Free Enemy at the Gate by Griff Hosker Page B

a much larger army than the one we saw last week. We must be vigilant. I asked Sir Hugh to keep his foresters far to the west and the north.  We need early warning of danger and our enemies."
    Sir Edward laughed, "Lord we have even more enemies to the south of us. The Baron of Skipton is no friend to us.  One of the prisoners was saying that the Earl of Chester has now allied himself with Stephen.  Our list of friends shrinks and that of our enemies grows."
    "The Earl and the Empress are coming.  We have to hold on until they do. We have yet to be defeated and our losses are acceptable." I saw the scowl on Sir Edward's face. He had lost men. "Sir Edward when you were a man at arms would you have accepted such small losses as part of the victory?"
    He nodded, "You are right.  We fought in some battles and only Wulfric and I survived but when men fight for you there is an unspoken bond; a responsibility."
    Wulfric said, sadly, "It is good that you say that but we know lords who were not like the Earl.  They would have discarded men and not lost a moment's sleep.  We have changed old friend and it is for the better.  Sadly it will not help us to sleep at night.  We will both suffer the nightmares of lost comrades."
     
     



Chapter 5
    Not long into May I had another visitor from Scotland.  This time it was not the Scottish knight I had threatened to kill, it was the Bishop of Glasgow. There was an assumption that, as a man of God, he would be safe.  To be honest I would have lost no sleep had I had him killed but it suited my purpose to speak with him.  I found that I could learn much from what men did not say and what they assumed I knew. I made sure that Father Henry was present when I interviewed him.
    "King David is less than happy that you rejected his offer of help for the claims of his niece."
    "And I am disappointed that King David's men attacked without provocation."
    "The King knew nothing about that, Earl."
    I looked in his face for dishonesty but I saw none. "You believe that?"
    "I was told by the King himself and I have no reason to doubt him."
    "I might have given him the benefit of the doubt had his last emissary, Sir William Redere not been with the attacking army.  Perhaps I might see you in the next attack, your grace."
    He was not put out by the insult.  "I am a man of peace, my lord. I will not be present."
    "So, what does the King wish now?"
    "He makes the same offer he did before.  He will support the claim of the Empress if you will help him conquer the north of England."
    "And I say again that I will only do this if I command the army.  That way I can dismiss the Scottish troops when I no longer need them and send them back to Scotland."
    "Some might argue that this is Scotland, my lord."
    I shook my head,  "When the Roman Emperor came many years ago he put a wall between the barbarians of the north and civilisation in the south.  That wall stands yet and is the only marker between the two countries. Carlisle, the New Castle, both of those castles were treacherously taken by an opportunist king when King Henry was murdered!"
    The Bishop frowned, "I thought King Henry died from eating too much?"
    "Do not believe the stories of his enemies.  He was murdered. I was there and I killed the murderer."
    "Then I am wasting my time."
    "You are indeed and tell King David to send no more emissaries.  I tire of them.  The next one he sends will have his head decorating my walls."
    "That is not the act of a civilised man."
    I laughed, "I will take that from many men but not a Scot.  Leave, Bishop.  I tire of you!"
    "You would not offer us hospitality?"
    "You slept last night in Durham.  Leave now and you can sleep there again!"
    After he had gone Father Henry said, "He was not treated as a Bishop, my lord."
    "Did he come here as a bishop or an emissary of a treacherous man? I am sorry, Father, if I have offended your sensibilities.  That man is not a priest, he is a political animal. Do not