowboats moored on the other side. But you'll have to see that all big ships tie up below the bridge on this side, or Tyler may try to board them as they pass through and use them for transport."
"Too true!" admitted Brembre. "We must send word to Chaucer to stop them before high tide."
"And Aldgate ought to be fortified against these fresh forces from Essex," blustered Gloucester. And he and the Hollands began telling the civic dignitaries how to do it.
The word Aldgate started a train of thought in Richard's mind. If Gloucester had been in the Tower for several hours before his own arrival, it was a pity he hadn't begun telling people how to do things a bit earlier! "If Robert de Vere and Thomas Mowbray were able to leave by that gate this morning," he asked, cutting across their confusing spate of directions without apology, "why were no messengers sent through before I got here to rouse the unaffected shires? Surely there are plenty of my knights sitting comfortably in Midland manors who would have come to our assistance?" He looked straight at Gloucester as he spoke and was aware of his mother ranging herself joyfully on his side—probably more because it was the first time she had ever heard him openly call one of his uncles to account than from any sense of gravity of the omission.
Thomas Plantagenet stopped giving orders but said nothing. It would so obviously have been the sensible thing to do that most of the older men looked sheepish. But Henry Bolingbroke took up the idea. "There may still be time," he said, in his unflustered methodical way. "If Walworth can send these knights the exact disposition of the rebels, a relieving party could approach under cover of darkness and attack them in the rear. And that would be our moment to ride out in two separate parties and outflank them."
"After all, London is as good as besieged, isn't it?" said Richard, backing him up.
It was the idea of Youth—chancy and exciting—and it appealed to several present. But others objected on the ground that it would take up too much time.
Joan, who had been thinking how this new touch of brisk masterfulness became Richard, withdrew her adoring gaze from him and turned her mind to the business in hand. If the men couldn't settle something, she must. She dealt with it much as she might have dealt with a plague of mice or some troublesome servants clamouring for higher wages. "If you're sending out messengers at all, why not send them to Blackheath and Highgate and ask these people exactly what they want?" she suggested. "Then perhaps we can appease them and they will go home."
Men cunning in council turned to look at her in shocked surprise. Put like that the whole business sounded absurdly simple. Her suggestion went straight to the heart of the thing, of course; but then, women's minds worked so differently, always putting common sense before pride. And if one heeded them,
"As long as it is only jealousy, and not treachery!" muttered Brembre shrewdly. "I don't altogether trust that man."
"Then let us send a company of pikemen and be done with it," advised Thomas Holland sensibly. But it appeared that they would give such offence to London pride as to jeopardize the citizens' much taxed loyalty.
Finding it useless to wait upon other people's advice, Richard's mind was beginning to work clearly on its own account. In fact, this thing was becoming rather fascinating, like a game of chess in which one enjoys outwitting a wily opponent. "Don't forget that raising the movable part of the bridge will let shipping through into the Pool," he pointed out. "These insurgents won't dare try to get across in the comparatively few rowboats moored on the other side. But you'll have to see that all big ships tie up below the bridge on this side, or Tyler may try to board them as they pass through and use them for transport."
"Too true!" admitted Brembre. "We must send word to Chaucer to stop them before high tide."
"And Aldgate ought to be fortified against these fresh forces from Essex," blustered Gloucester. And he and the Hollands began telling the civic dignitaries how to do it.
The word Aldgate started a train of thought in Richard's mind. If Gloucester had been in the Tower for several hours before his own arrival, it was a pity he hadn't begun telling people how to do things a bit earlier! "If Robert de Vere and Thomas Mowbray were able to leave by that gate this morning," he asked, cutting across their confusing spate of directions without apology, "why were no messengers sent through before I got here to rouse the unaffected shires? Surely there are plenty of my knights sitting comfortably in Midland manors who would have come to our assistance?" He looked straight at Gloucester as he spoke and was aware of his mother ranging herself joyfully on his side—probably more because it was the first time she had ever heard him openly call one of his uncles to account than from any sense of gravity of the omission.
Thomas Plantagenet stopped giving orders but said nothing. It would so obviously have been the sensible thing to do that most of the older men looked sheepish. But Henry Bolingbroke took up the idea. "There may still be time," he said, in his unflustered methodical way. "If Walworth can send these knights the exact disposition of the rebels, a relieving party could approach under cover of darkness and attack them in the rear. And that would be our moment to ride out in two separate parties and outflank them."
"After all, London is as good as besieged, isn't it?" said Richard, backing him up.
It was the idea of Youth—chancy and exciting—and it appealed to several present. But others objected on the ground that it would take up too much time.
Joan, who had been thinking how this new touch of brisk masterfulness became Richard, withdrew her adoring gaze from him and turned her mind to the business in hand. If the men couldn't settle something, she must. She dealt with it much as she might have dealt with a plague of mice or some troublesome servants clamouring for higher wages. "If you're sending out messengers at all, why not send them to Blackheath and Highgate and ask these people exactly what they want?" she suggested. "Then perhaps we can appease them and they will go home."
Men cunning in council turned to look at her in shocked surprise. Put like that the whole business sounded absurdly simple. Her suggestion went straight to the heart of the thing, of course; but then, women's minds worked so differently, always putting common sense before pride. And if one heeded them,
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