The Arrow of Sherwood by Lauren Johnson

Author:Lauren Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / General
ISBN: 9781473829688
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books
Published: 2013-08-21T00:00:00+00:00

‘How did your try with the law go?’

‘It didn’t.’

Over a cup of brackish water, Robin squatted miserably in the scant shelter of the Saviour Oak. It was raining, the driving rain of every spring as it gave way to summer, and he was already soaked through before he met Will and John to hear the hundredmen’s decision. John wore an old hood that Robin had found and in his lap was a bell. The disguise of a leper made a change from that of a penitent.

‘I’m not surprised that the sheriff refused to help you. As soon as a man takes control of the shire he loses his free will. He’s always watching over his shoulder for the day his power’s taken from him. He might as well be called the Morrisman of Nottingham. He leaps and suspects like he’s playing a game of merrils.’

‘Sir Walter wasn’t the only one who refused to support me. The prior and Lord D’Alselin joined him for good measure. I have just been to Newstead Abbey and even the abbess – who I suspected was more of a man than any of them – refused to argue for me in the court. The case of the common land frightened them all. They fear that if they speak against Lord Vipont it’ll be seen as a complaint against the Count of Mortain, and as long as he is in England and the king isn’t, that could cause trouble in Nottinghamshire.’

‘Every man wants to protect his own lands,’ John said. ‘Lord or common man, we all are born selfish.’

‘But to let your own self-interest take precedence over doing what is right…’ Robin shook his head. ‘They did say they would help the new leper hospital though.’

‘The other lepers will be pleased.’

‘And exactly how many lepers have you decided will be moving into your colony? How many hospital walls should I ask the abbess to pay for?’

‘Not as many as you expected. Much has already managed to bring a couple of kin to this tree to meet their men. Madalgrim’s women need their mash tuns and malt supplies to carry on their brewing, which is easier to do in their home than in the forest. Their case against Lanfranc will be heard in court this week but they seem resolved to keep brewing as long as they can afford to buy supplies. Ansculf and Siward’s kin are tied to the land they plough. Tosti’s parents, Gilbert’s aunt and Kolbrand’s sister – whose arms are bigger than his – want to join us, but there are still other kin to hear back from.’

‘So the new wave joining the clearing will be elderly or female,’ said Will. ‘Not the most useful for raids.’

‘Kolbrand’s sister sounds like she might be,’ said Robin. ‘Besides, if the men have decided their kin are welcome, we must abide by that decision. What about your kin, John?’

‘My cousins may come. They haven’t much in the way of brain but they can both wield an axe or ploughshare well enough.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.