Wolf Wood (Part Two): The Dangerous years by Mike Dixon Page B
Authors: Mike Dixon
Tags: Romance, Historical, Magic, Witches, sorcery, middle ages, Knights, heresy, family feuds, war of the roses
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He was totally mad. Robin watched saliva form about his contorted jowls as his grandfather continued to praise Alice and her son, Steven. He clearly saw them as rivals for the old man's affection. More to the point, he probably saw them as rivals for the Gascoigne inheritance and that was very worrying.
Robin resolved to talk to Harald at the first opportunity. Right now, Harald was in the castle keep with Commander Gough. The commander had taken part in the battle at Formigny and had fought his way back to Bayeux with remnants of the English army. Harald was no doubt helping him prepare dispatches while the garrison got ready to defend the City.
***
Commander Gough waited as Harald penned the tiny slip of paper that would be dispatched by carrier pigeon. It was work that could only be entrusted to a senior member of his staff. He watched as Harald worked diligently, head poised a few inches above the table, forming each minute letter individually, taking care not to let the ink run. His short site seemed to be more of a help than a hindrance.
The City gates were shut and anyone wishing to enter was obliged to use a heavily guarded postern gate set into the City walls. It was two hours after sunset and the commander was taking no chances. His blood boiled when he thought of the enormity of what had happened.
An English relief army had crossed the Channel and landed at Cherbourg with cannons and enough gunpowder to storm a dozen castles. They should have been able to manage by themselves but were soon calling for reinforcements. He was sent with troops from the Bayeux garrison. The combined force was outmanoeuvred by the French and caught in a pincer movement, at Formigny.
As each new fugitive arrived, the extent of the defeat became evident. Thousands, not hundreds, of English lives had been lost and the French had suffered only light casualties. Valuable munitions had fallen into enemy hands. Scores of knights had been captured. The unransomable rank and file were slaughtered where they stood.
The relief army had been raised at colossal expense and was England's last throw of the dice. The end of English rule in Normandy was near. All that remained was to get out of an impossible situation and that meant negotiating from a position of strength.
Some of the citizens of Bayeux would welcome the French. Almost everyone would welcome an end to the fighting. Commander Gough's concern was for the English settlers and people who would be persecuted for working too closely with them.
A grunt from Harald said the message was finished. It was destined for the commander of Cherbourg Castle and gave a coded account of the defeat at Formigny. It would be up to him to pass the news to Westminster. Commander Gough didn't know how long that would take and didn't care. From now on, he would be working without interference from the nincompoops and traitors who ran things there.
Chapter 8
Skirmish
Alice heard shouting and went to see what was happening. Their apartment was in one of the twin towers above the main City gate. On the battlements, far below, William was waving the Gascoigne standard and yelling a challenge to the Bastard of Orleans, commander in chief of the besieging French forces.
'Fight to the death!' he screamed in Norman French. 'I, William the Bastard, challenge you French Bastard to single combat.'
A crowd on the City walls was trading insults with the French. In the street below, a troop of heavily armoured men had lined up beside one of the postern gates. At first, Alice thought they were part of the regular garrison. Then she realised they were William's men.
'Will! … Will! … Will!'
They set up a chant and William ran from the battlements to join them. After that, everything happened at a mad rush. The postern gate flew open and the men sallied out. It all happened so fast, Alice had difficulty keeping pace with events.
Robin had no such problems. He dashed from his apartment, glanced
Robin resolved to talk to Harald at the first opportunity. Right now, Harald was in the castle keep with Commander Gough. The commander had taken part in the battle at Formigny and had fought his way back to Bayeux with remnants of the English army. Harald was no doubt helping him prepare dispatches while the garrison got ready to defend the City.
***
Commander Gough waited as Harald penned the tiny slip of paper that would be dispatched by carrier pigeon. It was work that could only be entrusted to a senior member of his staff. He watched as Harald worked diligently, head poised a few inches above the table, forming each minute letter individually, taking care not to let the ink run. His short site seemed to be more of a help than a hindrance.
The City gates were shut and anyone wishing to enter was obliged to use a heavily guarded postern gate set into the City walls. It was two hours after sunset and the commander was taking no chances. His blood boiled when he thought of the enormity of what had happened.
An English relief army had crossed the Channel and landed at Cherbourg with cannons and enough gunpowder to storm a dozen castles. They should have been able to manage by themselves but were soon calling for reinforcements. He was sent with troops from the Bayeux garrison. The combined force was outmanoeuvred by the French and caught in a pincer movement, at Formigny.
As each new fugitive arrived, the extent of the defeat became evident. Thousands, not hundreds, of English lives had been lost and the French had suffered only light casualties. Valuable munitions had fallen into enemy hands. Scores of knights had been captured. The unransomable rank and file were slaughtered where they stood.
The relief army had been raised at colossal expense and was England's last throw of the dice. The end of English rule in Normandy was near. All that remained was to get out of an impossible situation and that meant negotiating from a position of strength.
Some of the citizens of Bayeux would welcome the French. Almost everyone would welcome an end to the fighting. Commander Gough's concern was for the English settlers and people who would be persecuted for working too closely with them.
A grunt from Harald said the message was finished. It was destined for the commander of Cherbourg Castle and gave a coded account of the defeat at Formigny. It would be up to him to pass the news to Westminster. Commander Gough didn't know how long that would take and didn't care. From now on, he would be working without interference from the nincompoops and traitors who ran things there.
Chapter 8
Skirmish
Alice heard shouting and went to see what was happening. Their apartment was in one of the twin towers above the main City gate. On the battlements, far below, William was waving the Gascoigne standard and yelling a challenge to the Bastard of Orleans, commander in chief of the besieging French forces.
'Fight to the death!' he screamed in Norman French. 'I, William the Bastard, challenge you French Bastard to single combat.'
A crowd on the City walls was trading insults with the French. In the street below, a troop of heavily armoured men had lined up beside one of the postern gates. At first, Alice thought they were part of the regular garrison. Then she realised they were William's men.
'Will! … Will! … Will!'
They set up a chant and William ran from the battlements to join them. After that, everything happened at a mad rush. The postern gate flew open and the men sallied out. It all happened so fast, Alice had difficulty keeping pace with events.
Robin had no such problems. He dashed from his apartment, glanced
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