Golden Spurs: Book One in The Legend of Richard Keynes Series by Hart Clive

Author:Hart, Clive
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-10-20T00:00:00+00:00

War

Even though the fog had burnt off and midday came and went, Richard and Sir Gobble still had not learnt of their fate. They stood outside the great hall as the sound of arguments blared out.

‘I can’t believe we aren’t allowed in,’ Sir Gobble said as the guard blocked their fourth attempt to enter.

‘There is a war on, they’re probably talking about that,’ Richard said.

‘They should discuss us first, at least me,’ Sir Gobble replied.

‘I’m going back, when they want us we’ll know about it,’ Richard said.

Sir Gobble looked back again at the guard but his expression was enough to send him back to the knight’s chamber with Richard. They returned to a flurry of speculation and excited discussion. On all sides of the hearth boasts of future deeds mixed with wild talk of marching on Boulogne.

It wasn’t long before De Cailly and Sir John entered and all the talk ceased. Expectant eyes turned towards the senior knights and the chatter ceased. De Cailly wore his mail shirt once more and his expression was grim. His hunchback seemed to have hunched a little further.

‘Normandy has been invaded. Our lord commands us to prepare to leave for the north east, where Count Matthew of Boulogne and a large number of Flemings have massed on the frontier. Lord Tancarville believes that they are planning to cross the border for a ridden war,’ he said.

The room erupted again.

‘I’m going to capture me a rich knight,’ Sir Gobble said.

‘They have no siege equipment, nor hired any specialists for mounting attacks on castles,’ Sir John said in his low voice, even throatier than usual. ‘We expect them to move fast and to target villages. We will send out three small groups of scouts ahead of our army. These groups will set out today and the main body will leave in the morning once our men from the west have mustered here. It will be a hard campaign, but it is the price we all pay so that others toil in the fields for us.’

‘Are we saved?’ Richard whispered to Bowman.

De Cailly and Sir John spoke to each other and pointed at various tables. A few logs were added to the hearth which had almost died, and it crackled and jumped back to life. The two elder knights moved around table by table giving assignments, and de Cailly went to Richard's.

‘Sir Gobble, you will be in the northern scouting party under Robert des Ifs, you will lead five squires under him. We do not expect the Flemings to ride north as the coast would hem them in, but do not be complacent. Lord Tancarville is testing you with this, do not mess it up,’ he said.

Sir Gobble beamed. ‘I won’t, you can trust me,’ he said.

‘You,’ de Cailly said to Richard. ‘You and your men will go with the central scouting party which will head directly to where we think the invaders are. You and your two men shall be the only squires, you will be with some mounted crossbowmen.

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