Chapter 6

He left at dawn, before it actually. He travelled fast and light, putting plenty of distance between their hideaway and himself before he might be seen.

He arrived at a small village, where people just coming out of their hovels regarded him with fear. In war time, the wrong answer could always be risky.

“You! Where is the duke? Duke Sizewell! Speak damn you!” But he would not, suppose this was a trick? Suppose he was an assassin? Best to stay quiet. Robert rode on.

At the next village, though village would be a promotion to the two houses, three hovels and a small barn, the same happened. He rode on again.

At the third, a boy ran at him with a pitchfork. The boy was easily disarmed, but as he contemplated killing his attacker, Robert heard a scream. A girl about the same age as the boy appeared. She was the first female to be seen in any of the three places. “Sir, forgive him, he ... he was just seeking to fight for the duke. He did not realise you were on our side. You are aren’t you?”

“What makes you think I am?”

“You wear Duke Sizewell’s crest on your jerkin. Please sir, have mercy.”

“I shall, not because you are a pretty wee maid who I would love to roll in the hay with, though that is all true; but because it was brave of your brother. Here, my friend, let me help you up. Now, a favour for a favour. Can you point me towards where the duke is? Does he live? Where is the earl?”

“Earl Labon was vanquished. The duke, God save his majestic presence, rallied his army after the setback and found the Earl preparing to attack the castle. The earl was caught against the castle walls unprepared and the duke was able to destroy him. Our father was killed in the battle but our uncle came back and said he was a hero.”

“I’m sure he was. You can be very proud. On behalf of the duke, here are three gold pieces as a small token of his respect for the fighting prowess of your father.” He had had the gold since they’d left the castle, but there had been no opportunity to use them. Of course, he had a few more than three, which he was thinking he might keep himself.

So, the duke had rallied his army and fought back. So, if he’d stayed in the castle, he could have helped make it look like it was defended. Perhaps he should not have fled. Still, everybody else did, and he did escort the duke’s daughter to safety; he knew there was an argument that he led her out of a safe castle into a dangerous open countryside. He also knew that the Duke could see things differently depending upon his mood. He rode on towards the castle. He would check it was safe to return with the ladies first.

At the castle, the place was in mayhem. He was stopped at the gate, then inside the gate, then inside the courtyard. Plenty of soldiers wanted to show how brave they were by bossing all and sundry. The conversation with Robert usually went like this: Guard: “Halt, no admittance!”

Robert: “The duke will want to see me.”

Guard: “No admittance, no exceptions! Now piss off!”

Robert: “I’ve come from Lady Harriet.”

Guard: “She is missing, all the ladies are.”

Robert: “I’ve come from her, with a message for Duke Sizewell.”

Guard: “Give me the message and I’ll pass it on.”

Robert: “The message is ‘if any scrotty little guards get in your way Robert, I’ll get my father to boil them and then spit roast them.’”

Guard: “Pass.”

So he finally made it to the court. There he marched up to where the duke was in deep conversation with his generals.

“Sir.” Robert said. No response. “Sir!” The duke looked up, fixed him with an icy stare and then continued with his conversation. “SIR! I have news about Lady Harriet.”

“WELL WHY THE FUCKING HELL DIDN’T YOU SAY SO!”

Normally Robert would have responded with similarly robust speech, he didn’t take insults from anybody. For the duke, he made an exception, so he stood silent.

“WELL? WHAT IS THE EFFFING NEWS? We are a bit busy, so if you can spare the time to tell me how she is, it would be most welcome.” The switch to sarcasm was even worse than being sworn at.

“Sir, when we heard that the army had been defeated...” The duke’s face went puce – wrong place to start this explanation. Still, he’d started, he would finish. “The castle became chaotic. There were no guards to defend it. Everybody began to leave; no there was a riot of panic. I think Lady Harriet and her ladies would have left anyway. I could not let them leave unprotected. I led them out to safety -”