Read Online Wolf Wood (Part Two): The Dangerous years by Mike Dixon - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mike Dixon
Tags: Romance, Historical, Magic, Witches, sorcery, middle ages, Knights, heresy, family feuds, war of the roses
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brought forward. If the charging horsemen saw them, it was now too late. Once started, their sort of manoeuvre was impossible to reverse.
At a hundred paces, the gunners stood poised with their smouldering cords. All now depended on the powder. A batch had deteriorated and Robin had expressed concern about it. If the present batch was defective, William was doomed and Guy's fury would know no mercy.
At fifty paces, the gunners applied their cords and the cannons fired. A hail of grapeshot cut through the air and reduced the charging ranks to a mess of flaying hooves and shattered bodies. The archers on the walls let fly with a few shots but were not needed. The first wave of attackers had been devastated.
But the fighting was not over. As a few survivors limped back to the French lines, another wave of attackers was unleashed. This time, the postern gate was opened and the captives were bundled through. The archers on the wall put down a hail of fire. More French fell and the whole bloody episode finally came to an end when William's men retreated into the City.
On the other side of the wall, a French horseman approached under a white flag. Alice saw the postern gate open and a similar flag emerge. It was carried by Robin. He advanced towards the Frenchman and they began to parley. Robin returned and stretcher bearers came out from the French lines to care for their dead and injured.
***
Harald waited for Commander Gough to return from the guardhouse. He wondered if he was under suspicion. William was his nephew and he had flaunted Gough's authority. Footsteps on the stairs caused him to stiffen. The commander entered and slumped on a bench with his back to the wall. He looked tired. Over twenty years campaigning had taken a toll on his health. He waited to catch his breath before speaking.
'He's a fine young man you brought here.'
Harald could hardly believe his ears. His mind was on William. It was the last thing he expected to hear. Then he realised the commander was talking about Robin.
'Perry restored order with two shots. If it had not been for him, the situation would have got completely out of hand.'
'You mean when he shot those men?'
'Aye. He took decisive action when others were too scared to challenge those upstarts. But for him we could have lost control. I've questioned witnesses and they all give the same account.'
'There was a confrontation with my nephew.'
'Aye. Perry told him he would have to stay out there as bait for the French. There were cannon waiting to slice them up. He said they'd have to hold out as best they could.'
'That would not have ingratiated him with William.'
'No. It did not,' the commander chuckled. 'He was foaming at the mouth when I questioned him. I've rarely seen such rage in a human being.'
Commander Gough paused, waiting for a response. Harald hated to speak about his family. For a while he had been free of them. Now they had invaded his life again. Mercifully, his father had died of his wounds. But Guy and William were still hanging around. Eventually, he found words.
'My ... my nephew is possessed by devils.' His stutter returned. 'It is the curse of my family. We lived in a place called Wolf Wood and have come to behave like the beast.'
'You are surly not speaking about yourself.'
'I don't know.' Harald placed his head in his hands. 'My whole life has been spent trying to get away from them. No matter what I do ... I cannot shake them off.'
'You stand to inherit a lot of money now that your father is dead. He owns property in Bordeaux and you are his eldest son and heir.'
'Aye,' Harald sighed. 'That is my curse.'
'In what way?'
'As eldest son, I stand in the way of my younger brother.'
'You mean Guy?'
'Aye. He has lost a fortune in England. He will have his eyes on the Bordeaux estate.'
The commander nodded thoughtfully then seemed to change the subject. 'Before your father died, he asked to speak to me. I went to his bed and found him quite lucid. He told
At a hundred paces, the gunners stood poised with their smouldering cords. All now depended on the powder. A batch had deteriorated and Robin had expressed concern about it. If the present batch was defective, William was doomed and Guy's fury would know no mercy.
At fifty paces, the gunners applied their cords and the cannons fired. A hail of grapeshot cut through the air and reduced the charging ranks to a mess of flaying hooves and shattered bodies. The archers on the walls let fly with a few shots but were not needed. The first wave of attackers had been devastated.
But the fighting was not over. As a few survivors limped back to the French lines, another wave of attackers was unleashed. This time, the postern gate was opened and the captives were bundled through. The archers on the wall put down a hail of fire. More French fell and the whole bloody episode finally came to an end when William's men retreated into the City.
On the other side of the wall, a French horseman approached under a white flag. Alice saw the postern gate open and a similar flag emerge. It was carried by Robin. He advanced towards the Frenchman and they began to parley. Robin returned and stretcher bearers came out from the French lines to care for their dead and injured.
***
Harald waited for Commander Gough to return from the guardhouse. He wondered if he was under suspicion. William was his nephew and he had flaunted Gough's authority. Footsteps on the stairs caused him to stiffen. The commander entered and slumped on a bench with his back to the wall. He looked tired. Over twenty years campaigning had taken a toll on his health. He waited to catch his breath before speaking.
'He's a fine young man you brought here.'
Harald could hardly believe his ears. His mind was on William. It was the last thing he expected to hear. Then he realised the commander was talking about Robin.
'Perry restored order with two shots. If it had not been for him, the situation would have got completely out of hand.'
'You mean when he shot those men?'
'Aye. He took decisive action when others were too scared to challenge those upstarts. But for him we could have lost control. I've questioned witnesses and they all give the same account.'
'There was a confrontation with my nephew.'
'Aye. Perry told him he would have to stay out there as bait for the French. There were cannon waiting to slice them up. He said they'd have to hold out as best they could.'
'That would not have ingratiated him with William.'
'No. It did not,' the commander chuckled. 'He was foaming at the mouth when I questioned him. I've rarely seen such rage in a human being.'
Commander Gough paused, waiting for a response. Harald hated to speak about his family. For a while he had been free of them. Now they had invaded his life again. Mercifully, his father had died of his wounds. But Guy and William were still hanging around. Eventually, he found words.
'My ... my nephew is possessed by devils.' His stutter returned. 'It is the curse of my family. We lived in a place called Wolf Wood and have come to behave like the beast.'
'You are surly not speaking about yourself.'
'I don't know.' Harald placed his head in his hands. 'My whole life has been spent trying to get away from them. No matter what I do ... I cannot shake them off.'
'You stand to inherit a lot of money now that your father is dead. He owns property in Bordeaux and you are his eldest son and heir.'
'Aye,' Harald sighed. 'That is my curse.'
'In what way?'
'As eldest son, I stand in the way of my younger brother.'
'You mean Guy?'
'Aye. He has lost a fortune in England. He will have his eyes on the Bordeaux estate.'
The commander nodded thoughtfully then seemed to change the subject. 'Before your father died, he asked to speak to me. I went to his bed and found him quite lucid. He told
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