Chapter Four #2
Cole shrugged. “At Pelinom Castle, our family’s seat,” he said. “With me at Berwick, Cassian has taken command of Pelinom, and Julian remains at Felkington Castle.”
“That is his wife’s family home, correct?”
“Correct,” Cole said. “But the point is that you did me a great favor by shadowing Cassian on the tournament circuit until he could give up his wandering ways and marry Hereford’s daughter and return to Pelinom.
That is why I advocated for you to Hereford when you wanted to remain on the circuit.
In my mind, you had earned the right to do what you wanted to do.
It was your time, Addax. I hope it was productive. ”
Addax nodded. “It was,” he said. “It continues to be, but much like Es, I am suspicious of this conversation. What do you want me to do, Cole?”
Cole smiled thinly. “Not me,” he said. “This directive comes from Hereford himself, Christopher de Lohr. You know he is mostly in command of the Executioner Knights these days, a group you and I are still very much a part of.”
The Executioner Knights.
The greatest group of spies, assassins, and agents that the world had ever seen, an organization started by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, back in the days when Henry II was battling against everyone, including his sons.
The goal of the Executioner Knights was always to protect the reigning king, even from family members who would be happier with the king in a grave, and that was a goal that had never changed.
It had been particularly challenging when John was king, because he was at war with the entire world, and there wasn’t one agent in William Marshal’s arsenal, William included, that had a fondness for him.
But… he was the king.
And they had saved him, time and time again.
Now, John’s young son, Henry, sat upon the throne, and Henry was far less contentious than his father had been.
It made the duties of the Executioner Knights somewhat easier, and William Marshal had been at young Henry’s side until his death about six years earlier.
After that, his son, also William Marshal, took the helm of the Executioner Knights, but with the death of his father, he had all he could handle protecting his own lands and interests, especially in Ireland, so the command of the Executioner Knights had fallen to the Earl of Hereford and Worcester, Christopher de Lohr, and his eldest son, Peter.
Men who were at the core of England’s politics.
Christopher de Lohr had a special place in Addax’s heart.
Had it not been for Christopher, neither Addax nor Essien would have made it out of the Holy Land alive.
It had been Christopher who had come upon them in that olive grove all those years ago and taken pity on two small, starving boys.
Christopher, his brother David, and their men had taken the two young children under their wing, nurturing them back to health.
That had been the beginning of Addax’s life.
He would never forget the kindness of a man who didn’t have to show him any kindness at all.
Christopher had been an important man, serving his king, but the compassion he’d shown two small children had been exemplary.
When Addax had been a child serving the merchant who abused him and his brother, he remembered hearing unflattering things about the Christian knights who had come to the Levant to purge the Muslim infidels.
He had heard of their evils and their unsavory goals.
Perhaps some men had felt that way, but Addax never had, and he never would.
He looked at those Christian knights as his saviors, and they were.
Nurturing two small children back to health had only been the beginning.
Once Addax and his brother had regained their health, the knights put them to work, but not in a brutal sense.
They were given chores and tasks to complete.
They drew water, washed horses, cleaned shoes or clothing or swords, or anything else the English wanted them to clean.
They brought food and ran messages and did anything that they were told, and the trade-off for their hard work was that the knights taught them how to read and write.
Eventually, the knights taught them how to use the sword and how to fight, how to ride horses and fight on horseback.
They’d started them on the road to the life they had today, and that was why Addax would do anything for Christopher de Lohr.
All the man had to do was ask.
“What does de Lohr want?” Addax asked after a moment.
Cole faced him. “You wanted to know how I knew about Max’s betrothed?
” he muttered. “Because our spies in Scotland tell us that Alexander himself, the King of Scotland, is eyeing the de Witt deposits for their own use. They have been in communication with Bretherdale, who wants those lands so he can sell the lead to the Scots. They can extract silver and other metals from it to make weapons.”
Addax frowned. “Is that why Bretherdale has been pushing this betrothal?”
Cole nodded. “Exactly,” he said. “We believe this all has to do with Berwick. You know the Scots want it back, and the lead that Bretherdale sells them would give them the resources they need to outfit an army. It was just rumors, really, but when I heard Bretherdale was here, it led me to believe that the Scots are closer to this goal than we thought.”
Addax was looking at him with great trepidation. “I am certain Max does not know of this,” he said. “Not to insult my friend, but he simply isn’t that astute, nor does he care about politics. You’ve never seen a more reluctant man to marry.”
Cole nodded. “He has never been implicated,” he said. “Only his father.”
“But the lady must not know, either. She wasn’t exactly thrilled at the marriage either.”
“This is all Bretherdale,” Cole said. “The Scots have offered a handsome price, plus lands in Scotland.”
Addax could hardly believe it. “So he forces the marriage, gains control of the mining operations, and sells the product to Scotland so they can take Berwick?” he said incredulously. “Berwick is your seat, Cole.”
“I know, but you and I both know it has been contested for generations. It just happens to be mine at the moment.”
“Then what do you want from me?”
Cole scratched his head in thought. “Max is going to return to the de Witt lands at some point,” he said. “Do you know of his plans?”
Addax shook his head. “I do not,” he said. “I can find out.”
“Carefully,” Cole warned. “But I would be more interested in Bretherdale’s plans.
Is he returning home immediately after this marriage?
If so, he returns with the legal right to make decisions over his son’s lands.
He could do nothing while they did not belong to his family, but he certainly can now. ”
“Then the feast tonight is a perfect setting for me to sit with Bretherdale, congratulate him on his son’s wedding, and discuss his future plans without him becoming suspicious,” Addax said. “And I shall find out what Max intends.”
“I will,” Essien said. He’d been listening to the entire conversation. “It might look suspicious if you go from father to son, discussing future plans, Addax. Let me work on Max, and you can work on the father.”
Addax nodded. “Very well,” he said. “I’ll see what I can get out of Bretherdale.”
Cole was in agreement, but he wasn’t finished on the subject. “Addax, would you be opposed to returning home with Bretherdale?” he said. “If he plans to sell to the Scots, then we must know before he does it.”
Addax shrugged. “I am not opposed, but we would have to think of a plausible reason why I must go with him.”
“Fair enough,” Cole said. “Let us see how the evening goes, and we will speak tomorrow morning.”
They began to hear the horns from the tournament field again, catching Addax’s attention.
“I have not seen the schedule for this afternoon’s bouts,” he said, changing the subject.
“Es, will you see to my horse? Have the smithy check that shoe immediately. I will go to the field and see where my bout falls.”
“And I must collect my wife,” Cole said, heading for his horse. “She would never forgive me if she missed Addax’s run.”
Addax was already moving away. “I may ask for a favor from the lovely Corisande, Cole,” he said. “Do not be jealous.”
Cole made a face at him as he mounted his steed. “Arrogant whelp,” he said. “What makes you think she would give you one?”
Addax laughed. “I cannot ask an unmarried woman,” he said as he headed down the road, walking backward to speak to Cole. “She will expect a marriage proposal. I can only ask married women, so your wife is to be favored. By me.”
Cole waved him off as he turned for the road that led to the castle, leaving Addax laughing as he headed toward the field.
But the laughter, the jesting, was only a disguise for the serious situation they’d just discussed.
Bretherdale had forced Max to marry so he could sell the de Witt metals to the Scots.
Damn, if that wasn’t an ambitious plan.
And one that could very easily blow the north wide open if the Scots took Berwick.
Addax the secret agent was going back on the job.