Wolf Wood (Part Two): The Dangerous years by Mike Dixon Page A
Authors: Mike Dixon
Tags: Romance, Historical, Magic, Witches, sorcery, middle ages, Knights, heresy, family feuds, war of the roses
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stylus and used the blunt end to smooth the wax on his writing block and destroy the notes he had taken. He did it with a flourish and snapped the block shut.
'Come with me, Sir Geoffrey. I shall request more suitable attire for you. Then I shall take you to the archives and see what you can find there.'
Chapter 13
Kiss of Death
June 25th 1450
Steven dashed into the women's dormitory and shouted for Henriette. The women told him to leave but he ignored their protests and continued to shout.
'Commander Gough wants Robin.'
Alice emerged from behind a partition.
'You father will know where he is.'
'No. It's he who sent me. The king's coming. Robin's got to get his men together. They've got to look smart.'
Alice ran into the corridor and looked down into the ablution block. Robin's little boy had a stomach upset and she guessed he was there. She shouted and Robin appeared.
'The king's coming. Harald needs to speak to you.'
Robin ran up the stairs, handed her a smelly infant and hurried outside. She moved to the doorway and heard the two men talking. Harald said the king was coming up river from Greenwich with his bodyguard. The royal party would land at the palace then proceed overland to a secret destination. All necessary assistance must be provided.
She returned to the dormitory and told the women to get ready to greet His Majesty. Despite all the accusations of corruption, the royal family was still held in awe. People preferred to think of their weak, twenty-nine-year-old monarch as a saintly figure ensnared by evil councillors. They were probably right but that did nothing to soften Alice's feelings towards the monarchy.
She remained opposed to the whole system of government and passionately hoped that Jack Cade would bring about the changes he promised. She did not share Harald's pessimism. She believed that England was ready for rule by elected councillors and would be a better place for it.
Cheering told her that the royal party had arrived. She walked to the palace gatehouse and found her son, Steven, there. He had been stopped by the guard and told that he could not proceed unless he left his crossbow with them. He reluctantly agreed and went to the river with Alice.
A motley array of soldiers was drawn up to greet the royal couple. Robin's contingent was amongst them. He stood at its head, smartly dressed in a discarded uniform that he had found in the palace when he arrived. It belonged to a senior officer of the royal guard who abandoned it when he fled. Harald said Robin had more right to the uniform than the former owner and Matthew Gough agreed.
An ornately decorated royal barge reached the jetty and the royal couple emerged. From the pomp and ceremony, one could believe they were on a royal excursion and not fleeing from their enemies. The queen appeared first. She embarked before the barge was properly secured and strode down the jetty with a step that was more masculine than ladylike.
Alice had heard about Queen Margaret. The formidable young woman was closely related to the French royal family and totally dominated her husband. When she arrived in England at the age of fifteen, Margaret spoke hardly a word of English. Now, five years later, she was proficient in the language and playing a leading role in the royal government.
She advanced towards the guard and began an inspection without waiting for her entourage to catch up. A man was reprimanded for his untidy appearance. Another was questioned on his right to certain insignia. Alice held her breath and waited for the explosion that would inevitably follow when Queen Margaret discovered Robin attired in the uniform of a senior member of the royal household.
Margaret arrived by his side and looked him up and down.
'Where do you come from?'
'Normandy, Your Highness.'
'Under whom did you serve?'
'Commander Matthew Gough, Your Highness.' Robin remained stiffly at attention. 'We held out in Bayeux until our position
'Come with me, Sir Geoffrey. I shall request more suitable attire for you. Then I shall take you to the archives and see what you can find there.'
Chapter 13
Kiss of Death
June 25th 1450
Steven dashed into the women's dormitory and shouted for Henriette. The women told him to leave but he ignored their protests and continued to shout.
'Commander Gough wants Robin.'
Alice emerged from behind a partition.
'You father will know where he is.'
'No. It's he who sent me. The king's coming. Robin's got to get his men together. They've got to look smart.'
Alice ran into the corridor and looked down into the ablution block. Robin's little boy had a stomach upset and she guessed he was there. She shouted and Robin appeared.
'The king's coming. Harald needs to speak to you.'
Robin ran up the stairs, handed her a smelly infant and hurried outside. She moved to the doorway and heard the two men talking. Harald said the king was coming up river from Greenwich with his bodyguard. The royal party would land at the palace then proceed overland to a secret destination. All necessary assistance must be provided.
She returned to the dormitory and told the women to get ready to greet His Majesty. Despite all the accusations of corruption, the royal family was still held in awe. People preferred to think of their weak, twenty-nine-year-old monarch as a saintly figure ensnared by evil councillors. They were probably right but that did nothing to soften Alice's feelings towards the monarchy.
She remained opposed to the whole system of government and passionately hoped that Jack Cade would bring about the changes he promised. She did not share Harald's pessimism. She believed that England was ready for rule by elected councillors and would be a better place for it.
Cheering told her that the royal party had arrived. She walked to the palace gatehouse and found her son, Steven, there. He had been stopped by the guard and told that he could not proceed unless he left his crossbow with them. He reluctantly agreed and went to the river with Alice.
A motley array of soldiers was drawn up to greet the royal couple. Robin's contingent was amongst them. He stood at its head, smartly dressed in a discarded uniform that he had found in the palace when he arrived. It belonged to a senior officer of the royal guard who abandoned it when he fled. Harald said Robin had more right to the uniform than the former owner and Matthew Gough agreed.
An ornately decorated royal barge reached the jetty and the royal couple emerged. From the pomp and ceremony, one could believe they were on a royal excursion and not fleeing from their enemies. The queen appeared first. She embarked before the barge was properly secured and strode down the jetty with a step that was more masculine than ladylike.
Alice had heard about Queen Margaret. The formidable young woman was closely related to the French royal family and totally dominated her husband. When she arrived in England at the age of fifteen, Margaret spoke hardly a word of English. Now, five years later, she was proficient in the language and playing a leading role in the royal government.
She advanced towards the guard and began an inspection without waiting for her entourage to catch up. A man was reprimanded for his untidy appearance. Another was questioned on his right to certain insignia. Alice held her breath and waited for the explosion that would inevitably follow when Queen Margaret discovered Robin attired in the uniform of a senior member of the royal household.
Margaret arrived by his side and looked him up and down.
'Where do you come from?'
'Normandy, Your Highness.'
'Under whom did you serve?'
'Commander Matthew Gough, Your Highness.' Robin remained stiffly at attention. 'We held out in Bayeux until our position
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