he has great aspirations for his daughter. The hand of an earl, perhaps, even one of my own kinsmen, a member of the royal family?’
Gaunt turned and stared at Sir Maurice and, for the first time ever, Athelstan caught a genuine look of compassion in the Regent’s eyes.
’Sir Maurice,’ Gaunt sighed, ’is the younger son of a younger son of a younger son.’ He waved his hand. ’He made the terrible mistake of courting the Lady Angelica, even trying to elope with her.’
’Oh dear!’ Sir John breathed.
’Oh dear, yes. He has been forbidden the house and Lady Angelica is safely ensconced with the venerable sisters, the nuns of Syon on the Thames .’
’Oh, heaven’s tits!’ Sir John groaned.
’Precisely. A house ruled by the very venerable Mother Monica! A woman who strikes more terror in some of my court than the massed armies of the French. Sir Thomas has petitioned me,’ Gaunt continued, ’to keep Maltravers away and to send to the convent a venerable father, a man of sanctity, to instruct his daughter in obedience and love for her father. You, Brother Athelstan, are the chosen one.’ He lowered his voice. And that’s the problem. You are I also to use all your powers to advance the cause of Sir Maurice.’
CHAPTER 4
Cranston and Athelstan, with a woebegone Sir Maurice in tow, left the Savoy Palace . They took a barge further along the Thames to Fish Wharf and threaded their way along the narrow runnels which wound through houses and shops towards St Paul ’s. At first they had been too nonplussed to speak. They were accustomed to accepting the Regent’s commissions to investigate this or that, but the prospect of becoming heralds for this knight of the doleful countenance sitting opposite them in the barge truly confounded them. Athelstan’s mind teemed. How could he do anything? His knowledge of women, and he smiled to himself, well, the least said the better! Sir John broke the silence and leaned over and grasped the young man’s knee.
’I know what it’s like, lad,’ he growled. ’Years ago, when I pursued the Lady Maude, I wasn’t like this; sleek as a greyhound I was, fast as a swooping hawk, my heart and soul on fire. It was just poor old Jack Cranston then but courage and tenacity will achieve the desires of your heart.’
Sir Maurice thanked him. Athelstan could see the mirth in the young man’s eyes at the picture of a sleek and swooping Sir John.
Ah yes, those were the days,’ Sir John repeated as they made their way through the alleyways. ’What a siege of love, and I tried every stratagem.’
Athelstan had to hang behind them because he’d begun to laugh so much his shoulders were shaking. He couldn’t really think of Lady Maude as a castle while the prospect of Sir John deeply in love was a thing of wonder.
Sir John, one hand on Sir Maurice’s shoulder, steered him through the crowds. Athelstan, trailing behind, realised that he had been sheltering in St Erconwald’s so long the crowds, the smell, the press made him feel uneasy. The sun was strong and the heat made his rough serge gown cling to his sweat-soaked skin. Sir John loved the city but Athelstan always found it strange, filled with images, pictures, which reminded him of scenes on a painted wall.
Two men on a comer of Old Bowyers Row were teaching their pet weasels how to kill a rat. Further along two beadles were making a whore fumigate herself by standing over a dish of burning coals, her dirty skirts pulled up under her breasts. Apprentices came out from behind stalls to catch Sir John’s arm. He shook them off as he did the greasy fingers of the owners of the cookshops who always regarded Sir John as a generous patron. The dung carts had not yet reached this part of the city and the lanes and alleyways were still full of rubbish from the previous day. The sewers down the streets brimmed with dirt. Cats, dogs, pigs and even a few chickens scrambled among the muck looking for tidbits. Street signs
Gaunt turned and stared at Sir Maurice and, for the first time ever, Athelstan caught a genuine look of compassion in the Regent’s eyes.
’Sir Maurice,’ Gaunt sighed, ’is the younger son of a younger son of a younger son.’ He waved his hand. ’He made the terrible mistake of courting the Lady Angelica, even trying to elope with her.’
’Oh dear!’ Sir John breathed.
’Oh dear, yes. He has been forbidden the house and Lady Angelica is safely ensconced with the venerable sisters, the nuns of Syon on the Thames .’
’Oh, heaven’s tits!’ Sir John groaned.
’Precisely. A house ruled by the very venerable Mother Monica! A woman who strikes more terror in some of my court than the massed armies of the French. Sir Thomas has petitioned me,’ Gaunt continued, ’to keep Maltravers away and to send to the convent a venerable father, a man of sanctity, to instruct his daughter in obedience and love for her father. You, Brother Athelstan, are the chosen one.’ He lowered his voice. And that’s the problem. You are I also to use all your powers to advance the cause of Sir Maurice.’
CHAPTER 4
Cranston and Athelstan, with a woebegone Sir Maurice in tow, left the Savoy Palace . They took a barge further along the Thames to Fish Wharf and threaded their way along the narrow runnels which wound through houses and shops towards St Paul ’s. At first they had been too nonplussed to speak. They were accustomed to accepting the Regent’s commissions to investigate this or that, but the prospect of becoming heralds for this knight of the doleful countenance sitting opposite them in the barge truly confounded them. Athelstan’s mind teemed. How could he do anything? His knowledge of women, and he smiled to himself, well, the least said the better! Sir John broke the silence and leaned over and grasped the young man’s knee.
’I know what it’s like, lad,’ he growled. ’Years ago, when I pursued the Lady Maude, I wasn’t like this; sleek as a greyhound I was, fast as a swooping hawk, my heart and soul on fire. It was just poor old Jack Cranston then but courage and tenacity will achieve the desires of your heart.’
Sir Maurice thanked him. Athelstan could see the mirth in the young man’s eyes at the picture of a sleek and swooping Sir John.
Ah yes, those were the days,’ Sir John repeated as they made their way through the alleyways. ’What a siege of love, and I tried every stratagem.’
Athelstan had to hang behind them because he’d begun to laugh so much his shoulders were shaking. He couldn’t really think of Lady Maude as a castle while the prospect of Sir John deeply in love was a thing of wonder.
Sir John, one hand on Sir Maurice’s shoulder, steered him through the crowds. Athelstan, trailing behind, realised that he had been sheltering in St Erconwald’s so long the crowds, the smell, the press made him feel uneasy. The sun was strong and the heat made his rough serge gown cling to his sweat-soaked skin. Sir John loved the city but Athelstan always found it strange, filled with images, pictures, which reminded him of scenes on a painted wall.
Two men on a comer of Old Bowyers Row were teaching their pet weasels how to kill a rat. Further along two beadles were making a whore fumigate herself by standing over a dish of burning coals, her dirty skirts pulled up under her breasts. Apprentices came out from behind stalls to catch Sir John’s arm. He shook them off as he did the greasy fingers of the owners of the cookshops who always regarded Sir John as a generous patron. The dung carts had not yet reached this part of the city and the lanes and alleyways were still full of rubbish from the previous day. The sewers down the streets brimmed with dirt. Cats, dogs, pigs and even a few chickens scrambled among the muck looking for tidbits. Street signs
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