Michael JECKS - The Oath

‘With respect, madame, I cannot. He has been granted a royal pardon.’

Emma opened her mouth to speak, but for a moment no words would come. Then, ‘I think I must have misheard you, sir. A fellow who has killed two women, a babe and an innocent bottler and his master, cannot be granted his freedom. He is a convicted felon, and should pay the price for his crime.’

‘The King has himself granted the pardon. There is nothing I can do, madame.’

‘It is not possible that a man with such a heinous record could be released!’

‘The King has need of any man who can wield a sword or bill, madame. I am very sorry, but that is all there is to the matter. The Squire is free and his past crimes are forgiven, in exchange for which he will be required to serve his King once more.’

Emma stood. ‘I consider this an insult to the whole city of Bristol!’

‘I do not expect you to comprehend the necessity, madame,’ Sir Laurence said. ‘All I can do is apologise for the distress you clearly feel. Has this fellow offended you personally?’

‘No! That is not the point. My maid was in the house when he rampaged through it and killed all those people. Now she sees him strutting around in the street with his men – the very man who stood with gore on his sword and threatened to murder her in her turn! How can she possibly feel safe here again? She is a weak woman, sir, perhaps only of low birth, but a decent, obedient maid for all that. Her ease of mind is taken from her, and so is mine. Can you not have him held?’

‘No. I am afraid I cannot.’

Emma stood and stared at him. ‘So any felon may be released from the gaol, so far as you are concerned?’

‘Madame, as I have explained, I have no authority to deny the King’s decisions,’ Sir Laurence said patiently. ‘I assure you, if I could, I would have held him here longer. I have no love of homicides.’

‘Your assurances mean little to me while that man and his friends walk the streets.’

Near Amesbury

Simon bent low, his world encircled by noise: the snap of his cloak in the wind, the squeals of terror from his son, the snorting of his rounsey’s breath, the clatter and crash of his horse’s hooves on the stones of the road… but now he could sense the beast’s energy draining away. The poor beast had already covered half the day’s ride without a break, yet despite that, the creature was doing all he might, exerting himself as never before. Simon knew, however, that the chase would be lost.

Simon Puttock had been an officer of the law, a Bailiff, and had fought often enough. On Dartmoor he had chased murderers, even large gangs of outlaws, and killed when he needed. There had been moments of fear, it was true, but in the main he reckoned he’d been courageous enough.

This was different. He had his wife and son to protect. He was aware of a curious tightening of his scalp, as though it was readying itself for a crushing blow from a mace or axe, and he knew only the terror that here, today, he would see his last surviving son die at another man’s hand.

The fear lent new urgency to his frantic spurring of his mount, and the rounsey seemed to gather himself and pound onwards, as if the beast too realised the enormous danger of their position. Simon ducked to avoid a low branch, and risked a glance over his shoulder. The nearest man was a scant two yards away, a heavy-set fellow with black hair and a roughly-stubbled chin. He wore a green tunic, much patched, but it was not his clothing that held Simon’s attention: it was the long sword in his hand.

And then Simon’s mount stumbled. A momentary lapse, that was all, and suddenly the sword was within striking distance. Simon knew he was done for: he couldn’t get away fast enough, not with his poor rounsey flagging. Then the man was almost level, and Simon saw the sword flash, the blade slashing at his cloak, but by a miracle missing his torso.

It was at that moment, when he was about to lose all hope, clinging to Perkin, who was sobbing now in his panic, that Simon saw salvation lurch into view: Hugh.

His servant rode with an expression of grim truculence, heading straight at the outlaw, and at the last instant, the fellow saw his danger. He jerked his reins, and his horse rode almost into Simon, missing by a mere half foot, while he stabbed with his sword at Hugh. But Hugh wasn’t close enough to be hurt. His horse hurtled past, more than two yards distant, with him wielding his staff like a lance. He held it firmly under his armpit, and the inch-thick timber struck the outlaw under the chin like a rock from a mangonel. Simon heard the man’s jaw shatter, an eruption of blood flying into the air. The fellow arced backwards over his horse’s rump, to hit the ground with a hideous thud that Simon could hear over his hoofbeats.

Hugh now turned his mount and came after Simon, but the others were almost on him. Simon bit his lip, wanting to turn and help his servant, but knowing if he were to do so, he would risk his son’s life. There were six men in close proximity, and Simon dared not turn back.

As he watched, he saw Hugh suddenly canter off to his right. One man in the pursuit seemed to waver in seeking this new quarry, but then he thundered off after Hugh. His beast was large, heavy, and not built for great speed, but he was a better rider than Hugh, Simon could tell, and he felt the fear assail him again, even as he saw Hugh suddenly stop his mount dead, swinging his staff in a circle. The man chasing him was slashed across the face, slamming his head back. Then more trees blocked Simon’s view, and he peered to where he could see Meg, with Rob riding a few yards behind. The boy looked like a sack of grain, both legs out-thrust, his entire body bouncing up and down with each of the pony’s movements. It was a miracle he hadn’t fallen off.

And then he saw his Meg stop and look back. Sweet Mary, Mother of God, she had stopped – she was calling to him!

Simon felt the breath catch in his throat, for to pause here was to die. The men were so close, they would surely catch them all, and Meg, his lovely Meg, would be raped and killed, her body plundered like Simon’s purse. At that instant, he was flooded by and uncontrollable rage. He would not submit and die without taking as many of these murderous lurdans with him as he could. Perkin would not be slain without Simon losing every drop of his own blood to defend him. Three, four, or more of their attackers would die first.

He forced his beast to slow, and then stop, pulling its head around to face back the way they had come. And now Simon took his son and kissed him quickly, about to set him gently down upon the ground, saying, ‘Perkin, my lovely boy, go to a tree and hide behind it.’

That was when the cries reached him. There was a swirling of dust from the road, a thunderous sound, and seven men-at-arms galloped past him, whooping and shrieking, two with lances couched, while the others bore heavy swords. They crashed into the outlaws, and Simon saw a fountain of blood rise through the dust that enfolded them, saw men tumbled from their horses, heard the whinnying of petrified beasts, the echo of axes against armour, the crunch of steel crushing bone.

The bloodlust suddenly left him, leaving him overwhelmed by a terrible exhaustion, and he had to force his fingers to keep hold of his son. It felt as though to drop him would be to lose him forever, and Simon knew he must not do that.

Near Hanham

He was still in pain as he left the priest’s little home, but Robert Vyke couldn’t remain there any longer. He hobbled along the roadway with a large stick to serve as a staff, looking about him carefully.