Michael Jecks - The Outlaws of Ennor

Naked, with his hands bound behind him and his legs tied at the knee, Thomas, sat waiting for rescue, miserably wondering how he might explain this latest predicament to whoever discovered him.

There was no point in going to the shore to see the sails unfurling, the ship gradually heeling over and picking up speed. Tedia had seen enough ships in her life. For now, all she wanted was the peace of forgetfulness.

Bitter? Yes, she was bitter. She had managed to lose so much in so little time. First her potential lover, then her husband, and now her real lover. Sir Baldwin had not spoken to her since that last visit at Mariota’s house. He had said nothing more since then, as though he had made his use of her and had no further need. Perhaps he was happy enough to know that he had conquered, like so many men were. Once they had stormed a woman’s last bastion, they were prone to lose interest.

Perhaps she was unfair to think of Baldwin in that way; she felt sure that he was a kinder, more generous-spirited man than that, but whether he was or not, it made little difference to her. She was divorced, and there was no need for sad memories of past lovers. That wouldn’t bring in the harvest. No, she must work now that she was alone.

Mariota had suggested that they should live together in Mariota’s home, and Tedia had almost accepted her offer, but rejected it after consideration. Now, standing in her room again, watching the smoke wisp up from the little fire, she knew why. This was her home. It had become hers when she married Isok, and she couldn’t just run from it. She must make it work for her.

The memories would remain, though. No matter how hard she tried to forget Baldwin, she was sure that he’d always be there, whenever she lay back on her bed in the dark. It would be his kisses she dreamed of, his hands on her, his arms embracing her.

With a deep sigh, she collected up the vegetables to make a pottage, and she was so engrossed that she didn’t hear the knock at her door.

‘Mistress?’

‘Oh, my!’ she cried, a hand going to her breast to keep her heart in there as it threatened to leap from its moorings. ‘Who are you?’

The dark figure in the doorway bent slightly to enter under the lintel. It was the tall, brawny sailor from Ennor whom she had seen at the priory, the one who brought Thomas for questioning and had winked at her. He stood and glanced about him with a half-smile on his face. ‘Not a bad home.’

‘Should I be grateful for your approval?’ she bridled.

‘No, but I’d be glad if you were,’ he said.

She saw his grin, and then she saw his gaze drop and look over her appraisingly. It was like being assessed by a farmer buying a new cow, and she was about to tell him to leave her home and never return, when he winked at her and smiled broadly. ‘After all, you’re the most attractive woman on the islands, and I’d like to get to know you,’ he said.

Opening her mouth, she intended to tell him to leave, but then she found herself eyeing him in the same manner — and found that she liked what she saw.

Thus it was that she found herself, five months later, petitioning the new prior for the right to marry again. It was necessary by then, for the child was beginning to show.

The tavern was dark and grimy, with smoke from sea-coal laying a thick black deposit over every surface, but Isok felt at home.

It had taken him days to reach this place. His first intention of sailing westwards came to nothing, because the winds would not aid him. Instead he let the wind decide his course, and sailed north and east until at last he arrived here in Bristol. It was a thriving place, filled with inns which teemed with haggling merchants and buxom wenches who brought jugs for the sailors thronging them. Isok could only watch with astonishment, but his bulk soon won him companions. Within a few weeks he was paid and accepted the money to go and work with a merchant who had wines to collect in Guyenne. A long sail, but an easy one.

They left on a fine day, and made their way in stages down to the English territories. There they were to load the massive tuns of wine, furs and materials, before turning about and making their way back, but for Isok, much of the joy of the journey was lost on the early, outward section.

The winds took them easily around the western tip of Cornwall, then headed east along the coast of England until they arrived at Falmouth, where they took on fresh water and breads. It was there that the master was importuned by a priest.

‘Please, you must,’ Isok heard him say, but Isok was helping load the water, and could hear little of what was said. Still, at some point the master seemed to nod and grunt his consent, a small purse of money was passed to him, and soon afterwards, a man was led aboard.

Isok stared. He could be in no doubt. It was David. His hair was shaggy, he was dressed as a penitent in sackcloth and he looked as filthy and drawn as only a beggar can; but it was still David, and Isok felt his heart thrill to think that he would be able to speak to someone from his home again. He saw David being led ungently to the prow, and then Isok continued with his work, assured that he would later seek his old reeve, and ask what he was doing here.

The work was unremitting, and as soon as the stores were loaded, the ship was underway, so Isok had to climb up the ratlines to work on the sail, and because of the curious gusting winds, he had to keep climbing up and down for most of the rest of the day.

At one point, when the wind was blowing steadily, and Isok had some minutes of peace, he walked up to the prow. There he found David in a small metal chamber. ‘David?’ he asked. ‘Is that you?’

The face was David’s, but the eyes were those of a rabbit in the hound’s mouth, haunted and terrified. ‘Isok? Is it really you?’

‘Why are you dressed like this?’

‘I was found stealing bread,’ David said dully. ‘They called the hue and cry against me and I had to win sanctuary. They gave me my life provided I agreed to abjure the realm, so here I am. This was the first ship which would take me,’ he added bitterly.

‘Well, we’ll soon be in Guyenne,’ Isok said cheeringly.

David looked at him sourly and turned away. ‘ You may be. I’ll never get there.’

‘Why? What, are you ill?’

‘I was a pirate once, Isok.’

Isok knew that. Almost every man on St Nicholas had turned his hand to that ancient trade when fish were few and there was no food. ‘So?’

‘The master was on a ship I raided. He recognised me. Be glad you weren’t on that sailing, Isok,’ he added quietly, ‘because if you had been, you’d have been due for my end.’

‘I could free you …’

‘Try that and you’ll perish too,’ David said bitterly. ‘Just leave me.’

Isok could feel his heart swelling with sympathy. ‘I’m as guilty as you! I’ve raided ships as often. I could get the keys,’ he added hopefully.

‘And what? Both jump into the sea to drown?’ David snarled. ‘What’d be the point? Let me die. I’ve done the best I could for the vill … and for you. Remember me for that.’

‘You did kill the gather-reeve?’

‘Aye. Of course I did. There was no one else to make him stop sniffing around your wife, was there? You wouldn’t.’

‘I couldn’t. I hated it — and him — but how could I blame her for seeking a man when I was none? And I loathed him and wanted to kill him, but … he was only trying to do what she wanted him to.’

David looked at him a long time. ‘If I’d found a man getting his hand up Brosia’s skirts, I’d have cut it off for him; and sliced off his tarse and fed it to him. If she was my wife, she’d have regretted flaunting her arse at the nearest man. Sod it! Who cares! It was the same as that vain little prick of a priest. I killed him for that. He was trying to have a go at Tedia too, and I reckon he’d have had a go at Brosia the moment I wasn’t around. I don’t regret him dying either.’