Baron of the North (4 page)

I spoke gently to her for I could see the anger in her face. "Were you from the village of Elsdon?"

She shook her head, "No, my lord, a village far to the east. They killed my husband and my son and took us.  We had little enough but they took it anyway."

The girl looked up, "They killed my dog.  Why did they do that?" Her mother put her arm around her and pulled her in tightly.

"You will be safe now.  We will take you to Otterburn Tower."

The woman shook her head, "And then what?  What can two women do there?  The Scots will come again.  Better we had died with our men than live as slaves or worse. We will not stay at Otterburn!"

I had no answer for her but she set me to thinking. I nudged Scout forward.  I was weary but I had to keep alert. The woman was correct in one respect; the worst thing I could do would be to abandon these people in Otterburn.  She had not been scathing about my fatuous comment but she would have been justified had she done so.  What was I thinking? Abandon these people and impose them on others who were as poor as they were and in just as much danger?  I could not do that. The King had appointed me protector of this land. I would have to use my mind to come up with a solution.

It was after dawn when we reached Otterburn; we were all exhausted and weary. Oswald and my men had been preparing for our arrival and they had a fire going and food which they had hunted. I waved him over, "Oswald you were a captive for many years; these women need care. You will understand their needs better than I. Look after them for me."

He dropped to a knee, "It will be an honour, my lord!"

I took off my helmet. "John, get this armour off me.  I will bathe in this river."

The captives look on in amusement as I stripped down to my undergarments and stepped into the icy river. The cold was soon replaced by refreshment. It awoke me and made me less weary. Harold and Edward joined me leaving a bemused Tristan to shake his head.  He would learn. "We need to leave before noon."

"The men are tired and some have wounds, Baron."

"I know, Harold, but we must end this sooner.  If word gets out that we are in this valley then they will be prepared. It is why I sent for Baron Hexham.  His men will be fresh and might give us the edge we need. We will leave any wounded here to protect the captives and we will only take the fittest of palfreys."

Edward rose from the water and headed for the bank.  "And what do we do with the captives?"

"Is my mind that easy to read?"

"I know you, Baron. You worry o'er much about people."

"We will let any who wish to either stay here or return to Elsdon. The rest can return with us to Stockton." Edward nodded. "It is the Christian thing to do and in all conscience I cannot abandon them."

Leofric helped to dress me while John put an edge on my sword and my dagger.  We were six men at arms and two archers weaker following our attack. It could have been worse but it meant we relied upon Sir Hugh Manningham bringing his forces to aid us. Gilbert told me that the fastest route would take us back through Elsdon.  It could not be helped.  "Have the men at arms take a lance each. They may be useful if we are to catch them on the road." We had just over twenty miles to cover and we were well mounted. It was fortunate that we had brought so many arrows for we would need them.

Aiden went ahead to scout for us while one of Dick's archers went the longer route south to find the men of Hexham. Enough of the men at Otterburn had been to Morpeth to give me an idea of its defences. It relied on a small hill and the river to protect itself. The bridge, if they were warned of our approach, could be held. I counted on Garth being able to reach the castle and alert the defenders.

Aiden returned when we were just five miles from Morpeth. He had a grim face. "Baron the castle is barred to them but they have burned many of the farms and manors which stood around the castle and they have captives." He pointed to the north, "They are riding back to Berwick."

"Which road do they take?"

"They are heading up the coast road."

That worried me.  Was Alnwick held? "Can we save time by cutting across country?"

"I believe we can take the road to Ugham.  I saw a Roman road marker back there, Baron."

I had to detach another archer to fetch Sir Hugh and his men to join us. My only hope was that those heading north would be slowed down by the captives and if we could attract their attention then Sir Hugh might actually reach us. We only had to travel a mile or so off the road and we were soon making good progress. The land here had been cleared and some of the fields were ploughed while others were for pasture. We found the first body just five miles up the road. It was an older woman. Perhaps she could not keep up but whatever the reason she had her life ended by a spear thrust into her side.  It pained us but we could not afford to bury her.  We had the living to consider.

We were close to the bridge over the Coquet when Aiden spotted them.  He had spurned the road in favour of the higher ground to the west.  "They have stopped at the bridge, Baron."

"How many are there?"

I hoped that they had lost some during their march south. "There are six knights, four squires and ten men at arms.  They have ten crossbows and the rest are foot soldiers although some of them ride."

Edward nodded, "The captured horses."

"How many captives?"

"There look to be thirty or so.  This time they have some young men with them.  It looks like they have them driving the cattle and the sheep."

"Dick, take the archers and find some high ground.  I want the men with crossbows taking out." He nodded and led his small band north.  "We will try to use our one advantage."

"What is that Baron?"

"Lances, Tristan. We have just five fewer mailed men than they do.  If we can surprise them then we might cause enough damage to slow them down and Sir Hugh can join us."

It sounded flimsy even to me but they nodded as though it was sound advice.  John and Leofric had barely begun to train with lances.  John was powerful and I hoped that his strength would outweigh his lack of skill. The road on which we travelled was the old Roman Road which went north. It was unerringly straight but, more importantly, it had a good surface and would be wide enough, between the ditches, for us to have four knights and three squires in the first rank, then the men at arms and John and Leofric would bring up the rear. John was carrying my banner.  This time they would know whom they faced.

We reached the top of the rise leading down to the bridge.  They were a little slow to react to us and we had cantered fifty feet before we saw the panic begin.  I spied the blue standard with two yellow stars and fleur de lys.  It was Fitzwaller.  He was there.  The men at arms all wore his livery while the others looked to be Scottish knights.  I stored that information. Fitzwaller was organising his knights and men at arms to face us.  He waved and his crossbowmen and foot soldiers spread out on either side.  We trotted easily down the gentle slope and we were soon just two hundred paces from them. Fitzwaller put his horses in a line and had a single line of spearmen before him.  He had been fooled.  He had thought we had no archers.

At one hundred and twenty paces we lowered our lances and Dick's archers targeted the crossbows. The Flemish mercenaries were waiting until the range was close enough to puncture our mail and they paid for the delay with their lives. Dick and his archers could release a large number of arrows very quickly and they had a big target at which to aim. At fifty paces I spurred Scout on. Dick and his archers concentrated upon the left flank of Fitzwaller's line.  That way he would not risk hitting us and he would weaken one flank.

Horses will not charge a solid line of men and this was a solid line.  Those who rode with me knew that. At five paces we pulled back on our reins so that our horses slowed and then, we jerked their heads up to make them rear as we lunged forward as one with our lances. Our weapons were longer than those held by the foot soldiers.  Those who were not speared tried to flee but were prevented by the horsemen behind.  The thin line of spearmen died quickly.

"Change!" We had practised this manoeuvre many times. The knights and squires peeled off to ride back along the ditch while the men at arms charged the horsemen.  With no spears to protect them the second attack of lances all struck targets.  Four men at arms fell mortally wounded while another three reeled back from the onslaught.

"Fall back!"

There was little point in risking casualties for we now held the advantage. As we moved back up the road and some of the more foolish Scots tried to pursue us they were cut down by Dick's arrows. Fitzwaller led the retreat across the bridge.

"Regroup!"

"Baron, Gille and Hugh have been wounded!"

"Leofric see to them.  John, join us in the front rank. Who has an unbroken lance?"

Roger of Lincoln rode up, "Here Baron, I found flesh and not mail."

With an unbroken lance I led my horse down the road.  The bridge was a maelstrom of chaos and confusion. The horses had crossed but those on foot were crowded as they tried to escape from my archers deadly missiles.  Dick's arrows continued to rain death. We struck the stragglers piecemeal. Some threw themselves into the Coquet to escape the snapping jaws of our horses and our deadly spears. We did not wait to finish them off.  I wanted to destroy this war band's will to fight.

I heard a horn behind and, glancing over my shoulder, saw the conroi of Sir Hugh Manningham as they thundered down the road to our aid.  It was as well for our horses were spent. I finally broke my spear on a Scot who tried to use his shield to defend himself.  The spear spun the shield around and broke as it entered his chest and caught on his baldric. He was the last man I killed that day. I reined in Scout. He was sweating heavily. I waited for Sir Hugh and his men to join me.

"A timely arrival, Sir Hugh." I pointed ahead of me, "My horses are spent."

"Do not fear, Baron, we will chase them back beyond the border."

"Do not risk your men.  This Fitzwaller is no fool and I fear Alnwick has fallen too."

He nodded, "Aye Baron.  Your commands will be obeyed." He and his horsemen galloped off.  The fresher legs of his horses showed as they began to gain on the fleeing Scots.

"Wulfric, finish off the wounded and collect the coins from the dead." He waved, dismounted and took off his helmet.

I took off my helmet and allowed the coif to drop too. Edward joined me.  He dismounted and began to tend the cut on his horse's neck, "Damned barbarians!"

"We were lucky there, Edward."

"I know." He glanced to the top of the hill, "I wonder how Gille is?"

He had lost one squire before and it had upset him deeply. "Edgar will tend to him and he is a good healer." Once again I regretted not bringing a priest with me.

Dick and his archers rode up. "Dick get the captives and animals; head back to Morpeth.  We will clear up here and follow you."

"Aye, Baron."

"And Dick, once again your archers made the difference. We must try to get a few more."

He shook his head, "I fear it takes too many years to make a good archer and those from Sherwood are now but a distant memory."

"This winter travel the manor and seek any yeomen who have the potential.  Your archers are the difference up here in this border country."

"I will do so, Baron."

I watched the captives nod and mumble their gratitude as they headed south.  They would know how close they had come to a life as a slave. They were more fortunate than the people of Elsdon.  Here Fitzwaller had kept some of the men alive to care for the animals. The rescued captives had disappeared over the hill when I saw the first flames flicker around the pyre of the dead raiders. With winter coming it would not do to tempt the wolves down from the hills for easy pickings. We mounted and made our way back up the hill. I saw that Gille and Hugh were alive and both were heavily bandaged.

Edgar was washing the blood from his hands. "They are both lucky but they will need Father Matthew's hands and some rest.  They will not fight again this campaign, Baron."

Hugh tried to rise but his heavily bandaged leg would not support his weight, "I protest, Baron! I will do my duty!"

"And your duty is to obey me! Put them both on a cart. They return to Stockton and Father Matthew." My voice had been forceful and I smiled to soften the blow. "Do not worry Hugh and Gille, I have a task for the two of you."

We stayed at Morpeth where we were greeted and treated as heroes. I did not relax until I saw the banners of Sir Hugh and his conroi return from the north. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that they only led one horse. Sir Hugh shook his head as he dismounted, "You were right Baron.  He is a sneaky bastard.  Alnwick has fallen and we might have ridden into an ambush close to the Aln but for your warning.  I lost my scout only.  Do we try to take Alnwick back?"

"We have neither the men nor the time.  This and your castle are now the border. Next spring I will bring a battle and we will try to retake Alnwick. When the cold comes and I return south you and your men will need to ensure that Morpeth and the road to the New Castle are safe."

He nodded. "And where will you and your men stay while you are here?"

I shook my head ruefully, "We will wear out saddles riding twixt Otterburn and here.  I have no doubt that they will send spies to see if we have left.  I will make my handful of men an army."

It was a day later when we returned, weary, to Otterburn. I saw relief on the faces of the former captives and the residents of the tower. We arrived in late afternoon for I had not wanted to push the weary animals too much.  We had also been hampered by having our wounded squires in carts.

I used one of the carts as a platform and I addressed the host before me. "We have driven the Scottish raiders hence and I cannot see them returning this year."

There was a cheer at that.  The woman whose daughter had been assaulted said, "That is all well and good, my lord but what about next year? Will they return again?"

I nodded, "Probably.  The Romans tried to build a wall and even that is south of here. There are good knights such as Sir Hugh Manningham who will try to deter them but…"

One of the men of Otterburn said, "We could improve our own defences here. The tower is strong."

"That is a good idea and, while we remain here, my men and I will help you."