The Bloody Border

Home > Other > The Bloody Border > Page 27
The Bloody Border Page 27

by Griff Hosker


  It was when we entered York that I noticed that men wearing the Scottish livery of the royal family were also in York. My wife saw nothing amiss but my son became alert. “Is this some sort of ambush father? Are there assassins here?”

  I laughed, “If it is then it is poorly conceived. Wearing livery is a poor disguise and besides, Sir Ralph is a friend and we have allies here. It will be a coincidence.”

  As it turned out we were both wrong. It was neither an ambush nor a coincidence. Sir Ralph greeted us at the tower, “My lord, the King and Queen of Scotland are here. They are also on their way to the King’s wedding. When I told them that you were coming, they asked to wait for your visit. They were due to leave three days’ since. It must be important that they have delayed their journey to speak with you.”

  I nodded. This was the censure I had been expecting. I would endure whatever I had to for I had been in the right. Margaret asked, “Will there be trouble?”

  I laughed, “If you mean will there be swords drawn then no. The trouble will be of a different nature.”

  Sir Ralph said, “I have arranged for a small dinner. The King and Queen were anxious to speak with you privately and I thought that doing so over food might make the occasion a little easier. I will let Queen Joan arrange the table. She is the sister of King Henry.”

  I patted his back, “You were always a good squire.”

  As we were taken to our chamber William said, “I will shoulder my share of the blame.”

  Shaking my head I said, “You do not have to. I was the one given charge of the north and it is my responsibility.”

  We had brought our finest clothes for the wedding. We wore them for the King and Queen of Scotland. Sir Ralph had been true to his word. We were the only ones in the small hall he used when he and his family dined. This was not the Great Hall. This was intimate. When we entered, I saw that King Alexander and Queen Joan were there with one of Queen Joan’s ladies in waiting, although she appeared to be a little young, no more than fifteen years of age.

  The Queen smiled at me and came to embrace me, “I see you still wear the blue ring I gave you.”

  “Aye, your Highness. It is a reminder of a great lady who honoured me. May I present my wife, Lady Margaret, and my son, I believe you know.”

  The King smiled, “We have all heard of this young knight. I pray you sit. We have waited upon your arrival for we would have conference with you. When your squires and pages have served us then we will speak.”

  Sir Ralph had provided servants to bring in the trays of food and drink. They were placed on large tables on either side of the fire. When they had gone the King’s steward closed the door and stood before it. He signalled to Mathew, Mark, Sam and John to begin to serve us. The four of them were so nervous that I was sure they would spill something. Queen Joan quickly addressed the situation, “Fear not, young gentlemen. When I was a princess, I often had food spilt upon me by boys who are now my brother’s advisers.”

  It put them at their ease. We ate in silence, at first. I was waiting for the punishment which I was certain was due to me. When King Alexander spoke, I knew that I had misjudged the man. “Sir Thomas, many men think me a weak king. I have been called indolent. That is not so. I am a king surrounded by those who would take my throne. You know the Earl of Fife and you know that he is the most powerful ruler in Scotland. He commands more warriors than I and he has far more coin. What he does not have is an ounce of royal blood. I allow him to stay close to me for I do not trust the man. He thinks he has me duped.” He looked at his wife. “We have yet to be blessed with children and, until we have, then my crown is under threat. I have to put on a face and play a part. You bloodied the Earl’s nose and, more importantly, removed those robbers and thieves who give Scotland such a bad name. For that we are grateful”

  The Queen saw my face and she put her hand on mine, “You thought we sought to punish you.” I nodded. She shook her head, “The Earl of Fife tried to get my husband to use the excuse of your reprisals to invade England.”

  The King nodded, “Fortunately, amongst those who were displaced was Lady Eliot. She was the grandmother of Sir Duncan and the mother of Sir Malcolm. She died a month after she fled but, when she confessed, she spoke of her shame at the attacks on Yalesham, Byrness, Otterburn and Elsdon. Thus it was that we knew you had cause for your attack.”

  “Thank you, Highness. I tried to act with honour, as did my son.”

  The King gave me a wry smile, “Then I hope that you will continue to do so. We would not have the Warlord of the North reborn!”

  I smiled and sipped my wine. It suddenly tasted much better. I decided to be honest and frank. “I have to tell you, King Alexander, that we slew one who wore royal livery. He was a young knight and he fought us recklessly. If he was a relative of yours then I am sorry.”

  The King looked sad and his wife put her hand on his. “That is a death to be laid at the door of Fife and not Elsdon, Earl. Young Robert had some vague claim to the throne. The Earl of Fife used him as a pawn. He suborned him and planted ideas of the crown in his young mind. Nothing I could do or say had an effect. We do not blame you or your son.”

  I was relieved. I has glad that I had brought it up or else it might have eaten me from within. I had felt guilty about his death since the battle.

  The Queen looked nervously at her husband then at her lady in waiting. The young woman had not said a word. Queen Joan smiled, “How rude of me. I forgot to introduce the King’s ward, Lady Mary Kerk.” The young woman bobbed her head. The Queen continued, “Now I shall embarrass Mary by speaking about her.” She sighed, “When I married the King it was something I often endured. I sat and was spoken about by others.”

  The King patted her hand, “My love, let me.” She nodded. “Lady Mary’s father was killed by the Earl of Fife. It was in combat but the fight was not the choice of Lord Kerk. The Earl desired the lands of the Kerk family. He managed, through manipulation of the court, to succeed in stealing most of them. The one manor he could not take was in the west. I believe they are called the debatable lands of the Esk. Church law rules there. Lady Mary is still the rightful owner of a small manor, Creca. It is north of Annan. It is not rich but it provides the Lady Mary with an income.” I saw the young girl blushing. I wondered where this was headed.

  The Queen shook her head, “You are going a long way around this business to get to the point, my love. Sir William, you are a bachelor knight. Lady Mary needs to be wed and it cannot be to a Scottish lord. The reasons are manifold. You have shown yourself to be a noble and honourable knight. Even your enemies speak highly of you. Your father is the most powerful man in the north and we trust him too. The lady needs a knight to protect her. What say you to a marriage with Lady Mary?”

  My wife’s jaw dropped open. William looked up at the young noblewoman as though she had suddenly materialised before his eyes. He did not answer immediately. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and folded his hands before him. He smiled, “I know not what to say save that I would speak with the young lady privately first.”

  I was proud of my son. Any other answer could have been misconstrued. If he rejected her out of hand it would have been an insult. If he said yes then it would have suggested a shallowness. The King nodded, “Of course.”

  My son stood. He walked over to her and bowed, “My lady, I believe the river is lovely at this time of day. What say we wander there and talk? My nephew, Henry Samuel, can come with us to afford you security. I would not have your honour impugned.”

  She smiled and spoke for the first time. She had a soft and lilting voice, “Yes my lord. That would be most agreeable.”

  My grandson tried to hide his grin as he followed them out. My wife waited until the door had closed and then said, “I was in a similar position until Sir Thomas came to my aid. My prospective husband was old enough to be my father.”

  The Queen nodded, “And mine is twelve years my senior but we are happy are we not my love?�


  “We are.” He looked over to me, “There is a dowry. Lord Kerk’s lands were lost but not his treasure. That was kept at Jedburgh Abbey. Your son will be a rich man.”

  I shook my head, “Your Highness, my wife had no dowry and yet I think I am the richest man in the world. My son is his own man. He will make his own decision and I will support him. A dowry will not influence him at all. You should know this.”

  Queen Joan said, “Nothing that happens this night will change our opinion of you Sir Thomas and your son. If he says no, then we will be disappointed. She is a lovely girl and left alone by the callous actions of the Earl of Fife. We just seek happiness for her. She cannot marry a Scot. Her husband would have to navigate a path through lords who sought the land and the dowry. Your son can have no claim to the lands now stolen by Fife. That is why he is a perfect choice. If he will have her and she, him.”

  “That is understood.”

  The couple were away so long that we had finished eating and were enjoying a sweet dessert wine by the time they re-entered. Lady Mary rested her hand on William’s arm as they walked in.

  My son spoke for both of them, “King Alexander, we have spoken. This is hasty. We both agree on that.” He smiled, “There are many other things we agree upon and that is good. You may call me old fashioned but I would ask permission to court Lady Mary. We have a long journey through England. We need to get to know each other. I promise you this, by the time we reach Canterbury Cathedral then the two of us.” I smiled for he emphasised the word ‘two’, “will have made a decision and we will explain it to you and my father.”

  The Queen smiled and, standing, kissed first Lady Mary and then my son, “We could not have expected a better answer and our choice has been vindicated. I look forward now to a journey I was dreading!”

  When I had been told of the presence of the King and Queen, I had expected a totally different outcome. What would King Henry make of all this? The Queen was right. We would have an interesting ride.

  Glossary

  Buskins-boots

  Chevauchée- a raid by mounted men

  Courts baron-a court which dealt with the tenants' rights and duties, changes of occupancy, and disputes between tenants.

  Crowd- crwth or rote. A Celtic musical instrument similar to a lyre

  Fusil - A lozenge shape on a shield

  Garth- a garth was a church-owned farm. Not to be confused with the name Garth

  Groat- An English coin worth four silver pennies

  Hovel- a makeshift shelter used my warriors on campaign- similar to a ‘bivvy’ tent

  Marlyon- Merlin (hunting bird)

  Mêlée- a medieval fight between knights

  Pursuivant – the rank below a herald

  Reeve- An official who ran a manor for a lord

  Rote- An English version of a lyre (also called a crowd or crwth)

  Vair- a heraldic term

  Wessington- Washington (Durham)

  Wulfestun- Wolviston (Durham)

  Historical Notes

  The clan Eliot did exist but I have fictionalized their activities. There were many border lords who raided both sides of the border. The most famous examples are Hotspur and Douglas as well as the Armstrong clan. The route from Bellingham to Hobkirk is now under Kielder Water. I used the map of 1868 to chart the progress of the Earl and his men. The Earl of Fife was the leader of the most important clan in Scotland but his activities have also been fictionalized. He is an amalgam of many other characters. King Henry did go to Gascony and spent some time away from England. He arranged a marriage to the 11-year-old Eleanor of Provence and he built up alliances against the French. As far as I know, he did not appoint an Earl Marshal of the North!

  Books used in the research:

  The Crusades-David Nicholle

  Norman Stone Castles- Gravett

  English Castles 1200-1300 -Gravett

  The Normans- David Nicolle

  Norman Knight AD 950-1204- Christopher Gravett

  The Norman Conquest of the North- William A Kappelle

  The Knight in History- Francis Gies

  The Norman Achievement- Richard F Cassady

  Knights- Constance Brittain Bouchard

  Knight Templar 1120-1312 -Helen Nicholson

  Feudal England: Historical Studies on the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries- J. H. Round

  English Medieval Knight 1200-1300

  The Scandinavian Baltic Crusades 1100-1500 Lindholm and Nicolle

  The Scottish and Welsh Wars 1250-1400- Rothero

  Chronicles of the age of chivalry ed Hallam

  Lewes and Evesham- 1264-65- Richard Brooks

  Ordnance Survey Kelso and Coldstream Landranger map #74

  The Tower of London-Lapper and Parnell

  Knight Hospitaller 1100-1306 Nicolle and Hook

  Old Series Ordnance Survey map 1864-1869 Alnwick and Morpeth

  Old Series Ordnance Survey map 1868-1869 Cheviot Hills and Kielder Water

  Other books

  by

  Griff Hosker

  If you enjoyed reading this book, then why not read another one by the author?

  Ancient History

  The Sword of Cartimandua Series

  (Germania and Britannia 50 A.D. – 128 A.D.)

  Ulpius Felix- Roman Warrior (prequel)

  Book 1 The Sword of Cartimandua

  Book 2 The Horse Warriors

  Book 3 Invasion Caledonia

  Book 4 Roman Retreat

  Book 5 Revolt of the Red Witch

  Book 6 Druid’s Gold

  Book 7 Trajan’s Hunters

  Book 8 The Last Frontier

  Book 9 Hero of Rome

  Book 10 Roman Hawk

  Book 11 Roman Treachery

  Book 12 Roman Wall

  Book 13 Roman Courage

  The Aelfraed Series

  (Britain and Byzantium 1050 A.D. - 1085 A.D.)

  Book 1 Housecarl

  Book 2 Outlaw

  Book 3 Varangian

  The Wolf Warrior series

  (Britain in the late 6th Century)

  Book 1 Saxon Dawn

  Book 2 Saxon Revenge

  Book 3 Saxon England

  Book 4 Saxon Blood

  Book 5 Saxon Slayer

  Book 6 Saxon Slaughter

  Book 7 Saxon Bane

  Book 8 Saxon Fall: Rise of the Warlord

  Book 9 Saxon Throne

  Book 10 Saxon Sword

  The Dragon Heart Series

  Book 1 Viking Slave

  Book 2 Viking Warrior

  Book 3 Viking Jarl

  Book 4 Viking Kingdom

  Book 5 Viking Wolf

  Book 6 Viking War

  Book 7 Viking Sword

  Book 8 Viking Wrath

  Book 9 Viking Raid

  Book 10 Viking Legend

  Book 11 Viking Vengeance

  Book 12 Viking Dragon

  Book 13 Viking Treasure

  Book 14 Viking Enemy

  Book 15 Viking Witch

  Book 16 Viking Blood

  Book 17 Viking Weregeld

  Book 18 Viking Storm

  Book 19 Viking Warband

  Book 20 Viking Shadow

  Book 21 Viking Legacy

  Book 22 Viking Clan

  The Norman Genesis Series

  Hrolf the Viking

  Horseman

  The Battle for a Home

  Revenge of the Franks

  The Land of the Northmen

  Ragnvald Hrolfsson

  Brothers in Blood

  Lord of Rouen

  Drekar in the Seine

  Duke of Normandy

  The Duke and the King

  New World Series

  Blood on the Blade

  Across the Seas

  The Anarchy Series

  England 1120-1180

  English Knight

  Knight of the Empress

  Northern Knight

  Baron of the North
/>   Earl

  King Henry’s Champion

  The King is Dead

  Warlord of the North

  Enemy at the Gate

  The Fallen Crown

  Warlord's War

  Kingmaker

  Henry II

  Crusader

  The Welsh Marches

  Irish War

  Poisonous Plots

  The Princes’ Revolt

  Earl Marshal

  Border Knight

  England 1182-1300

  Sword for Hire

  Return of the Knight

  Baron’s War

  Magna Carta

  Welsh Wars

  Henry III

  The Bloody Border

  Lord Edward’s Archer

  Lord Edward’s Archer

  Struggle for a Crown

  England 1360- 1485

  Blood on the Crown

  To Murder A King

  The Throne

  Modern History

  The Napoleonic Horseman Series

  Book 1 Chasseur a Cheval

  Book 2 Napoleon’s Guard

  Book 3 British Light Dragoon

  Book 4 Soldier Spy

  Book 5 1808: The Road to A Coruña

  Waterloo

  The Lucky Jack American Civil War series

  Rebel Raiders

  Confederate Rangers

  The Road to Gettysburg

  The British Ace Series

  1914

  1915 Fokker Scourge

  1916 Angels over the Somme

  1917 Eagles Fall

  1918 We will remember them

  From Arctic Snow to Desert Sand

  Wings over Persia

  Combined Operations series

  1940-1945

  Commando

  Raider

  Behind Enemy Lines

  Dieppe

  Toehold in Europe

  Sword Beach

  Breakout

  The Battle for Antwerp

  King Tiger

  Beyond the Rhine

 

‹ Prev