Somewhat embarrassed, I had to confess that it had been many years since I had tried to swim — and that was only in a shallow pond in Hungary.
‘Then you are very brave. Thank you for trying to help me. You nearly drowned!’
‘It should be me thanking you. I would have drowned had you not appeared from the depths!’
Adela smiled at me before marching purposefully towards the captain of the merchantman. When she arrived within a foot of him, despite the fact that he towered over her, she threw a prodigious punch with her right hand, catching the captain square on his jaw. The leather glove of her hand was still sopping wet with seawater, so the impact of the punch produced a plume of spray that followed the captain’s descent to the deck of the ship, splashing over him moments after he landed.
He lay there, dazed for a moment, before rousing himself and reaching for his battle-axe. As he did so, he felt that Adela already had the point of her seax under his chin. The angry face of our own captain was glaring down at him.
‘I should let this knight kill you — I know she’d like to. It’s what you deserve! How can you have been in full sail in these conditions? You had no beacon and sounded no horn.’
Realizing that he was in no position to argue, the prostrate man relented.
‘I am sorry, the mist comes and goes. I thought we would soon be clear.’
I then intervened, partly to make our progress to Normandy as swift as possible and partly to save the beleaguered captain from being filleted alive by Adela’s blade.
‘We are on Duke Robert’s business. This ship is requisitioned until we reach the coast. After that, I will leave it to you and our captain to decide how you settle your differences.’
We made our way to Rouen as quickly as we could and told Sweyn of our adventure in the Channel before reporting back to Robert. He seemed happy and comfortable in his new ducal guise. He had placated Philip of France and made recompense to as many of those with a grievance against his father as he could find, including the people of Mantes.
In the burning of the town, two revered anchorites who had chosen Mantes for their devout seclusion had been burned alive. To salve his conscience, William had granted a large sum to the church and Robert had generously added to it in order to pay for the building of a new cathedral to replace the chapel that had been burned to the ground in the sacking of the town.
‘Do you like my new regalia?’
‘It’s very impressive.’
‘It’s all new and very expensive. I’ve got rid of that ridiculous baculus my father used to carry around and locked it away in the treasury; the damn thing used to terrify me.’
I told Robert about Odo’s plan and its conditions.
‘That’s typical of him. Rufus should never have freed him. He thinks I’m more pliant than Rufus and that, if I rule from here, I’ll be King in name only and he’ll be able to do as he pleases.’
‘His ambition is the papacy, so he’ll want Canterbury first, then your support for a bid to be Pope.’
‘He’s very cunning. By appearing to promote me as King, he also hopes to gain favour with Philip, who would be vital to his papal campaign.’
‘So, what will you do?’
‘What do you think his chances are of unseating Rufus?’
‘He’s got the backing of most of the old guard, but the younger men don’t like him and neither do the English. He can raise a strong force from the elite Norman garrisons but, strange as it may seem, most of the younger nobles have Englishmen in their service and they will fight for Rufus, who they accept as their King, rather than Odo, who they remember as William’s senior henchman during the Conquest. It will be a close call. Odo’s not a soldier — he’s a bishop, albeit an ambitious one. He may overplay his hand.’
‘That’s good advice. I don’t want to raise an army and secure victory for Odo so that he can make me a puppet king. I think I’ll stay in Rouen. If I go to England, I’ll become a co-conspirator. That will be unforgivable in Rufus’s eyes. Normandy is enough of a realm for me at the moment. Let’s see how Odo’s rebellion unfolds.’
‘Fine, but what exactly should I tell him?’
‘You’ll think of something, my friend. You’re good at that.’
‘Then may I make a suggestion?’
‘You may — any clever ideas are welcome.’
‘It is important that you appear to be lending support without actually committing yourself in person. If I report back that you wish Odo every success and that you will be sending some men to join the cause, Edwin, Adela and Sweyn could bring them on later, making sure that their progress was appropriately unhurried.’
‘A cunning plan, Edgar. And who would lead this squadron?’
‘Well, discretion is vital under the circumstances, so I would suggest that Edwin leads it, and Sweyn and Adela act as his aides-de-camp.’
Robert seemed amused.
‘I suppose that means a promotion and extra pay for the three of them into the bargain?’
‘Yes.’
‘Agreed. But make sure they deserve it!’
I was sure they would be pleased — especially Sweyn, who had not used his prodigious skills in combat since Mahnoor’s death.
‘I will return to England tonight. I will need some messengers — so that I can send word to Edwin about the timing of the arrival of your men.’
‘Very well, I will send eight conroi, half my personal squadron; they will be ready in two days. I will also send some Flemish infantry — they’re always keen to fight if the price is right — and four companies of archers. Edwin will be Squadron Commander; Sweyn and Adela will be your aides, with a troop of my own knights led by Hugh Percy and Ralph of Mortemer. I can’t have the entire force led by the English!’
I returned to Rochester to give Odo Duke Robert’s answer.
Again, Odo’s ominous circle of supporters stood around him like bodyguards. This time, the setting was his great hall, high in the keep of Rochester’s imposing motte and bailey, not a tiny barn in the countryside. The setting made the gathering much more imposing. It was obvious that these men meant business.
Odo’s planned rebellion was not just an idle conspiracy; he meant to seize the throne.
As soon as I told him of Robert’s support, Odo ordered his forces to launch the attack, but he was not pleased that the Duke had decided to stay in Normandy and that he was only prepared to commit a small force.
‘I suppose he’s trying to be a clever bugger and having it both ways, leaving it to me to present him with a kingdom.’
‘It is nearly 1,000 men, including the finest from his personal squadron.’
‘Don’t try to deceive me; I know exactly what his game is.’
‘I think you both understand one another’s tactics. The field is yours; Duke Robert lends his support.’
‘I was told you were clever with words. I know the field is mine. But as you know only too well, kingdoms are won by men who are prepared to fight for them, not by sitting back and waiting to see how the tide is turning.’
‘My Lord Bishop, Robert will throw himself into the fray when the time is right. If he came here with a large army and took the throne, he would, understandably, want to rule both England and Normandy from here, something I think you would prefer not to happen. You were very clear that you hoped Robert would spend most of his time in Normandy.’
I had countered Odo’s initial gambit, and he knew it. He did not want Robert in England, interfering with his plans to be England’s sub-regulus and to use it as his stepping stone to the papacy.
‘I know my nephew is not cunning enough to have thought all this through, so it must be you. You should have been a cardinal. They’re all like you — very clever and very devious.’
Odo meant his comment as a compliment, one that I was happy to accept.
I took my leave, musing on Odo’s bold words. I was sorely tempted to comment that he was about to make his bed and was going to have to lie in it.
