Bolts, my lord. Gioberti corrected him, and pointed at yet another wagon. We have more than enough.'
Then we shall all go!' Joscelyn said enthusiastically. He was fascinated by the cannon, a thing as ugly as it was impressive. It was nine feet long, four feet across the bulbous breech, and had a squat, evil air. It looked devilish, an unnatural thing, and he was tempted to demand a demonstration right there in the castle's courtyard, but he understood that such a demonstration would take precious time. Better to watch the device in action against the stubborn fools in Castillon d'Arbizon.
Sir Henri Courtois was already beginning that siege. When he reached the town he left his crossbowmen and men-at-arms outside the western gate and rode to the castle with only a young priest for company. He called up to the sentinels on the wall and, when Sir Guillaume saw it was only a single man-at-arms and a priest who wanted entrance he gave permission for the gates to be opened.
Sir Guillaume met the two men in the courtyard where Sir Henri dismounted and named himself. Sir Guillaume returned the courtesy, then the two men sized each other up. Each recognized the other as a soldier like himself. I come from the Count of Berat. Sir Henri said formally.
Bring the money, did you?“ Sir Guillaume demanded. I brought what I was ordered to bring and I doubt it will make you happy. Sir Henri said, then he took a long professional look at the archers and men-at-arms who had come to see the visitors. Tough bastards, he thought, before looking back to Sir Guillaume. I'm tired,” he said. Been riding all day. Do you have any wine in this place?'
Berat's short of wine, is he?“ Sir Guillaume asked. He's short of sense,” Sir Henri said, but not of wine.“ Sir Guillaume smiled. Inside,” he said, then led his guest up the keep stairs to the upper hall and, because this conversation would affect the destiny of all the garrison, he allowed those men who were not on guard to follow and listen.
Sir Guillaume and Sir Henri sat either side of the long table. The priest, who was there as a token that Sir Henri meant no harm, sat as well, while the men-at-arms and archers stood against the wall. The fire was revived, wine and food served, and as that was being done Sir Henri unlooped the shield from about his neck, unbuckled his breastplate and backplate and laid them all on the floor. He stretched, then nodded thanks for the wine which he drained. Finally he took the sealed parchment from his pouch and pushed it across the table.
Sir Guillaume lifted the seal with his knife, unfolded the document and read it. He did so slowly, for he was not a good reader, and when he had read it twice he looked angrily at Sir Henri. What the hell does this mean?'
I've not seen it,“ Sir Henri confessed. May I?” He reached for the parchment and the watching men of the garrison made a low threatening noise, sensing Sir Guillaume's fury.
Sir Henri could not read so he gave the parchment to the priest who tilted it towards one of the high narrow windows. The priest was a very young man and nervous. He read it, glanced at the horribly scarred Sir Guillaume and looked even more nervous. Tell us what it says,“ Sir Henri said. No one's going to kill you. It says two things,” the priest said. That Sir Guillaume and his men have two days to leave Castillon d'Arbizon unmolested.“ The other thing,” Sir Guillaume snarled.
The priest frowned. It is a draft of money from a man called Robert Douglas. he explained to Sir Henri, and if Sir Guillaume presents it to Jacques Fournier then he will be paid six thousand, six hundred and sixty florins. He put the document onto the table as though it was smeared with poison.
Who, in Christ's name,“ Sir Guillaume asked, is Jacques Fournier?”
A goldsmith in Berat. Sir Henri explained, and I doubt Jacques has that much cash in his cellars.
Robbie arranged this?“ Sir Guillaume asked angrily. Robbie Douglas is sworn to the Lord of Berat now. Sir Henri said. He had watched the brief ceremony when Robbie had sworn his allegiance, he had seen the kisses exchanged and noticed the look of triumph on Joscelyn's face. This is my lord's doing. He thinks we're fools?”
He thinks you won't dare show your faces in Berat. Sir Henri said.
Cheated! Jesus Christ! We've been cheated!“ Sir Guillaume glared at his visitors. Is this what passes for honour in Berat?” he
demanded, and when Sir Henri offered no answer, Sir Guillaume thumped the table. I could hold you two prisoner!' The men around the walls growled their agreement.
You could. Sir Henri agreed equably, and I wouldn't blame you. But the Count won't ransom me and he certainly won't ransom him.“ He nodded at the timid priest. We'll just be two more mouths to feed.”
Or two more corpses to bury,“ Sir Guillaume retorted. Sir Henri shrugged. He knew that the offer of money from the goldsmith's cellars was dishonourable, but it was not of his doing. So you can tell your master,” Sir Guillaume said, that we'll leave this castle when we have six thousand, six hundred and sixty florins. And every week you make us wait the price goes up by another hundred.'
His men murmured approval. Sir Henri did not seem surprised by the decision. I'm here. he told Sir Guillaume, to make sure you don't leave. Unless you wish to go today or tomorrow?“ We stay,” Sir Guillaume said. It was not a decision he had thought about, and he might have chosen differently had he been given the time to think, but being cheated of money was a sure way to rouse his pugnacity. We stay, damn it!“ Sir Henri nodded. Then I stay also.” He pushed the parchment across the table. I'll send a message to my lord and tell him that it would be sensible for young Douglas to pay the coins, that it will save money and lives if he does.'
Sir Guillaume took the parchment and thrust it into his jerkin. You're staying?“ he asked. Where?”
Sir Henri looked at the men against the wall. These were not men he could surprise by a sudden escalade. Besides, Sir Henri's own men were mostly the forces of the old Count and they had grown lazy, no match for this garrison. You can hold the castle. he told Sir Guillaume, but you don't have enough men to garrison the two town gates. You're leaving that to the constables and watchmen. So I'll take over from them. You can always fight your way through, of course, but I'll have crossbowmen on the gate towers and men-at-arms under the arches.
You've faced English bowmen?“ Sir Guillaume asked threateningly. Sir Henri nodded. In Flanders,” he said, and I didn't enjoy it. But how many archers can you afford to lose in a street brawl?'
Sir Guillaume acknowledged the sense of that. Send his archers against the town gates and they would be fighting at close quarters, shooting up from gardens, yards and windows, and Sir Henri's crossbowmen would be crouched behind their pavises or behind windows in the houses and some of their quarrels would be bound to hit. In a few minutes Sir Guillaume could lose four or five bowmen and that would seriously weaken him. You can have the town gates,' he allowed.
Sir Henri poured himself more wine. I've got forty-two men at-arms,“ he revealed, and thirty-three crossbows, and all the usual servants and women and clerks. They all need shelter. Winter's coming.”
So freeze. Sir Guillaume suggested.
We could do that,“ Sir Henri agreed, but I propose you let us use the houses between the west gate and Saint Gallic's church, and I'll guarantee we won't use any building east of Wheelwright's Alley or south of Steep Street.”
You know the town?' Sir Guillaume asked.
I was castellan here once. Long time ago.'
Then you know about the mill gate?' Sir Guillaume was referring to the small door in the town wall that led to the water mill,
the gate that Thomas and Genevieve had used to escape. I know about it,“ Sir Henri said, but it's too close to the castle and if I put men to guard it then your archers can skewer them from the tower's top.” He paused to drink the wine. If you want me to besiege you, I can. I'll close my men up to the castle and let the crossbows practise on your sentries, but you know and I know that we'll only kill men and you'll still be inside. I assume you have food?'
More than enough.'
Sir Henri nodded. So I'll stop your horsemen leaving by the two big gates. You can still slip men out of the mill gate, but so long as they don't interfere with me, I'll not notice them. You've got nets in the mill pond?'
We do.'
I'll leave them alone. Sir Henri offered. I'll tell my men the mill's out of bounds to them.'
Sir Guillaume thought about it, drumming his fingers on the table's edge. There was a continual small murmur from the men against the wall as the French conversation was translated into English. You can have the houses between the west gate and Saint Gallic's church. Sir Guillaume agreed after a moment, but what about the taverns?'
Essential things. Sir Henri acknowledged.
