rump to get it moving.
Looking over her shoulder, Margaret saw him turn to face them, assessing the threat, his horse springing up on its hind legs, sensing the excitement.
If it were only the two, and he hadn’t already taken Perkin, she knew he would have chanced his luck. One rider could hold two at need; but there were more and more appearing, tumbling out of the trees on horses that appeared fresh – six… no, eight. Margaret could see that Simon’s own mount was not exhausted yet, but they had covered some miles and hadn’t yet taken a rest, for they had been planning to stop and take some food shortly. She saw him curse their bad fortune as he wheeled his horse round to follow the others, and clapped spurs to the flanks, one arm about their wailing son’s waist, the other gripping the reins tightly.
Margaret could not watch, for her mare was always likely to stray too close under a tree, forgetful of her rider. It was all she could do to cling to the beast, head low over her neck, trying to avoid the mane as it whirled about in front of her, and shoving her face into the horse’s coat every so often as a branch flashed past. Only when they had ridden into a patch of more open roadway did she look back once more, and see that her husband was falling behind.
Emma had been waiting in the gatehouse for an age, or so it felt, when the damned man deigned to come down and see her, and her mood was not of the best. Christ’s bones, but she was a woman of some position in this city! The fact that she was clad in her richest clothes, the bright crimson cloak with the squirrel fur trimming, the green velvet tunic, sewn to taper in at her waist and show off her bosom – all was designed to prove that she was wealthy enough to be taken seriously. Yet she was left waiting here like some common petitioner at a lord’s doorway. It was outrageous!
When the figure appeared, she remained on the bench where she had been sitting, so that their roles were subtly reversed. She eyed him contemptuously from his boots to his head. ‘You are Constable here?’
‘I am Sir Laurence Ashby, Constable of Bristol under the King,’ he acknowledged, and gave her a bow.
He at least appeared to have some manners, she conceded. Still, his voice showed that he was a foreigner, and as such, not to be trusted. She could tell he was not from Bristol.
‘I am here because of an error,’ she said stiffly.
His eyebrows lifted. ‘Yes?’
‘Some weeks ago, a man and his wife, the Capons, and their daughter, Petronilla, along with her child, were all killed, with their bottler; they were murdered by their son-in-law, Squire William de Bar of Hanham.’
Sir Laurence nodded, a slight frown at his forehead. ‘I have heard of the case. It was most distressing.’
‘But the curious matter is, my maid saw his men in the city, and after asking at the gaol, I learn that he has been released with them. Is this so?’
‘I fear it is.’
Her voice hardened. ‘Then I respectfully ask that you have him taken into custody once more, sir. He is an enormously dangerous man, and should be held in the gaol until the Justices can listen to the case and see him executed.’
‘With respect, madame, I cannot. He has been granted a royal pardon.’
Emma opened her mouth to speak, but for a moment no words would come. Then, ‘I think I must have misheard you, sir. A fellow who has killed two women, a babe and an innocent bottler and his master,
‘The King has himself granted the pardon. There is nothing I can do, madame.’
‘It is not possible that a man with such a heinous record could be released!’
‘The King has need of any man who can wield a sword or bill, madame. I am very sorry, but that is all there is to the matter. The Squire is free and his past crimes are forgiven, in exchange for which he will be required to serve his King once more.’
Emma stood. ‘I consider this an insult to the whole city of Bristol!’
‘I do not expect you to comprehend the necessity, madame,’ Sir Laurence said. ‘All I can do is apologise for the distress you clearly feel. Has this fellow offended you personally?’
‘No! That is not the point. My maid was in the house when he rampaged through it and killed all those people. Now she sees him strutting around in the street with his men – the very man who stood with gore on his sword and threatened to murder her in her turn! How can she possibly feel safe here again? She is a weak woman, sir, perhaps only of low birth, but a decent, obedient maid for all that. Her ease of mind is taken from her, and so is mine. Can you not have him held?’
‘No. I am afraid I cannot.’
Emma stood and stared at him. ‘So any felon may be released from the gaol, so far as you are concerned?’
‘Madame, as I have explained, I have no authority to deny the King’s decisions,’ Sir Laurence said patiently. ‘I assure you, if I could, I would have held him here longer. I have no love of homicides.’
‘Your assurances mean little to me while that man and his friends walk the streets.’
Simon bent low, his world encircled by noise: the snap of his cloak in the wind, the squeals of terror from his son, the snorting of his rounsey’s breath, the clatter and crash of his horse’s hooves on the stones of the road… but now he could sense the beast’s energy draining away. The poor beast had already covered half the day’s ride without a break, yet despite that, the creature was doing all he might, exerting himself as never before. Simon knew, however, that the chase would be lost.
Simon Puttock had been an officer of the law, a Bailiff, and had fought often enough. On Dartmoor he had chased murderers, even large gangs of outlaws, and killed when he needed. There had been moments of fear, it was true, but in the main he reckoned he’d been courageous enough.
This was different. He had his wife and son to protect. He was aware of a curious tightening of his scalp, as though it was readying itself for a crushing blow from a mace or axe, and he knew only the terror that here, today, he would see his last surviving son die at another man’s hand.
The fear lent new urgency to his frantic spurring of his mount, and the rounsey seemed to gather himself and pound onwards, as if the beast too realised the enormous danger of their position. Simon ducked to avoid a low branch, and risked a glance over his shoulder. The nearest man was a scant two yards away, a heavy-set fellow with black hair and a roughly-stubbled chin. He wore a green tunic, much patched, but it was not his clothing that held Simon’s attention: it was the long sword in his hand.
And then Simon’s mount stumbled. A momentary lapse, that was all, and suddenly the sword was within striking distance. Simon knew he was done for: he couldn’t get away fast enough, not with his poor rounsey flagging. Then the man was almost level, and Simon saw the sword flash, the blade slashing at his cloak, but by a miracle missing his torso.
It was at that moment, when he was about to lose all hope, clinging to Perkin, who was sobbing now in his panic, that Simon saw salvation lurch into view: Hugh.
His servant rode with an expression of grim truculence, heading straight at the outlaw, and at the last instant, the fellow saw his danger. He jerked his reins, and his horse rode almost into Simon, missing by a mere half foot, while he stabbed with his sword at Hugh. But Hugh wasn’t close enough to be hurt. His horse hurtled past, more than two yards distant, with him wielding his staff like a lance. He held it firmly under his armpit, and the inch-thick timber struck the outlaw under the chin like a rock from a mangonel. Simon heard the man’s jaw shatter, an eruption of blood flying into the air. The fellow arced backwards over his horse’s rump, to hit the ground with a hideous thud that Simon could hear over his hoofbeats.
Hugh now turned his mount and came after Simon, but the others were almost on him. Simon bit his lip, wanting to turn and help his servant, but knowing if he were to do so, he would risk his son’s life. There were six men in close proximity, and Simon dared not turn back.
As he watched, he saw Hugh suddenly canter off to his right. One man in the pursuit seemed to waver in seeking this new quarry, but then he thundered off after Hugh. His beast was large, heavy, and not built for great
