Chapter One #4
Chad felt as if he were rehashing the entire battle again, reliving what he was trying hard to drown away with ale.
“I know all of this,” he said. “My brothers made sure that the canons at Evesham Abbey retrieved and buried Julius’ body once de Montfort supporters had retreated. Why are you telling me this again?”
Bose’s angular jaw ticked. “Because Aurelius left someone behind and unprotected from Henry’s wrath,” he said. “Aurelius’ sister, Alessandria, is a ward at Newington Priory, west of Rochester. Since you are from Canterbury, I would assume you have heard of it.”
Chad nodded. “Of course I have,” he said. “I know where it is.”
Bose grunted. “So does Henry,” he said. “He is sending men to collect the girl as we speak and hold her ransom against the surrender of the Lords of Thunder and their cousin, Aurelius.”
Chad frowned. “Holding a ward of the church hostage?” he hissed. “That is madness.”
Bose simply nodded. “Mayhap,” he said. “But that is Henry’s intention, nonetheless.
He told me of his plans and assumed I would keep it to myself, but I cannot.
This girl is part of the House of de Shera and by virtue of that fact, she is related to you and to me.
We cannot let Henry take the girl hostage, Chad. ”
Of course, they could not. It was terrible news, indeed, and the ale was clouding Chad’s mind as he thought on what he’d been told. The implications were even bigger than he could grasp and he put a hand to his head, rubbing already-throbbing temples.
“Would Henry truly do this?” he asked, baffled. “He would hold a de Shera hostage to force the entire House to their knees?”
“That is the sum of it, aye.”
“But he knows the House of de Lohr will support de Shera, always. Does he realize what he is doing?”
“I do not believe he is thinking along those terms. He believes the House of de Lohr will support him no matter what. De Lohr is the crown.”
“Not when he forces us into a choice between the crown and family.”
“I agree.”
Chad stared at him, his mind working, slugging through the drunkenness to think clearly. After a moment, he shook his head. “I must go and get her,” he said. “I will take her to my father. He will know what to do. But one thing is for certain; he will not let Henry get his hands on her.”
“I thought you would think so,” Bose said. “There is no time to waste. Henry’s men were preparing to leave when I departed London so I can only imagine they are already on their way.”
Chad realized he had a task ahead of him, now with the burden of a swill-head. He struggled to think clearly, to shake off the wooziness. He turned to his brothers and cousins.
“You heard the man,” he said. “Get the horses ready. We must ride for Newington Priory and we must get there before Henry’s men do.”
Stefan, Chris, Arthur, and William were already moving.
Perrin was slower because he was quite drunk, being pulled along by his cousin, William.
Jorden and Rhun began to move, also, only being mildly inebriated.
There was a sense of determination now and all of the knights were moving with purpose as Chad remained with Bose and Garran.
While Garran wandered to the table to steal a cup of ale before he and his father continued on, Bose remained with Chad.
“Henry is bent on vengeance, Chad,” Bose said quietly. “You must warn your father. He will not take kindly to your support of the House of de Shera, especially when he discovers you have the hostage he so badly wants.”
Chad thought on that a moment. “I cannot believe Henry would actually demand that my father stand against the Lords of Thunder,” he said.
“Their mother was great-uncle Christopher’s youngest daughter.
She married Antoninus and, to be truthful, I have only met Julius twice in my life, the second time being at Evesham.
A very old man who should not have been there. ”
Bose couldn’t disagree. “How well do you know Aurelius?”
Chad shrugged. “Not well,” he said. “I have heard the man has a foolish streak in him, something I’ve heard from Gallus and Maximus. They do not like him much.”
Bose grinned wearily. “And the sister?” he asked. “Have you ever met her?”
Chad shook his head. “Nay,” he said. Then, he eyed Bose. “But after what you have just told me, I will soon enough.”
Bose clapped the man on the shoulder. “Godspeed, then,” he said. “I ride to Isenhall. Send me word when you can about the girl. Gallus and his brothers will want to know.”
“Make sure they understand that we will protect the girl with our lives. She will be safe.”
Bose nodded. “I know they will be grateful.”
The mission was set now; there was no turning back.
Chad wouldn’t even if he could. He took a last drag on a cup of ale when he knew he shouldn’t.
He found that he needed it. So much for relaxation; he was heading back into the fray, possibly worse than before, going to save a girl from Henry’s clutches.
He couldn’t believe he found himself in this position.
It wasn’t something he was looking forward to.
Better to get the girl, take her to his father, and then be done with it.
She would be his father’s problem after that.
Without another word, he and Bose parted ways.
Bose and his son headed from the front of the tavern while Chad went through the back, drunkenly weaving his way out into the kitchen yard beyond even though he was trying very hard to pretend he was sober.
Across a small avenue was the livery stable where the warhorses had been lodged and he found his men there, cleaning hooves and brushing down the horses, making sure they were prepared for the trip ahead.
They didn’t dwell overlong on the preparations, however, knowing it was essential they beat Henry’s men to the priory.
The horses were hastily groomed and saddled, and while Davyss and Hugh headed for the outskirts of London to Wintercroft Castle where their wives were in residence, Chad and his brothers and cousins and knights headed southeast towards Kent where the Newington Priory had just become a very popular destination for Henry as well as for those who opposed him.
Not that the de Lohrs opposed him yet, technically, but with this latest development, every man wondered if that wasn’t where the situation was heading.
Would they soon be at odds with the very king they had rescued from de Montfort, a man they were sworn to obey?
That was the question that no one seemed to have an answer to.