The Queen From Provence - Plaidy Jean. Страница 70

‘A simple plan,’ said Edward. ‘Will it work?’

‘It is for you, my lord, to make it.’

‘I will,’ cried Edward. ‘By God I will.’

It was working. They believed him. He had always been interested in horses.

He would test them, he said. They would have a wager as to which of the five – their four and his – were the best. He insisted that they race with him. Round and round the castle they went. He contrived to finish neck and neck with one or two of them and insisted that they race again … all five of them.

To the guards it seemed as good a way of passing the time as any. Their horses would be tired out but the day was almost over and they could go straight to their stables.

Edward won the race. The horses were sweating and fit for little.

‘Poor old fellow,’ said Edward, patting his. ‘You have had enough, I’ll warrant. Never mind. You have done well and shall rest.’

The guards were leading their horses towards the stables; Edward was with them.

He lagged behind and then turning his horse suddenly made his way towards the thicket a short distance from where they had run their races.

His heart beat wildly with hope for there was Roger Mortimer as had been arranged. He was seated on a horse and holding another – strong, fresh, ready for fast riding.

Edward said: ‘Thank God.’ And leaped into the saddle.

‘Which way?’ he said.

‘Follow me, my lord.’

In a few seconds he was galloping away to safety.

In Ludlow the Earl of Gloucester was waiting for him.

The Earl received him with great respect and congratulated him on his escape.

‘My lord,’ he said, ‘there are many barons in the country who would be ready to serve with you. They are still against the King but if you would give certain promises I am sure that they would be ready to follow you.’

‘You do not think I would go against my father?’

‘You mistake me, my lord. They would merely wish you to give certain assurances and would ask you to persuade your father to stop acting in a manner which has brought about this rebellion. The people want the good and ancient laws brought back and obeyed. They want an abolition of those evil customs which recently have overtaken the kingdom. Aliens must be removed from the realm and from the council. They must not be allowed to retain the castles which have been bestowed on them, nor take part in the government. All we ask, my lord, is that England be governed once more by Englishmen. If you are victorious, if you defeat de Montfort, would you bring this about? If you will give your solemn word, I can promise you the help of powerful lords.’

‘I swear it,’ said Edward.

‘Then I will summon a council of those who would be prepared to work with you.’

‘Pray do this,’ cried Edward.

It was gratifying to be joined by Hugh Bigod and Earl Warrenne.

Edward was in fine spirits. He was free. He was bent on victory. He was determined to learn from his earlier mistakes that nothing of that nature would happen again.

With a good army – for more and more barons were coming to his aid – he took possession of the country along by the Severn and destroyed the bridges so that de Montfort’s army was cut off. He knew that de Montfort’s son, the younger Simon, was raising an army in London where there would be plenty of volunteers to come against the King and his endeavour was to stand between the de Montfort armies and to prevent their joining up.

News came that young Simon was on the march and had reached Kenilworth. Now the position seemed to have changed and instead of Edward’s splitting the two de Montfort armies, he was caught between them which was not an enviable position to be in.

But there was some good news. The Queen, as indefatigable in her efforts as ever, had succeeded in raising an army and was waiting at the French coast for the weather to allow it to cross the Channel. The gales at this time made the journey impossible, but it was a comfort to know that it was there.

While he was in his tent with Thomas de Clare, Mortimer and Warrenne going over the possibilities of attacking the de Montfort armies and carefully considering the position in which they found themselves between Simon de Montfort the elder and the younger, and Edward was saying that they must not act rashly, remembering how the loss of the battle of Lewes was due to him, a woman was brought into the camp.

A camp follower! Edward wondered why she should beg to be taken to him!

The woman was tall, and her face was hidden by a hood so that it was not easy to see whether she was handsome or not. Edward had no desire to dally with women. He had given up his amorous adventurings when he had settled down with his wife; moreover thoughts of military matters now occupied his mind.

‘Who is this woman,’ he demanded, ‘and why do you bring her to me?’

‘She calls herself Margot, my lord,’ said the guard who had brought her in, ‘and she begs to have word with you.’

‘For what purpose?’ cried Edward and was about to order her to be removed when he remembered afresh his rashness at Lewes.

‘Leave her with us,’ he said, and the guard retired.

‘Pray state your business,’ said Edward.

Margot removed the cloak. It was immediately obvious that this was no woman.

‘My lord,’ said ‘Margot’, ‘I pray you hear me. I would serve the King and your noble self. I come from Kenilworth.’

‘Ah,’ said Edward. ‘Say on.’

‘The traitor de Montfort has commanded his son to attack you. He intends to squeeze you between the two armies.’

‘That we know well.’

‘My lord, the army at Kenilworth is not as disciplined as that of the elder de Montfort. They are not expecting attack. They are waiting for the signal from the elder de Montfort, then they will advance and begin the battle. At night they are not well guarded. They leave their horses and their weapons unattended. It would be a simple matter to creep up on them after dark and destroy them.’

Edward looked at his friends.

‘There seems sense in this.’

‘Do we trust this man?’ asked Edward.

‘My lord, I came here … risking my life for the King. If you do not believe me then do not act on my advice. Let me stay here your prisoner until you have proved my loyalty.’

Edward was on the point of rewarding the man and sending him on his way but again he remembered his rashness at Lewes.

‘Let us do this,’ he said. ‘If we find you are indeed our friend, you shall be rewarded.’

A dark night. The castle was silent. Only here and there on the battlements a torch flickered. Slowly, silently, Edward and a picked force crept forward. A little way behind was the bulk of the army ready for attack.

‘Margot’ had not lied. The de Montfort troops were taken completely by surprise. All those on guard in the castle were taken within half an hour, including their weapons. Those in their beds in the castle were caught without their clothes let alone their armour.

Many were slaughtered. A few escaped and one who did, to Edward’s regret, was Simon de Montfort the younger.

Saddened, disillusioned, beaten by his own carelessness he, with a few of his followers, was able to reach the stables and ride off to safety.

For Edward and his friends this was a triumph which almost effaced the disgrace of Lewes. Moreover there was now only one army to be faced.

He sent for ‘Margot’ and told him that he could name his reward to which he was answered simply that all that was asked was the chance to serve under the lord Edward.

Edward clasped his hands.

‘You are my friend,’ he said, ‘for as long as you care for that friendship.’