The Bloodstained Throne

Juhel winced. ‘Business was poor this year, and I am short of funds. Paisnel was able to pay for my passage, as well as his own, by opting for Fingar’s ship. What about you? Are you trying to evade justice?’

‘No!’ exclaimed Geoffrey, startled. ‘We just wanted a route that would not involve journeying through Belleme’s territory.’

Juhel nodded understanding. ‘He is a bad enemy, and I am fortunate that he likes me. But I may accompany you to Dover, too. Now poor Paisnel is dead I have two reasons for reaching Ribe: to make arrangements with Danish leather sellers and to deliver Paisnel’s dispatches to the Bishop. Paisnel was devoted to his prelate and would have wanted me to complete his work.’

‘I am leaving today,’ said Geoffrey. ‘But I am used to travelling quickly in unfavourable conditions. You should wait for better weather, then join a larger party.’

‘I cannot wait,’ objected Magnus. ‘I want Sir Roger to escort me to an abbey that stands nearby. It is no more than ten miles from here.’

‘Do you mean the abbey that was built after the battle?’ asked Geoffrey. His father had told him how the Conqueror had ordered a fine monastery to be founded on the spot where so many men had died. It had been a decision rooted in self-interest: the shocked Church was appeased over the terrible bloodshed, and it meant there were plenty of monks to pray for the souls of those who had died, lest the battle was held against the instigator on Judgement Day.

Magnus nodded. ‘There are a number of Saxon villages surrounding the abbey, and I will be safe there until I decide my next move. You will appreciate that, as the true claimant to the crown, I did not intend to be washed up in England with little more than my clothes.’

‘I shall come with you,’ said Juhel. ‘It would be prudent to pay for a mass, to give thanks for our deliverance. I do not want to experience another violent storm.’

‘I shall do the same,’ said Edith, coming to join them. ‘We are lucky to be alive, and I want God to know I am grateful. Philippa and I will travel with you to the abbey.’

‘We are not going there,’ said Geoffrey. ‘Roger is going home, and I am going to Dover.’

‘Actually, Geoff, I think we should, so we can purchase masses, too,’ said Roger. ‘And if you want to borrow money for your journey to the Holy Land, you must come with us — it is my condition for lending it to you.’

Geoffrey was unimpressed by Roger’s stipulation, although he did appreciate that they had had a narrow escape. He just wished Roger would simply let him say a few prayers in a church along the way instead.

However, his displeasure was nothing compared to that of Philippa and Edith when they learned that Lord de Laigle’s wife — somewhat fragile that morning — had offered to keep them at Pevenesel until their kin could collect them. Geoffrey accepted the offer with alacrity. Ulfrith was distraught, and Roger disappointed, especially as Edith’s irritation from the previous day seemed to have dissipated. She appealed to him to persuade Geoffrey to allow them to go to the abbey instead.

‘They will be no trouble, Geoff,’ wheedled Roger. ‘And it will please Ulfrith. He is like a moonstruck calf with Philippa.’

‘She will never submit to the charms of a squire, and they will have to be parted sooner or later,’ said Geoffrey, unmoved. ‘It is better to do it before matters get out of hand.’

‘Then I will make it a condition of your loan,’ countered Roger craftily. ‘Either we take the ladies or I will not lend you the money.’

‘Then I will manage without it,’ said Geoffrey, suspecting there would be an ongoing set of provisos if he did not take a stand.

Roger glared. ‘You will find that difficult.’

‘But not impossible. There will be some merchant or pilgrim who will accept me as a guide or protector. It is a long and dangerous journey, and I have made it several times. Someone will pay my passage in return for my skills.’

‘Unlikely,’ said Juhel with one of his cheery grins. ‘You look far too disreputable. We all know what kind of men went on the Crusade, and you appear to be one of the rougher ones. Your surcoat is stained with blood, and your armour has clearly seen too much use to be respectable.’

Geoffrey stared at him. ‘I am a soldier — of course it has seen plenty of use. And these stains are not blood, but rust. Bale left my shield lying on top of it.’

‘I think you are very handsome,’ said Philippa, sidling up to him. ‘You have beautiful eyes and you are not badly scarred like many warriors. All you need is a good wash and some clean clothes, and you will be an Adonis.’

Ulfrith’s eyes narrowed. ‘Who is Adonis? And where do you know him from?’

‘If you accept payment for that sort of commission, you will be a common mercenary,’ said Roger, conveniently forgetting that he often sold his talents to anyone who had enough gold. ‘And is it so much to ask that you let me take these women to the abbey?’

Fortunately, Juhel began to chat to the women about the perfumes Adonis was alleged to have used, so Geoffrey took the opportunity to haul Roger away. There was no point in trying to reason with the big knight while Edith had him fixed with great, piteous eyes.

‘We cannot, Roger. Their fathers and brothers will assume we abducted them — and I am a married man. They must stay here, where women of their own status are willing to look after them.’

‘I could look after them,’ said Roger with a meaningful wink.

‘Quite, and it will not do. Besides, what happens if we arrive at this abbey and find it has no facilities for women? It is a community of Benedictine monks, so there is no reason to suppose they can accommodate females. You may be obliged to take them as far as Dover.’

‘I would not mind.’

‘You would, because then you will be forced to stay there until their relatives decide to fetch them. You could be waiting months, and it will be expensive to feed and house them.’

‘Are you ready?’ bawled Roger to the squires, thoughts of extra costs quickly bringing him in line with Geoffrey’s position. He made a perfunctory bow to the women. ‘I am sorry, ladies: my friend is right. We cannot expose you to unnecessary danger.’

He strode out of the bailey, his possessions wrapped in one of the castle’s blankets and slung over his shoulder. Magnus shot after him, determined to walk next to the man he considered his protector. With considerable reluctance, Ulfrith followed, Bale murmuring sympathetically in his ear. Geoffrey went last with Juhel at his side, chicken swinging in the cage next to him.

Juhel chattered incessantly, and since his monologue did not require much response, Geoffrey’s mind wandered. He was brought back to the present when Ulfrith suddenly stopped at an oddly shaped tree that had grown twisted in the coastal winds.

‘This is where Philippa came ashore,’ he said. ‘We should make sure the tide has not washed Vitalis out of his grave. It is a small service, but she may be grateful when she learns I suggested it.’

‘No, we should press on,’ argued Magnus. ‘We do not have time for the dead.’

‘I agree,’ said Juhel. ‘Those black clouds are coming up fast. Can you not feel the tingle in the air as thunder gathers?’

‘No,’ said Ulfrith shortly. ‘But I can manage alone. You go ahead. I will catch up.’

‘I will stay with him,’ said Geoffrey to Roger, suspecting that the lad might take the opportunity to return to Philippa if he was allowed to linger on his own.

‘You want to claim the credit for a good deed that was my idea,’ said Ulfrith accusingly.

Geoffrey fought down his irritation. ‘I am offering to help you, boy. I am not interested in your lady. I am married, remember?’

‘But only to big old Hilde Baderon,’ Ulfrith muttered in a sufficiently low voice that Geoffrey could not be absolutely certain he had heard him right. He decided to overlook the remark in the interests of harmony, hoping Ulfrith would soon forget about Philippa and be back to his normal ebullient self.

‘Come,’ he said shortly. ‘We will not have so far to run if we hurry.’

Ulfrith followed him down the beach, Bale trailing behind.

‘I see no grave,’ said Ulfrith, looking around with his hands on his hips.

Geoffrey pointed to a knot of squawking, flapping gulls a short distance away. ‘I imagine it is over there.