Read Online Enemy at the Gate by Griff Hosker - Free Book Online

says they are moving east.  The Scots are coming over the high passes."
    "He watches them?"
    "Aye lord.  He says if you do not see him before you see the Scots then they are heading for Barnard."
    Aiden would only be seen if he chose to be seen. We would not reach Barnard before dark and so I headed for Gainford.  Sir Hugh's old castle was still manned and we could defend it if I was wrong. If the Scots decided to pass Barnard Castle then they would come down the river and attack Stockton.
    As I walked around the camp I spoke with as many of my men as I could.  My father had taught me to do so.  He had told me that you must know the hearts of the men you led. It had proved a successful strategy in the past. Those with whom I had never fought always asked me about the legends which surrounded me.  I told them the truth.  They were still impressed which I did not understand.
    We broke camp and headed west.  I sent two of Dick's archers south of the river in case there were Scottish scouts there.  If there were then that meant they were heading for Stockton. As we travelled along the old Roman Road I remembered when we  had taken the castle from Barnard de Balliol.  I had seen how it could be taken and I had to learn from that. Barnard de Balliol had fled before he could be taken. Like De Brus he was a wily adversary.  In those days he had allied with the Scots; now he had fled to Stephen of Blois. Men like that were dangerous for you never knew their true allegiance.
    It was just eight miles to the castle and we reached it by noon. Hugh opened his gates to welcome us. My two archer scouts crossed the bridge from the west and reported no signs of the Scots south of the river.  While my men set up camp close by the town I held a council of war.
    "We will have every archer within the walls of the castle.  This is too good a vantage point to waste.  We will keep all the horsemen, including yours, Sir Hugh outside the castle walls. We will hold the horses in the woods to the east of the castle.  When Aiden reports their presence then we will take down our camp and wait in the woods."
    Sir Hugh nodded, remembering our earlier conversation. "You intend to wait until they attack our east gate."
    I nodded, "Once he is committed then our knights and men at arms can fall upon them and wreak havoc. Their men at arms will be on foot trying to take the walls."
    Sir Edward, like me, had fought the Scots his whole life, "I still worry that he will take the route south of the river.  The road is not as good as this one but the whole of England would lie before him. He could advance as far as York and that, my lord, is an even greater prize than either Barnard Castle or Stockton for it houses the Archbishop."
    "And you are right.  It is why we camp here.  As you said, Sir Edward, the road is better north of the river.  We can be at Gainford in an hour.  From there we can head south and cut him off close to the junction of the two Roman Roads, hard by Northallerton. In many ways I hope he does just that for our valley will be safe and we can trap them between the Archbishop and his men and ours."
    Sir Edward bowed to me, "I should have known that all was well thought out, lord."
    The enemy did not make an appearance for two more days.  Aiden rode in late one night looking weary.  "The Scots come my lord.  This night they camp just four miles away at the old Roman fort by the farm of Bowes. I estimate that they have the banners of twenty knights.  I saw few archers but there was a company of Flemish crossbows. Half of their men at arms were mounted.  Their army is in excess of four hundred." He paused.  "The King is not with them.  They have that fat slug Gospatric with them and the Earl of Moray's banner was amongst them."
    Bowes farm and the old Roman fort of Lavatrae was the point at which the road forked.  One road came to the castle but the other headed towards the Great Road in the east.
    "Do you know if they