Wolf Wood (Part One): The Gathering Storm (13 page)

'Brother, I
don't know what you're talking about.'

The friar came
to the sacrist's aid.

'We are here
to investigate complaints of sorcery, Sister. The father abbot has
received grievous testimony of heretical practices within his
manorial domain of Sherborne. There are accusations of a most
unholy alliance between those who profess the faith of our saviour
Jesus Christ and the infidels who prostrate themselves before the
false god of the Saracen unbelievers.'

Alice was
pleased she had delivered her more incriminating books into
Harald's care. She hoped that she had not overlooked anything that
should be kept beyond the reach of Abbot Bradford. She maintained
her innocent posture.

'Father, it
grieves me that you should talk in this manner. I am but a servant
of the almshouse. I cannot, in all good faith, acquiesce to your
presence here.'

'We are here
at the lord abbot's command.'

'Father, I am
bound to seek the counsel of my superiors. I beg leave to have a
servant fetch Master Baret or another of the trustees.'

As she spoke,
Walter began to open boxes. Alice went to the window. Earlier that
afternoon, she had seen Robin and the Welsh boys practising archery
on the abbey green. She waved to them and shouted.

'Robin. Go and
fetch Master Baret …'

Before she
could say more Walter's big hand fastened on her shoulder. Down on
the green the boys heard her screams and began running. The sacrist
saw them coming and retreated into an alcove. Walter went to the
door with the beadle.

For a moment
there was silence. Then the sound of heavy boots reverberated on
the cobblestones. The boys pounded up the stairs and reached the
door. Walter's huge bulk was unable to withstand the assault that
followed. They hit him with a flying tackle and he staggered
backwards, sending pots crashing. He landed amongst them and
squirmed around yelling that his back was broken.

Alice pulled
the boys off him.

'Don't
move!'

She shouted at
the groaning man.

'Keep still.
Or you will cause more injury.'

The sacrist
emerged from the alcove.

'Is he badly
hurt, Sister?'

'I won't know
until I have made an investigation.'

Alice pinched
Walter's ankle.

'Can you feel
that?'

'Aye, Sister
…' he replied feebly.

The fight had
gone out of the bailiff. He rolled his eyes and looked as if he was
about to cry. Alice turned to the friar.

'Father
Ashley, you are trained in healing. Will you make an investigation
or shall I call Brother Arnold?'

'I think
Arnold should be called, Sister.'

'Master
Beadle.' She turned to the other man. 'Pray go in haste and ask
that Brother Arnold come with a stretcher and sufficient bearers to
convey Bailiff Gallor to the infirmary.'

Eleanor

Robin stood at
the end of the table and held the attention of the dinner guests.
They were in Richard Vowell's house and Betty was serving fresh
venison with plumb jelly. Owen Ap-Richard was there with his boys
and so was the tinker.

'Sister Alice
did it just right,' Robin enthused. 'She took control and made 'em
look like idiots. They'd come to search her place. In the end, she
had them doing what she wanted.'

Betty looked
up from her cooking.

'Did they take
anything away?'

'I saw the
friar pick up some bits of toadstool.'

'What sort of
toadstool?'

'Dunno,' Robin
shrugged.

'Was it
coloured?'

'Yeah … sort
of.'

'What
colour?'

'Sort of
dried-up colour.'

Betty forgot
about fungi and turned to other things.

'Did he get
his hands on any of her books?'

'He took one
away. It had a red cover.'

Betty knew the
book. It was a manual for midwives that Alice had written. It
contained nothing that could identify it as Saracen or Jewish, even
if the learning came from these ancient peoples. Richard disturbed
her thoughts.

'A toast to
Good Duke Humphrey!'

He grabbed a
wineskin and squirted the contents into the air. Blobs fell onto
the napkins Betty had laid out.

'Stop
that!'

'Don't you
want to know why I did it?'

'You don't
need any reason to behave like a monkey.'

She smacked
his hand with a spoon.

'Humph's
passing through in two days' time,' Richard announced. 'Owen's been
speaking to his sergeant. He wants us to lay on a bit of a
reception. Get together as many of the Agincourt veterans as we
can.'

'Is it going
to be an official visit?' John Tucker asked.

'No. Like I
said, he's just passing through.'

'So we can
make it our reception.'

'Right first
time.' Richard reached for one of Betty's sweetmeats. 'You shall
have a honey frog for that brilliant piece of deduction, Master
Tucker.'

He tossed the
sticky biscuit at John and licked his fingers.'

'It's going to
be our reception. Jonnie Baret and Billy Bradford won't get a look
in. We'll arrange it all ourselves. Get a crowd to cheer Humph as
he comes up the hill. Then, when he gets to the green, we'll
present the veterans.'

'Why should we
welcome him?' the tinker asked.

'Because he's
a good friend and companion in arms.'

'But he's one
of the royals.'

'Quite right.
He's the king's uncle. That's why we have to keep on side. If the
Lord God calls little Harry up to heaven, Humph gets the job. It's
all worked out. That way people can't fight over it.'

'God didn't
create kings,' the tinker insisted.

'What makes
you say that, Tink?'

Richard
grinned mischievously and the tinker pounced like a Lollard cat on
a wayward mouse.

'When Adam
delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?'

Richard
squirted wine at him.

'Tink. I don't
care a sod where the royals came from. What matters is that they do
what they're told. Right now, little Harry receives his orders from
a council of earls and barons. When we get things sorted out, he'll
be taking them from the likes of us.'

***

The Chapel of
Saint Thomas overlooked the town green on one side and the main
road between London and Exeter on the other. Abbot William Bradford
and Canon Simon went there by a devious route in a closed carriage
to avoid being seen. The abbey had not been invited to welcome the
king's uncle as he passed through Sherborne and, as owners of the
town, the monks felt badly left out. William was determined to view
the proceedings. The two men sat in the chaplain's private chamber
and listened to the distant cheers of the crowd and the sound of
trumpets.

'They've come
out in force,' Simon observed.

'Aye,' William
grunted. 'Master Baret will be feeling pleased with himself. He
knows Duke Humphrey is back in favour. Henry Beaufort might have
our young king's ear but it's the support of Council that matters.
They'll outvote Beaufort every time and Humphrey will get his
way.'

'I thought
Richard Vowell was behind the visit.'

'Nonsense,'
William snorted. 'The man's an assistant suffragan. What would he
know of such matters? You can be sure it's Baret. He would have
learnt of the duke's movements from Humphrey Stafford. They're on
that board Bishop Neville set up for the new almshouse.'

Simon thought
for a while. 'I wonder if the duke's good lady will be with him.
There's been a lot of talk about her recently.'

'You mean that
Cobham woman?'

'That's right.
Some say he's married to her.'

'I don't know
about that.' William moved closer. 'He should be married to
Jacqueline of Hainault. That's where the alliance lies ... or did
before he and his brother wrecked it.'

'Unbelievable,' Simon sighed.

'Unbelievable,' William echoed.

'They stabbed
Burgundy in the back,' Simon said. 'They left him with no
alternative but to change sides. France is lost and the stupid
idiots don't have the wit to recognise it. Henry Beaufort is doing
his best to get us out of the mess and they accuse him of being the
traitor.'

A movement
caught William's eye. Women in the crowd were waving ribbons and
men were throwing their hats in the air. Trumpets sounded and a man
bearing the standard of the Duke of Gloucester appeared. The duke
and his lady rode behind. He was on a brown stallion and she on a
white mare. They entered the green and rode to where Richard Vowell
and a line of middle-aged men were waiting.

The old
soldiers wore the Cross of Saint John on their chests and the
badges of their companies on the arms of their faded jackets.
William watched in horror as the duke dismounted and embraced
Richard.

'Dick. My old
friend!'

He could
scarcely believe his ears. It was mortifying to think that an
assistant suffragan had struck up a personal relationship with a
duke. But there could be no doubt. Humphrey's booming voice carried
across the green.

Down on the
green, Richard had no such allusions. The duke didn't know him from
Adam. That didn't matter. He and Humph were warriors. They'd served
in France and their hearts beat as one. Neither cared a sod for
pious priests and fat merchants.

'Do you
remember Cherbourg?' Humphrey squeezed his arm. 'They said we
couldn't get the cannons up that hill and you said we should give
it a try.'

Richard
guessed the sergeant had briefed Humphrey on the incident and got
it half right. The hill was in Caen.

'You did it,
Dick.' Humphrey shouted so that all could hear. 'You got'em up and
we gave the Frogs the surprise of their lives.'

The crowd
applauded and Richard's attention switched to the lady at the
duke's side. There were rumours that she cast horoscopes and
dabbled in spells. If frail little Henry died, Humphrey would
become king. It amused Richard to think that England might one day
have a witch as its queen.

She looked
down from her horse.

'Master
Vowell, my sergeant tells me that your good lady is acquainted with
Alice de Lambert.'

Richard bowed
respectfully.

'That is
correct, Your Highness. Betty is a midwife and she's got to know
Sister Alice well since she arrived here to be matron of our
almshouse.'

'Sister Alice
is renowned for her learning,' Eleanor smiled. 'I would greatly
appreciate an opportunity to meet with her.'

'I am sure
that can be arranged.' Richard bowed again. 'Would you prefer to
visit her in the almshouse or should I send for her to be brought
here?'

'I would like
to visit her if that can be arranged.'

Richard
signalled to Robin who was standing nearby in his archer's
uniform.

'Get round to
the almshouse, Robin, and see if Sister Alice is there. If she is,
tell her to prepare to receive Her Highness. If she's not, find out
where she is. In any case, come back here quick smart.'

Robin dashed
off and Eleanor smiled at Richard.

'I can see
that you have been a soldier, Master Vowell. You know how to get
things done and I would ask one more favour of you.' She turned to
where Betty was standing with a group of women dressed in midwives
costumes. 'Pray, introduce me to these ladies.'

Robin arrived
at the almshouse and told Alice to expect Eleanor at any moment.
She hurried to the main building. The floor was freshly scrubbed
and the servants were at work in the laundry. All looked in order
for the unexpected arrival of Duke Humphrey's lady. The problem was
to know what to call her. Humphrey's marital status was far from
clear. He'd bigamously wed Jacqueline of Hainault and taken Eleanor
as his mistress. She had borne him two children and was now living
with him. But was she Duchess of Gloucester or plain Mistress
Cobham. How should she be introduced to the servants and elderly
residents of the almshouse? Alice was agonising over the point when
an open carriage arrived with Betty and a group of midwives. It was
followed by a woman on a white horse and a detachment of armed
men.

Humphrey's
lady sat astride her mount and not side-saddle as was expected of
women of rank. Eleanor Cobham had a reputation for ignoring
convention.

'I'm Eleanor …
you will be Alice.'

She dismounted
and they embraced.

'I've heard so
much about you.'

Alice glanced
around in confusion.

'I'm sorry the
residents are not here to great you.'

'Don't worry
about that,' Eleanor squeezed her hand. 'They're not interested in
me and I have no interest in them. Let us retire so we may talk
together. I have long been waiting to meet you.'