consider myself a coward and yet when I faced those berserkers at Stamford Bridge then I feared them as any warrior who faced an enemy who is unafraid of dying. Or are you not afraid of death?”
He looked confused. “Why should I die? I am a Norman knight and no man is my equal.”
Aethelward spoke. “I heard that Harold’s Housecarls slaughtered many Norman knights at Senlac Hill which means they were your equal for they were outnumbered and still held off many charges.”
His hand went to his sword and Morcar nervously interrupted. “Come let us not rake over old wounds. Not with Danes on the horizon. Take your hands from your swords I command it.”
He sounded like a petulant child and I smiled and spread my arms. “It is not we who have our hands on our weapons my lord for we understand the laws of hospitality. Perhaps Norman knights are not taught such manners.”
William reddened and, without bowing to the Earl, stormed out, followed by his countrymen. His lack of respect for the Earl worried me as did his presence. Morcar looked at the door ruefully. “Well that could have gone better.”
Aethelward looked at the courtiers and then back at Morcar. Morcar was many things but stupid and slow were not characteristics of that Earl and he waved away his courtiers. “Osbert, guard the door.”
Earl Morcar looked worried. I smiled. “Your life is not in danger brother but we would not be surprised or overheard.”
Relieved he relaxed in his chair as Aethelward leaned forwards. “Why did you and your brother submit?”
He looked shocked. “A little blunt Aethelward.”
“But understandable, yes?”
He inclined his head. “There was no support for a rebellion and we thought to bide our time. You and your Thegns are the only opposition to the Normans.”
“I hear Harold’s mother in Exeter and the rebels at Hereford would disagree with you.”
“They are little more than armed mobs. They cannot stand up to cavalry.” Now we had it, they did not fight because they thought they would lose.
I stared into his eyes looking for a lie. “And did you have aught to do with the attempt on the Queen’s life?”
As I said Morcar was generally an honest man and the look of surprise and shock on his face convinced me that he was speaking the truth. “Someone tried to kill the Queen? When? Where?”
“Here, last year.”
He sagged back into his seat. “I did not know. I had nothing to do with it I promise you.”
“I believe you. The question is what can we do now and what are the Normans doing here?”
He looked uncomfortable and squirmed a little in his seat. “The King sent them here to ensure my safety.”
Aethelward looked as shocked as I had ever seen him. “Protection? From your own people?”
“I know.” He paused and looked at the ceiling. “I think they are my guards. Edwin has some with him and Edgar others. The King does not trust us.”
There was an uncomfortable silence in the room. Aethelward sat on the other chair close to Morcar’s. “Then my lord you have a choice. Continue to be the prisoner of William and enjoy your empty title or join with us and throw off the shackles.”
It was then that I realised that he was afraid. He had not had the success in war and battle that Ridley and I had enjoyed. To him war meant humiliation and retreat. He did not think we could win and could not be the figurehead we wanted. I suspected that the same was true of his brother and, as Edgar was still barely a man, we were no better off. I caught my uncle’s eye and nodded towards the door.
“Well my lord we will take our leave. What do you intend to do about the Danes?”
His voice sounded dull and without life, as though he knew that he would remain a prisoner, he was a bird in a gilded cage, but a cage nonetheless. “I will have men watch the coast and light beacons.”
As we were leaving I turned and said,
He looked confused. “Why should I die? I am a Norman knight and no man is my equal.”
Aethelward spoke. “I heard that Harold’s Housecarls slaughtered many Norman knights at Senlac Hill which means they were your equal for they were outnumbered and still held off many charges.”
His hand went to his sword and Morcar nervously interrupted. “Come let us not rake over old wounds. Not with Danes on the horizon. Take your hands from your swords I command it.”
He sounded like a petulant child and I smiled and spread my arms. “It is not we who have our hands on our weapons my lord for we understand the laws of hospitality. Perhaps Norman knights are not taught such manners.”
William reddened and, without bowing to the Earl, stormed out, followed by his countrymen. His lack of respect for the Earl worried me as did his presence. Morcar looked at the door ruefully. “Well that could have gone better.”
Aethelward looked at the courtiers and then back at Morcar. Morcar was many things but stupid and slow were not characteristics of that Earl and he waved away his courtiers. “Osbert, guard the door.”
Earl Morcar looked worried. I smiled. “Your life is not in danger brother but we would not be surprised or overheard.”
Relieved he relaxed in his chair as Aethelward leaned forwards. “Why did you and your brother submit?”
He looked shocked. “A little blunt Aethelward.”
“But understandable, yes?”
He inclined his head. “There was no support for a rebellion and we thought to bide our time. You and your Thegns are the only opposition to the Normans.”
“I hear Harold’s mother in Exeter and the rebels at Hereford would disagree with you.”
“They are little more than armed mobs. They cannot stand up to cavalry.” Now we had it, they did not fight because they thought they would lose.
I stared into his eyes looking for a lie. “And did you have aught to do with the attempt on the Queen’s life?”
As I said Morcar was generally an honest man and the look of surprise and shock on his face convinced me that he was speaking the truth. “Someone tried to kill the Queen? When? Where?”
“Here, last year.”
He sagged back into his seat. “I did not know. I had nothing to do with it I promise you.”
“I believe you. The question is what can we do now and what are the Normans doing here?”
He looked uncomfortable and squirmed a little in his seat. “The King sent them here to ensure my safety.”
Aethelward looked as shocked as I had ever seen him. “Protection? From your own people?”
“I know.” He paused and looked at the ceiling. “I think they are my guards. Edwin has some with him and Edgar others. The King does not trust us.”
There was an uncomfortable silence in the room. Aethelward sat on the other chair close to Morcar’s. “Then my lord you have a choice. Continue to be the prisoner of William and enjoy your empty title or join with us and throw off the shackles.”
It was then that I realised that he was afraid. He had not had the success in war and battle that Ridley and I had enjoyed. To him war meant humiliation and retreat. He did not think we could win and could not be the figurehead we wanted. I suspected that the same was true of his brother and, as Edgar was still barely a man, we were no better off. I caught my uncle’s eye and nodded towards the door.
“Well my lord we will take our leave. What do you intend to do about the Danes?”
His voice sounded dull and without life, as though he knew that he would remain a prisoner, he was a bird in a gilded cage, but a cage nonetheless. “I will have men watch the coast and light beacons.”
As we were leaving I turned and said,
Similar Books
