Edward Marston - The Hawks of Delamere

‘It has caused great upset.’

‘If the earl is not safe, then we are all at risk,’ said the other with sudden alarm. ‘To think that I walked through the streets alone this evening! I will not stir abroad without an armed guard in future.’

‘You are in no danger.’

‘I am, Gervase. So are you. So are we all.’

‘Stay calm.’

‘How can I when the whole city may be under threat?’

‘That is highly unlikely.’

‘Earl Hugh was all but assassinated this morning.’

‘It does not mean that we will all have our throats cut in our beds tonight,’ said Gervase reasonably. ‘A murderer who chooses to strike in the forest is unlikely to search for a second victim in a city which is so well guarded as this one. Besides, there may yet be another explanation. Suppose, for instance, that this Raoul Lambert was the intended target of the attack?’

‘Is that possible?’

‘We should certainly consider it.’

‘Indeed, we should,’ agreed the canon as curiosity slowly dispelled his apprehension. ‘Raoul Lambert may have had enemies about whom we do not even know. And I would hazard a guess that Welshmen would be numbered among them.’

‘Why do you say that?’

‘Because I have spent a long time perusing the documents relating to this dispute. The Church claims that Raoul Lambert appropriated land within the Forest of Delamere which was formerly part of its own estates. Without wishing to prejudge the case, I must say that the balance of evidence favours the Church.

However,’ continued Hubert, ransacking his memory, ‘Raoul Lambert had additional holdings. Outliers on the Welsh border.

Each one of his berewics is somewhat larger now than it was when the land was first granted to him.’

‘What would you wish me to infer?’

‘Nothing, Gervase. I trade in facts, not inferences. Draw what conclusions you may. Raoul Lambert was killed by a Welsh arrow.

He held property which spills over the Welsh border at three or four points. In my opinion, he has no legal right to portions of his outliers.’

‘So he could be a legitimate target for attack.’

‘Yes,’ confirmed Hubert. ‘All Norman soldiers are, in a sense, legitimate targets to the Welsh but this man may have a special interest for them.’ He ran a pensive hand across his chin. ‘There is another singularity which I observed.’

‘What is that?’

‘How did he come to have such extensive holdings?’

‘Earl Hugh favoured him.’

‘But why, Gervase? Raoul Lambert is a huntsman. He is not a leading baron in this county.’

‘Earl Hugh places great value on hunting.’

‘His other huntsmen have not been so generously treated. What sets this Raoul Lambert apart from the others? Why has he been permitted to enlarge his holdings by what appears to be a series of unjust seizures? What dread offence has he caused his Welsh neighbours, so that thoughts of murder may be prompted? And have there been any earlier attacks upon him?’

‘Searching questions, Canon Hubert.’

‘They demand answers.’

‘We will not get them from the earl himself.’

‘Why not?’

‘His mind is already made up,’ said Gervase. ‘He was the object of the assassination. That is his firm belief. And he may well be right. Earl Hugh was there. He felt that arrow whistle past him.

We have to trust to his instinct.’

‘Raoul Lambert is the one who lies in the mortuary.’

‘I have not forgotten that. The points which you raise must be examined, Canon Hubert. There may yet be some link between his death and his activities on the Welsh border. I will look further into it.’ He smiled and spread his arms. ‘Your study of those documents was not in vain at all. It has thrown up some intriguing facts. They may yet have a bearing on what took place in the forest this morning.’

Hubert preened himself. ‘I have always been thorough.’

‘We have gained from your thoroughness.’

‘Will you report all this to the lord Ralph?’

‘Naturally.’

‘I would not have it reach the ears of Earl Hugh.’

‘There is no chance of that,’ promised Gervase. ‘We would not even be able to speak to him. Earl Hugh was to have entertained us again this evening but he has excused himself in order to attend the meeting.’

‘What meeting?’

‘He is holding a council of war.’

It was a complete transformation. Men who had revelled in the hall on the previous evening now sat stern-faced round the oak table. Walls which had echoed to music and laughter now eavesdropped on earnest discussion. The air of celebration had been decisively supplanted by an atmosphere of high seriousness.

Important decisions were about to be taken.

Earl Hugh sat the head of the table. William Malbank, Robert Cook, Richard Vernon, Hamo of Mascy, Reginald Balliol, Bigot of Loges and Hugo of Delamere were in attendance.

Hugh’s voice was low but his eyes were ominously bright.

‘I will not suffer this humiliation,’ he said. ‘I wish to retaliate without delay.’

‘Against whom, my lord?’ asked William Malbank. ‘We do not know who shot that fateful arrow.’

‘A Welsh archer.’

‘Acting on whose authority?’

‘The followers of Gruffydd ap Cynan,’ said Hugh. ‘Because they cannot release their prince, they try to kill the man who holds him prisoner. Their motive is clear.’

‘I agree,’ said Hamo of Mascy. ‘Trouble is brewing. That arrow was but a warning of the battle that is to come.’

‘They will find us ready for them,’ vowed Hugh.

‘My men will be at your back, my lord,’ said Hamo.

Others were quick to offer their support as well but Malbank’s remained a dissenting voice. He looked round the table at the other barons and ignored the hostile stares which he was receiving.

‘You are very angry,’ he observed, ‘and you have every right to be so. What happened in the forest was unforgivable. Raoul Lambert was murdered by an assassin’s arrow which was destined for a much higher prize.’ He glanced at Hugh. ‘We must thank God that it missed its real target.’

There was loud endorsement for that comment. Hamo and Reginald Balliol both banged the table to indicate assent.

‘Earl Hugh was spared,’ continued Malbank.

‘In order to strike back at my enemies,’ said Hugh.

‘Yes, my lord, but do it in no spirit of anger. I feel as you and the others feel, but I school myself to hold back.’

‘What ails you, William? Cowardice?’

‘No!’ declared the other. ‘I will raise my sword as readily as any man in this room when I have reason to do so. But I will not strike out in blind anger and nor should you.’

‘What should we do?’ taunted Hamo. ‘Sue for peace?’

‘Identify our foe more carefully before we go to war.’

‘Wales is our foe.’

‘No, Hamo. Certain Welshmen, that is all. Let us make sure who they are before we launch any attack across the border.’

‘There is some sense in that,’ decided Bigot of Loges. ‘Commit ourselves too soon and we run the risk of spreading our forces across too wide a front. William Malbank is right. We should strike at the point where it would be most effective.’

‘In Wales,’ growled Hugh. ‘Left to me, I’d kill every man, woman and child in that accursed country! I’d wipe it completely off the map! How dare they try to assassinate me! I’ll be revenged on the whole lot of them!’

‘Choose the right target for that revenge,’ said Malbank.

‘I will. He languishes in my dungeon.’

Even Hamo opposed that course of action. ‘You must not kill their prince, my lord,’ he said with alarm. ‘He is our most valuable hostage. Lose him and we lose our major bulwark against the Welsh.’