The Knight's Tale (Struggle For a Crown Book 10) by Griff Hosker

Author:Griff Hosker [Hosker, Griff]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sword Books Ltd
Published: 2024-04-25T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

The earl gave me fifteen men at arms and twelve archers from Middleham as well as five knights and their squires from the manors around Middleham. I could have taken more archers but there were not enough horses for them. Edward was ready there, too, and he had a spare horse. With no squire, Jack had to lead Edward’s mount. We dined, not in the Great Hall but in the more modest warrior hall. I needed to get to know the men. They had all heard of me. The capture of the Maid was the stuff of legend and so the meeting was a warm one. They were happy to have me as their leader and that meant I did not have that battle to win. Edward was keen to be of use to me and he supplied all the information readily.

“This is a modest retinue that you will lead, but when all the muster is gathered, there will be five hundred men. Those lords, like those from Masham and Ripon, will lead their men here tomorrow. It is a short ride to Richmond and my home of Gilling where we shall collect even more men. The men of the Palatinate will gather at Durham. The bishop has promised us St Cuthbert’s banner.”

Even as he read off the names my hopes rose and then the name stuck in my head, Masham. Sir Walter Wolsey and his son Sir Marmaduke would know me as Sir Ralph. The necessary lie I had told was coming back to haunt me. I would have to speak to those knights and give them a version of the truth. I prayed that they would remember my deeds and not my lie or else any hope of my bonding with a disparate body of men was doomed to failure from the start.

A combination of worry about the campaign and the meeting with the knights from Masham ensured that I neither slept well nor long and I was awake before dawn. I roused a sleepy John and Jack. “John, I have a delicate task for you this day. There will be knights this day who come from Masham and I need the senior knights brought to me. I shall use Sir Richard’s solar. They will have a livery with three red game birds. If one has a red bar across the top then that is Sir Marmaduke and if not, and the man is an older knight, then that will be Sir Walter. Bring them to me.”

“But why?”

I sighed and Jack shook his head. My squire answered, “Master John, you do not question Sir Michael’s orders. I understand the need for this order. Just obey it. You are the only one who can do this. I cannot.”

He brightened, “Me?” We both nodded. “Then I will not let you down.”

The earl was not an early riser and with no other guests in the castle, we had the place to ourselves. I was anxious to leave as soon as I could.

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