‘He was a traitor,’ Brett said. ‘It was not murder but execution sanctioned by the King.’
‘He did not order Becket’s death, Richard,’ Morville said.
‘No, but he demanded vengeance,’ Tracy said. ‘He wanted the Archbishop silenced.’
‘Well, we’ve done that all right,’ FitzUrse said. ‘We’ve resolved his problem, and now he abandons us. What reward is that for his most loyal knights?’
‘No reward,’ said Brett, ‘but vilification and shunning.’
‘Have a care, Richard, your talk is nearing sedition,’ Morville said.
‘I was just saying.’
‘The point is,’ FitzUrse said, ‘what do we do about it?’
‘What can we do?’ Tracy asked. ‘Without the King’s favour, we are doomed.’
‘William, that’s putting it a bit strongly,’ Brett said. ‘Why don’t we just stay here until Becket is forgotten?’
‘That could take a lifetime,’ Tracy said.
‘I’m only trying to help,’ Brett said. ‘Would you pass that flagon or have you drunk it all?’
Tracy slammed his goblet on the scarred wood of the table. ‘And what if I have? Hugh has plenty more in his cellar.’
‘Speaking of more,’ Morville said, ‘where the blazes is my steward? We’ve been sitting here a half-hour and have no repast.’ He stood and strode to the door, then roared for Jack. When no server was forthcoming, he roared instead for his wife.
‘Helwise, what the devil is going on?’ he said when she arrived.
Flustered, the long sleeves of her bliaut whipped around her knees. ‘There’s illness in the town, My Lord,’ she said. ‘They believe it punishment from God.’
‘Punishment? What the devil for? What have they done?’
‘Harboured you,’ Helwise said, staring at her husband, her face expressionless. Morville said nothing, although his mouth worked frantically.
‘They have heard word of your reception at Harewood Castle, My Lord. They believe you against the Church and against the King,’ Helwise continued.
‘The ungrateful buggers,’ FitzUrse said, and Morville spun round. All the knights had congregated behind him. ‘We ridded the King and his kingdom of a serious threat. The Young King is now safe, thanks to us. And this is how we are repaid?’
Morville recovered his composure. ‘And what of the garrison?’ His blood ran cold at the thought that his men-at-arms may have also absconded.
‘Still present, My Lord,’ Mauclerk said, stepping out of the shadows. ‘The castle is still strong.’
‘Blacksmith? Marshal?’
‘The marshal is yet here, although minus a couple of grooms. The smith . . . the smith was persuaded to stay.’
‘Persuaded? By you?’
Mauclerk nodded.
‘Good man. Keep a close eye on him, and ensure the blades and crossbow quarrels he crafts are of strength and high standard.’
‘Of course, My Lord.’
‘And go to the sergeant-at-arms, have him put his best cooks in my kitchen. You can bring us wine. My Lords, please, return to the table. We are in need of a plan of action.’
Chapter 26
Tracy lunged forward, swinging his sword. FitzUrse blocked his thrust, continued the arc of his parry, then reversed direction, aiming for Tracy’s head. Tracy ducked, then caught FitzUrse’s mailed wrist with his blade.
FitzUrse stepped to the left to keep his balance, prepared to strike, and this time connected with Tracy’s helmet.
Both men stepped back to regain their breath, then Tracy again swung low. Blocked by FitzUrse. Right to left, this time high. He grinned at the solid thunk of his sword striking FitzUrse’s helmet, swung his sword back – knowing he was exposed and taking the gamble that FitzUrse would not yet have regained his wits from the ringing in his ears – and swung on a diagonal to catch FitzUrse’s arm.
‘That’s five, my turn,’ Morville said. FitzUrse had already initiated his answering blow and did not pull it, but caught Tracy’s thigh.
Tracy fell, howling in pain and outrage. Not only had FitzUrse’s turn in the practice circle ended, but Tracy was not wearing leg mail. Padded leather did little to soften the blow of a heavy sword strike, even that of a dulled practice blade.
‘Reginald, enough!’ Morville shouted.
FitzUrse took off his helmet and cupped his ear, feigning deafness, then reached out a gauntleted hand and hauled Tracy to his feet. Tracy glared at him but said naught, instead turning to face Morville.
Five strokes later, he turned to do the same with Brett then took his place in the circle as FitzUrse entered the centre and faced Morville.
Too soon, FitzUrse turned to Tracy, who had not yet recovered from his gruelling turn in the centre of the practice circle. FitzUrse seemed unaffected by his rounds with Morville and Brett, despite his heavy mail and padded gambeson on a warm spring day.
Tracy scowled at him, still smarting from the blow to his thigh, and stepped forward, lunging at his opponent, despite the convention that the man in the centre be the aggressor. FitzUrse grinned and countered, then launched a heavy and rapid sequence of thrusts, slices and strikes; once more sending Tracy to the ground.
‘My turn,’ Morville announced, stepping forward. FitzUrse spun round, adding momentum to his sword, which Morville only just managed to block. He struck back, but FitzUrse had anticipated his move, fended him off, then spun again to block Tracy’s sword.
Both knights swung at The Bear, one sword glancing off FitzUrse’s shoulder, barely registering with him. His face a mask of concentration and effort, his total awareness was captured by his sword.
As the three men turned, Brett stepped in alongside FitzUrse, then all four knights engaged in battle, the only sound the clash of sword against sword, mail and helmets, accompanied by grunts of exertion. Not one of them had strength enough for words.
Minutes later, all four backed away, resting their sword tips on the ground and leaning on the pommels, panting heavily.
Morville was the first to regain his composure. ‘Enough for today.’ The others nodded in relieved agreement and, as one, sat, dropping the swords and pulling off helmets. Morville gestured to Mauclerk, who hurried over with a large flagon and four goblets.
*
FitzUrse topped up Tracy’s goblet then glanced at the southern curtain wall and tower. ‘It’s coming on well.’
‘Yes,’ Morville said. ‘They should have it finished soon, then we’ll be able to withstand any attack.’
‘Do you really think it will come to that?’ Brett asked.
‘You witnessed our reception at Harewood,’ FitzUrse said. ‘If Henry has turned against us, there will be no shortage of volunteers to rid the kingdom of us.’
‘Surely Henry hasn’t turned against us in truth,’ Morville said. ‘We carried out his bidding.’
‘Yes, but all it takes is one intemperate proclamation falling on the wrong ears,’ FitzUrse said.
All four remained quiet, none of them daring to voice the concern that they themselves had acted on an ‘intemperate proclamation’ rather than a carefully considered order.
‘Ah, the crossbows,’ Morville said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. The others turned to see thirty men-at-arms approaching. ‘Good, I want to see how true their aim is.’
‘We should move,’ said Brett, nodding in the other direction at the bales of straw being set up as targets. ‘We are in the line of fire.’
Morville and FitzUrse glanced at each other, both wondering how true Brett’s ill-considered words would prove to be.
Chapter 27
22nd July 2015
Helen saved her work and got up to answer the door with an audible curse. ‘Why does someone always have to knock on the door when I’m in the zone and the words are flowing?’
‘Oh thank goodness you’re in, Helen,’ Sarah said. ‘It’s so great you work from home.’
Helen opened her mouth to say, ‘Yes, work be
ing the point,’ but changed her mind as she realised that Sarah was barely holding back tears. ‘Come in, Sarah, what’s wrong?’
Sarah didn’t answer, but took off her hat and coat, then looked up at Helen and pushed her hair away from her face to reveal a purple bruise on her temple.
‘He hit you?’
Sarah nodded and lost the control she’d been holding on to. Helen hugged her and led her to the sofa in the living room, her heart sinking.
‘I’m sorry, Helen, I didn’t mean to break down on you.’
‘Don’t be silly, Sarah, I’m your friend, you can always come to me if you’re in trouble.’
‘Th-th-thank you.’
Helen reached to the coffee table for a box of tissues and handed it to Sarah, who took a handful, mopped her face, and blew her nose.
‘Feel better?’
Sarah nodded, but tears started to fall again. ‘I’ll be okay in a minute,’ she said, taking a deep breath.
‘I’ll go put the kettle on, you could do with a cup of tea.’
‘I could do with a bottle of wine,’ Sarah said, with a shaky laugh.
‘I can do that too,’ Helen said. ‘I’ll just be a moment.’
*
‘What happened?’ Helen asked, back on the sofa, both women clutching glasses of Sauvignon.
‘He laid into me about Mike, said I was getting too friendly and leading him on. Asked me again if we were sleeping together.’
‘Are you?’ Helen asked.
‘No! Not you too – Helen, you know me better than that.’
‘I saw you, Sarah, kissing him outside the ladies at the pub.’
Sarah buried her face in tissues again, then when Helen said nothing more, she took another gulp of wine.
‘It was nothing, really. We’ve just been getting on so well lately and Dan and I have been going through a rough patch for what seems forever.’
‘So you got a bit carried away.’
‘Yes! That’s it exactly.’
‘Is that the only time it happened?’
Sarah looked down at her wine and emptied her glass.
‘I guess that answers that question,’ Helen said and refilled it.
‘Anyway, back to Dan,’ Sarah said. ‘We were having a full-blown row – another one – when Mike called.’
‘You answered it, didn’t you?’
Sarah nodded. ‘Dan said that it showed that Mike meant more to me than he does, and proved that we were sleeping together.’
‘Then what happened?’
‘I—’
‘Sarah?’
‘I denied it, but by this time I was so furious with him, I mean talk about double standards – I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve caught him watching porn on his phone.’
‘What did you say?’
‘I said I wasn’t but I wished I was. That I’ve had it with Dan’s moods and aggression and told him that he couldn’t control me any more and it would be his fault if I did get with Mike.’
‘Oh Sarah.’
‘And he hit me. So it’s my own fault.’
‘No. No Sarah, it’s not your fault. Yes, you could have handled it better, but that’s no excuse for him to punch you in the face!’
‘I was shocked more than anything,’ Sarah said, taking another sip. ‘Dan’s never been violent before.’
‘But he has been getting more and more belligerent.’
‘You’ve seen it too! Yes – ever since we started this play. It’s like I don’t know him any more. He’s not the man I married.’
‘And Mike? I know you’ve always been friendly, but not like this.’
‘Yes, he’s different too. He’s there for me, and makes me laugh. He even listens.’ Sarah gave a hollow laugh. ‘Just like Dan used to.’
‘So what now?’
‘I can’t go back there, I just can’t.’
‘No, of course you can’t, and you’re welcome to stay here, but what about the kids?’
Sarah rested her head on her hand and Helen rescued the glass of wine before the remainder slopped on to her sofa.
‘What am I going to do?’ Sarah wailed through sobs.
‘John and Kate shouldn’t be in the middle of this, Sarah.’
‘I know.’
‘Where’s Dan now?’
‘At work.’
‘Right. Then we’ll go and get your stuff, the sooner the better.’
‘Thank you, Helen, but I don’t want to impose – you don’t want me underfoot all day when you’re working. I’ll stay with Mike, he won’t mind.’
Helen shut her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, then said, ‘Sarah, that’s not a good idea. Running off to Mike will not help things – you can’t throw away a ten-year marriage like that.’
‘I’m not! Dan did that when he hit me!’
Helen nodded. ‘But think of the kids – how would they handle it? And if Dan gets help, some counselling and anger management, maybe he can work out where this aggression is coming from and deal with it.’
‘The way he is now, he won’t even hear of it,’ Sarah said.
‘Okay, but still give it some time before shacking up with Mike.’
‘Maybe you’re right,’ Sarah said and leaned forward to refill her glass. ‘Thanks, Helen, you’re a good friend.’
Helen clinked her own glass against Sarah’s. ‘Always.’
‘I just don’t know what’s got into everyone.’ Sarah said. ‘It’s not just Dan and Mike who have changed. Paul and Charlie are competing over everything. I know they always had a rivalry, the two of them always being up for the main parts, but it’s gotten ridiculous. Do you know Charlie even took Catherine out to dinner?’
‘The girl who threw her drink over Paul?’
‘The very same. Paul’s furious. He’s getting so bossy as well – in the rehearsals it sounds as if he’s the director these days. What’s got into everybody?’
Helen hesitated. ‘Nothing. I hope.’
The two women looked at each other and paled.
Chapter 28
‘Thanks for coming, everyone – I appreciate the hours you’re putting in,’ Helen said.
Mike laughed. ‘Not too hard to come to the pub for the evening.’
‘Cheers to that!’ Paul said, raising his glass in a toast.
‘When did you start drinking wine?’ Charlie asked.
‘Just got sick of the beer, mate, fancied a glass of Rhenish.’
‘A glass of what?’
Paul shrugged. ‘Just fancied a change.’
‘Anyway,’ Helen said, a little uneasy, ‘let’s get down to business. I need an update on costumes, props and sets. Sarah, are John and Kate still on board to help?’
‘Yes, I want to keep them busy, take their minds off things.’
‘What things?’ Alec asked.
Sarah took a deep breath. ‘Dan and I have split.’
Silence.
‘What did you say?’ Paul asked, his voice measured and low.
‘You heard her,’ Mike said.
‘Is this anything to do with you?’
‘No. It’s to do with me and Dan,’ Sarah said quickly.
‘Well, nice timing, Sarah. What the hell have you done that he won’t join us?’
Sarah stared at him and pushed her hand through her hair to display the bruise faintly visible under her make-up. ‘I’ve done nothing, the fault is his. And he’s not here because he’s in the Borough Bailiff, getting pissed and chatting up the landlady.’
‘I thought he was barred from there,’ Alec said.
‘It seems the landlady has a soft spot for him,’ Sarah said, her voice pitched high.
‘Shush, it’s okay, Sarah.’ Mike stroked her back to calm her.
‘Yeah, I’m not surprised, looking at the two of you,’ Paul said.
Sarah opened her mouth to retort but Helen spoke first. ‘This isn’t helping. Dan will come around, he just needs a bit of time. Alec, I know you’re sound and
lighting, but will you understudy Dan as well, just in case? At least he’s only in the one major scene.’
‘But if Alec plays FitzUrse, who will do the lighting in the final scene? It’s the most complicated,’ Ed said.
‘I will,’ Helen said. ‘Alec will do all the programming ahead of time anyway and I can follow instructions. And it’s only plan B. Dan’s never let us down before. It will all come together on the night.’
‘I bloody well hope so,’ Paul grumbled. ‘It’s looking a bloody shambles at the minute.’
‘All right, mate, calm down,’ Charlie said. ‘It sounds like Helen has everything under control.’
‘Thanks, Charlie. Enough of Dan, where are we with the costumes, Sarah?’
‘Costumes we’re all right with. It’s mainly tunics and hose, which are pretty simple to put together. I’ve bought The Medieval Tailor so have patterns for everything I need to make, and Kate’s helping me.’
‘That’s great, Sarah, do you need any more help?’ Helen asked.
‘No, I’m fine for the moment – to be honest, it’s good for me to keep busy.’
Helen nodded. ‘Alec, Ed, where are we on the sets?’
‘We have the main backdrop in a masonry design, and I think it will work if we then use different furniture to show the difference between castle, great hall and church,’ Ed said.
‘Good,’ Helen said.
‘We already have the basics, I’ll use one of the tables as an altar, so just need an altar cloth and a cross.’
‘We,’ Alec said.
‘What?’
‘You said “I”. It’s “we” who are doing the props.’
‘Yes, of course, that’s what I meant.’
‘Didn’t say it though.’
‘My sincere apologies, Alec. We will use one of the tables for an altar. Then we will keep an eye on the local auction house for a suitable chair that we can upholster to create a throne.’
‘Good,’ Helen said, trying to quell the unexpected animosity between the two men. ‘What else do we need?’
‘A crown for Paul,’ Mike said. ‘A crook, or whatever they’re called, for Charlie, and parchment, quills and inkpots.’
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