Earl (2 page)

Thorpe was not in my manor. It was part of the Bishop's lands. I kept my eye on the land but it should have been Sir Henry de Vexin’s responsibility in the absence of a Bishop. There were only a handful of houses and farms.  They were spread out over a wide area. In fact Thomas' nearest neighbour was old Thomas in Wulfestun. The land around Thorpe was difficult to farm.  It lay on a ridge and the valleys thereabouts were steep. I knew that Thomas of Thorpe eked out a bare existence for him and his two daughters.  With no son to help him and not enough coin for slaves I did not know how he survived.

Aiden was waiting outside the wattle and daub hut when I arrived.  His face looked pained.  He came over to me before I had even dismounted. "My lord, the raiders have been here.  They came six days since."

His tone told me that this was bad news. "They have hurt these people?"

He nodded, "They raped the two girls and the wife.  When Thomas tried to intervene they cut off his hand."

"How is he?"

"He is not well.  They have tried their best but..."

"Wulfric send a rider back to Stockton and fetch a wagon and Father Matthew.  Tell him that Thomas of Thorpe has had his hand cut off."

Arkwright was soon galloping south.  It was just four miles to my castle if one went by the Durham Road.  He could be there and back within a short time. I dismounted and went inside. The two girls were huddled together by the back wall and were still sobbing. I saw blood on their shifts. The wife, I did not know her name, looked up from her husband who lay, pale and still, by the fire. I knelt down next to her.

She shook her head, "I have tried to stop the bleeding my lord.  I fastened this to the arm." She pointed to a rag tourniquet. Blood still dripped from the stump.

Wulfric said quietly, behind me, "We must use fire, my lord."

"I know. Get a brand. Dick, see to the girls." I turned to Thomas' wife. "I have sent for a priest and he will tend to your husband but we must use fire to staunch the blood.  Do you understand?" She nodded. "Go to the other side and we will do the rest."

I turned to Wulfric, "You had better hold him down."

"Aye my lord. I'll just give him some of this first.  It is an old soldier's trick," He took out a leather flask.  "Wine sweetened with honey." He held Thomas' head and poured some down his throat. He replaced the stopper and then pressed down on both shoulders. "Ready my lord."

"John, hold the stump for me and clear away any material." I had seen this done before.  I suppose I could have asked one of my men to do it for me but I was the Lord of the Manor; I had responsibilities. He nodded when he was ready and I thrust the brand onto the flesh.  There was an acrid smell of burning flesh and I saw Thomas' legs as they jerked. He was a brave man and endured the pain well but his body reacted nonetheless. His wife bit her lip.  I held the brand there for the count of three to make sure that the flesh was totally burned.

I handed the brand back to Leofric. "The priest will be here soon.  Your husband should be kept warm.  He will not die now. We must find these men." She nodded.  "How many were there?"

Aiden said, "I should have told you, my lord, sorry.  There were over twenty of them and they were Scots. She said that she found it hard to understand their words."

"Where did they go?"

Aiden pointed to the north west.  "They were heading for the Bishop's lands."

"Then we will go and teach them a lesson."

The sun had risen but the ground was still frozen and the air was cold.  The breath from our mounts rose like an equine fog as we galloped across the frozen ridge and through the trees which covered it. I knew that there were a handful of farms just a mile or so from the old fort. I dreaded what I would find. Once again Aiden waited for us. The first farm had been razed to the ground and Aiden pointed within. "I have seen the burned bodies.  There are animal tracks."

The second farm, just a half mile further along the greenway had not been burned but the bodies of the farmer and his family lay as a grisly reminder of the raid.  The animals of the night had come to feast upon them. Aiden pointed.  "The old fort is just a mile ahead beyond those trees."

We rode into the trees and left the horses with my squires while Aiden hurried on.  I saw that they were less than happy to be given that task but my men at arms and archers had more skills than they did. John asked, as we turned to leave, "Will you want your helmet, my lord?"

I shook my head, "These are brigands.  My coif will suffice."

As we moved through the woods we could hear them.  It sounded as though they had only recently risen. Aiden returned, like a ghost and stood close to me. "They have animals and five slaves.  They are abusing the women, lord.  Some sleep yet. The animals are at the northern edge of the camp. They have one man guarding them and he looks to be half asleep."

"Are they in the fort, behind the ditch?"

He nodded, "But they are not at the top of the hill.  They have set up a camp."

"Wulfric, Dick." My two leaders came. "Wulfric, we will take the men around the northern side of the camp.  Dick, give us enough time to get into position and then use your archers to kill the leaders. They may flee but if not we will advance and engage them.  You should be able to keep loosing without fear of hitting us."

Dick looked offended, "My lord! We hit only where we aim!"

I laughed, "Sorry, Dick I thought I had ordinary archers! Aiden come with us.  You can rid us of the man guarding the animals."

I took my spear with me and fastened my shield around my back. These were no knights we were facing. They were bandits and brigands. As we moved north we could hear the squeals, shouts, and screams from the noisy camp.  When we heard the sound of animals we knew that we could begin to head towards the camp. We left the woods and kept low as we went across the long grass.  No animals had grazed here for some time.  I saw the bailey rising to our left. Aiden had missed the fact that there was a guard at the top.  Fortunately his gaze was to the south for I could see his back.

The animals were moving around the thick grass enjoying the feast of virgin grass. It helped to disguise our movement. Aiden suddenly darted off and disappeared.  Wulfric shook his head in wonder. I held my spear above my right shoulder in case Aiden failed to silence the sentry. When we reached him he was wiping his knife on the kyrtle of the dead Scot.  Just then I heard a loud shout from the camp and saw five men fall clutching arrows which had hit their bodies.

"Keep in one line and I want no one to escape.  Aiden follow us in case any manage to evade us."

We moved swiftly though silently.  The brigands were caught in a dilemma.  Did they try to find these archers or flee?  I saw one man grab two of the captives and hold them before him as a human shield.  He fell with an arrow between the eyes and that decided the others.  They fled. There were twelve of them left as they ran towards the eight of us.

I flung the spear at the nearest man who was thirty feet from me.  The heavy ash spear flung him back as it entered his chest. I saw that, although they were brigands, some of them had been warriors.  One or two had leather hauberks and they held spears, swords and axes.  One even had the small buckler favoured by the Scots. I drew my sword and I felt power surge through my body.  Perhaps this was just my imagination; I know not.  I had only set a blue stone in the pommel. I held my weapon in two hands and swung it sideways at the man who charged at me and thrust his spear towards my middle. I was already pivoting when the spear slid along my surcoat and mail.  His movement and my armour took the head of the spear harmlessly away and my sword, used two handed, hacked through his leather hauberk and bit deeply into his side.  His scream was like that of a vixen and he fell dead at my feet.

Suddenly a wild giant hurled himself at my right side.  I saw him raise his axe as he launched himself at me.  I continued the turn I had made to kill the man with the spear.  The axe sliced through fresh air. I lifted my sword and brought it down upon his unprotected back. The blow was so hard that I heard his spine as it broke. I quickly looked around for another attacker but they were all dead. Dick and the archers had come to our aid and all of the raiders lay in untidy heaps.

"Wulfric, see if they have anything of value.  Dick and Aiden secure the animals." I looked up at the sky.  We still had a couple of hours of daylight.  We could go directly back to my castle and be there before night fell. Sheathing my bloodied sword I turned to Arkwright and said, "Go and fetch my squires and the horses.  It is time we were away from here."

I wandered over to the captives, all women, who were gathered in a huddle. I realised that they might not know who I was and I saw fear in their faces.  They might think they had exchanged one cruel master for another. "I am the Earl of Cleveland. Sir Henry de Vexin asked me to come to your aid.  I am sorry that I was too late to save your men. I will take you back to my castle where you will be cared for." I saw looks exchanged between the two older women; obviously they were the matriarchs.  "Do not worry you can come back to your homes and your families but that will be when the weather is more clement." I looked at the young girls.  "They will need comfort will they not?"

The leader of the two women nodded, "They will and we thank you, my lord. We are grateful."

We put the captives on the horses of five of my archers and made our way south to my castle. Leofric rode ahead of us to warn my wife that we had unexpected guests.  For her it did not matter if the guest was the King, a priest or a poor farmer's wife.  She would care for them all. She had been a captive once and knew what it did to a person.

It was almost dark when we saw the torches at my gates. The reassuring stone walls made the captives all burst into tears.  Stockton was now a sanctuary.

Some of the captives were still with us for much longer than I had expected. Some were afraid to return to their homes. For others it was different. I think that two of my men at arms had taken a liking to them and I suspected they would marry. It would be mutually beneficial.  The women would have a man to protect them and the men would gain a farm without having to go to the trouble of courting one. They would still be my men at arms but there were times during the year when they were not in constant demand.  I had been lord of the manor long enough to know that my men grew older and the lure of war was not as strong.  It made my farms strong for some of the farmers were those who had been warriors.

I wrote letters to Sir Henry de Vexin, Brother Michael, and the Archbishop of York explaining what I had done.  I was learning that others would take credit if I did not. As the weather had marginally improved I took the opportunity of taking my men at arms, including my Varangians, on a tour of my lands and fiefs.  I did not expect trouble and so I left my archers at Stockton.  They were more than capable of defending my home and it gave Dick a greater opportunity to train more archers and the fyrd.  We had learned that the best use of the fyrd was as either spearmen or bowmen. Defence was their best strategy.

William pestered to accompany me. He was now big enough to ride a large pony and he wore a small surcoat my wife had made him from one of my damaged ones.  Alf, my smith, had also made him a short mail hauberk and helmet. As it would be a peaceful progression I gave in. Leofric was charged by my wife to watch out for him rather than me.  Leofric was the gentler of my squires. He showed the qualities one needed in a knight. John, in contrast, had more in common with Wulfric. He might never be a knight but he would make a good man at arms. My bigger squire had grown again during the winter and promised to be a giant even bigger than Wulfric.

We began our progress at Elton south to Thornaby; east to Normanby and then west to Yarm. Even though Yarm was just a couple of hours travel from our home it took us two days to reach it for we stayed over with my knights. Although I would enjoy the company of my knights I had taken my men at arms because they had to learn to mix with the other men at arms. When they fought together in one huge conroi then they needed to know each other. My Varangians were new.  I knew, from Wulfric, that there was often conflict when new men at arms joined together in a large conroi.  I wanted that to be away from the field of war.

When we left Yarm for Piercebridge and Gainford I saw that some of my new men at arms sported bruises and cuts.  I asked Wulfric if there had been trouble. "Trouble?  No, my lord; more a levelling of opinions.  They will all be like brothers when we go to war."

We changed my plans when we reached Gainford.  Hugh of Gainford had once been my squire. I had been looking forward to the visit.  He was the only survivor of a raid from the west and he had had to build up his manor.  He had succeeded beyond my wildest expectations.  However he was not at home when I arrived.  His steward, Geoffrey of Bowes, apologised, "I am sorry, my lord but Sir Guy of Balliol has died.  He was ill for some time.  My master and his men are attending the funeral at the castle."

"Who is the new lord?"

"His son, Barnard de Balliol." He smiled.  "His father thought so much of his son he named his castle in his honour on the day he was born."

I had often wondered why the castle was so named. "We will travel thence.  It is but a couple of hours of hard riding."

As I headed north I wondered about this Barnard of Balliol. I had not seen him when I had visited his father and, as far as I knew, he had not participated in any of our battles against the Scots. Some young knights liked to use their youth to travel.  Perhaps he had been one such.  If his father had named the castle after him then it would seem he doted on him. I saw, as I approached the castle, that the wooden structure in which his father had lived was now being replaced with a stone one. It was in the early stages but, when finished, it would be a daunting castle. It had a superb aspect, overlooking the river as it did.  Although I was an Earl, Sir Barnard owed his fealty not to me but to the Bishop of Durham. I wondered if this would cause a problem.

When we reached the castle it was close to nightfall.  Although we were admitted I suspected that my men might have to make do with the stables as there would be other guests for the funeral.

Sir Hugh introduced me to Sir Barnard, "My lord this is Alfraed, Earl of Cleveland and Knight of the Empress Matilda."

Sir Barnard gave a bow and said quickly, "I am honoured that you have graced us with your presence my lord.  I hope you were not offended that I did not invite you to the funeral."

"Of course not and you have my sympathy.  Your father was a doughty knight who defended this end of the Tees valley well. I am sure the King will hope that you continue to do so."

There was the slightest of hesitation before he smiled and said, "Of course." He saw William at my side, "And is this your squire or your son?"

That pleased William who beamed, "I am the Earl's son, William, and I too will be a great warrior when I grow up!"

"Of course you will." Sir Barnard turned to me.  "I am afraid I only have a chamber for you and your son this night for we have many guests.  Your men will have to sleep in the stables."

"They have endured worse and we came as unexpected guests.  Think nothing of it."

He bowed, "Come we are still in the middle of the feast." He ruffled William's hair, "We will find a chair high enough for you, my little man!"

I turned to Leofric and John, "Tell Wulfric they are to sleep in the stable.  I am sure he can arrange food." They nodded. I held up a warning finger, "Tell him, best behaviour! And especially Erre and his men! And tell him to keep eyes and ears open.  He will understand." Wulfric was a great gatherer of intelligence. Men at arms gossiped.

I followed Sir Barnard who led William.  Sir Hugh walked next to me and said, "I should warn you, my lord, there are visitors here.  They are friends of Sir Barnard." There was a warning in his voice and so I was not as surprised as I might have been when I entered the hall.

As soon as I walked into the room I saw my Nemesis, Stephen of Blois. What was he doing here? I had learned to put on a face to meet my enemies.  I smiled as I was led to the high table.  I was, apart from Stephen of Blois, the most noble of the knights around the table.  I would receive respect. I saw faces turn to me.  My name was known as was my reputation. Some of those I saw I recognised.  Not all were friends.  I recognised some coats of arms and remembered them as being those who had fought alongside the Scots. I smiled, nonetheless.

Sir Barnard had a chair brought for William between him and me.  Stephen of Blois was moved down and I had to endure his company.  I wondered how long I could feign friendship. "Congratulations Earl! Your star is rising!"

"Thank you, my lord.  I have been lucky."

"It is said that a man makes his own luck and you have certainly taken advantage of all of your opportunities."

I lifted the goblet of wine which had been poured. "I raise a goblet to a fine warrior who was true to his king and true to his friends." I chose the toast deliberately.  I wanted to see Stephen’s reaction.

Those within hearing distance raised their goblets too. I saw the briefest of frowns flash across Stephen's face.  He knew that I was aware of his treachery.  He had tried to have me killed before now. “Thank you Earl.  A kind sentiment.”

I put the wine down and asked, "What brings you here, my lord?  You are far from your lands in Blois.  Did you know Sir Guy?"

"I know his son.  He is a friend of mine." I lodged that information in my head. "I hear that the Empress is in London." We were like two knights sparring.  He changed the direction of the conversation.

I was equally capable of feinting and using deception.  I lied. "Is she?  I had not heard.  As you must realise, my lord, the north is far from the places of power like London, Caen, Rouen and Blois."

He shook his head and held his goblet out for more wine. "Blois is a backwater now. It is a land of old men who remember the days of glory and they are all long gone.  England is the centre of the world now.  Why even Louis the Fat has conceded that King Henry holds all of the power.  Since the death of William Adelin he has stopped his attempts to usurp Maine, Anjou and Normandy. My brother stays in Blois and fights the bandits like Coucy and Puset who plague the borderlands."

"You do not need me to tell you, my lord that until Louis controls all of the lands of Charlemagne he will not be happy."

Food was brought and we both picked at it. "You are a clever man, Earl, we should be friends.  We can do much to help each other."

I smiled back, "I am but a protector of the Tees and your lands are in Blois.  Even if we were friends it is hard to see where the advantage would lie."

He leaned and spoke quietly.  "You never know what the future might hold, Alfraed, Earl of Cleveland.  Do not shut doors just yet. Who knows when you may need them opening?"

I nodded, "Thank you for the advice, my lord.  I know that I am young and naïve and that I have much to learn.  You are, I know, a consummate politician and know how the court works.  I am just grateful for my little castle on the Tees where I am away from the intrigues of politics and power."

“I agree that politics are far removed from the glory of the battlefield but wars are won there too.  Think on that. Those wars are bloodless.”

“In war, my lord, there is always blood.  You know that.” We looked at each other in silence.  He had tried to sway me to his side without revealing what his plans were.  I could have gone along with him but my father and Athelstan had not brought me up that way.  I would remain my own man who was true to himself.

Sir Barnard had arranged for a troubadour who came and sang songs about Sir Guy.  They were not very good songs and the troubadour was not the best I had heard but William enjoyed him until he fell asleep and I had the opportunity to return to my chambers. I had much to think on.

Stephen's presence, here in the north, so soon after I had been made earl was not an accident. The fact that he was here made me suspicious of my host. What was their connection?  Then I wondered about Stephen of Blois. I wondered how he had reached here. I decided that I would use my squires to ask pertinent questions which would not arouse suspicion. I had had little to drink and I would rise early.  William always rose early and it would not seem strange for me to be abroad in the early hours when everyone else was recovering from a night's heavy drinking.

Although I had no need to doubt my hosts I slept with a chair behind the door and my sword close to hand. I had experienced a knife in the night before now. I would not risk it with my son so close.

As I expected my excited son had me up before dawn. I took him, when we had dressed, down to the stables. I woke John and Leofric.  "I want you two to watch my son." They both nodded.  "Without being obvious I want the both of you to discover where Stephen of Blois has been before he reached here.  Can you do that?"

Leofric grinned, "Aye, my lord."

John was not as quick as Leofric and he just nodded and said, "Yes my lord."

William would help disguise their questions and the three of them left.  I woke Wulfric and led him into the inner bailey. "I want to know the intentions of Stephen of Blois.  Where is he going when he leaves here?"

"Is there trouble, my lord?"

"Let us say that I have an itch and I cannot scratch it."

“I got to know some of his men last night.  I will do my best.”

Sir Hugh and I left together just before noon. I would have left earlier but the night's carousing meant our host was still abed until late in the morning and it would have been rude to leave while he was in bed.  It gave my spies the chance to gather as much information as possible.  I would wait until I was back in Stockton before I asked for the details they had discovered.

I used the opportunity to catch up with Sir Hugh. The death of Sir Guy might have ramifications for the young knight. "What did you make of Sir Barnard?"

"I think, my lord, that he is good company.  He has made me feel more than welcome." They were considered words.  Hugh was telling me that he had been courted by Sir Barnard.

"Had you seen much of him before his father's death?"

He shook his head.  "He returned towards the end of his father's life.  I think his father's steward sent for him."

“Where had he been then?”

“He travelled my lord.  Is there a problem?  Should I be wary of Sir Barnard?”

It would not do to build barriers between Sir Hugh and his nearest neighbour. Perhaps I was making more of the presence of Stephen of Blois. Shaking my head I changed the subject. "And how does you manor fare?  Did you suffer much in the winter? It was mild in the east."

"No, my lord. We were not bothered by wolves and we only lost one or two of the old people to the winter sickness."

"You were lucky.  Sir Richard lost a whole family to that vile contagion and many of my knights had similar problems."

"Perhaps I was due for a change in fortune." He had lost all of his family.  His only relative now was Sir Edward's squire, Gille. "And will we be campaigning this year?"