The Princes' Revolt by Griff Hosker

Author:Griff Hosker [Hosker, Griff]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sword Books Ltd.
Published: 2018-03-29T23:00:00+00:00

Part Three

William Earl of Cleveland

Chapter 10

My father had been back in his home for a year. He was a shattered man when he reached us. The ride to Canterbury on the King’s orders had almost done for him. We gave thanks to the priest and God who had saved him. I was just grateful that it had been a quiet year. There were events further afield but we were safe in our cocoon that was our valley. The Scots remained cowed and bowed after our swift victory. My knights’ ladies had babies and the land prospered.

The King had disappointed both my father and me. He had done nothing to apprehend the killers who hid out at Knaresborough castle. They had, just a few months ago, sought the King’s advice and he had not given them any. When Captain William arrived from the Loir he told us that they had gone to Rome to seek forgiveness for the murder. Their excommunication was to be lifted after fourteen years’ service in the Holy Land. It was a death sentence but at least they were punished.

My father had recovered in the year since he had returned. Simon had been a rock. He had helped my father by riding out with him and sparring with him. It was not that my father would go to war again, we all knew that was impossible, but he needed to exercise and to have the knowledge that he could, if he had to, fight. Simon had told us of the incident in Canterbury. My father had even been hunting with us. My son and Sir Ralph had taken him to the forest to the south and west of my castle, where it edged towards Hartburn. We had hunted deer. My father had been more of a spectator but he still knew his way around the woods and the joy on his face when we returned made the whole castle and town a different place. The Christmas celebrations had been both long and loud. My father had seen almost seventy summers. As he told me, while we sipped strong wine in my solar, each day was now like the first day of his life.

As the days began to slowly lengthen he began to grow restless. He wished to know what was happening in the outside world. Henry had been to Ireland to build castles. It was a statement of his power but my father noted that he and his queen had not been together for almost two years. Sir Leofric kept us informed. He told us that Richard had spent a great deal of time in Aquitaine. Geoffrey and Young King Henry now lived in Normandy. That was something my father did not like. It was as though King Henry had given up on his sons.

Then rumours reached us that Young Henry had visited Paris. When my father heard that he became angry. I was the one who had given him the letter from Archbishop Roger. He had kept in touch with my father.

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