Joining Read Free

’tis important now?” Wulfric said in scoffing tones.
    Guy again sighed. “If the king demanded only the forty days service due him, ’twould not be important, but he asks for more than that. If you had given him only the forty days due, ’twould not be important, but you gave him more. Even now you just return from fighting, yet already mention you mean to cross the channel with the king on his next campaign. Well, enough is enough, Wulf. We cannot continue to support our people and the king’s army as well.”
    “You never said we were struggling,” Wulfric replied almost accusingly.
    “I would not have you worry, when you were off fighting John’s battles. And ’tis not a dire circumstance, just a troublesome one, with too many things occurring in the last ten years to deplete our reserves. The king’s visit here last year with his entire court hurt, but that is to be expected, occurs anywhere he goes, which is why he can never stay long in one place. Those campaigns in Wales hurt more, with not a farm there in sight to feed your men, and the Welsh gone into the hills a-hiding …”
    Guy said no more on that account. Wulfric’s expression had gone sour as he remembered how nigh futile was warfare against the Welsh, who would not meet an army on the field, butwould whittle away at it from ambush. Wulfric had lost many of his own men in Wales.
    “All I am saying, Wulf, is that what your wife will bring to us—”
    Wulfric’s stubbornness reared up again to interrupt, “She is
not
my wife yet.”
    And Guy continued as if he hadn’t heard, though he likewise stressed, “Your
wife
brings us what is needful at this time. Powerful alliances we have aplenty. All five of your sisters were placed exceedingly well. Land we have aplenty, though once you wed, more can be bought if needful, more castles can be raised, improvements made …
Jesu,
Wulf, ’tis a fortune she brings us, and that is
naught
to scoff at, whether ’tis needful or not.”
    Guy took a long draft of his wine before he mentioned the worst of it. “Besides, you have kept her waiting so long that it would now be a serious insult to beg off, now she’s so far past marriageable age—due to your delays. Well, no more. ’Tis time you collect her and have done with it. See that you leave for Dunburh within the week.”
    “Is that an order?” Wulfric asked stiffly.
    “It is if it must be. I will not break the contract, Wulf. Tis too late for that when she is ten and eight now. Will you shame me by doing so?”
    Wulfric could only reply, albeit furiously, “Nay, I’ll fetch her. I’ll even marry her. But whether I’ll live with her remains to be seen.”
    So saying, he stalked from the hall. Guy watched him until he was gone from sight, then turned to stare into the fire in the Great Hearth.
    The hour was late. He’d waited until Anne and her ladies had left the hall before he’d summoned Wulfric. Mayhap he should have enlisted Anne’s support instead.
    Wulfric never argued with his mother, not as he did with Guy. Verily, he seemed to enjoy ceding to her wishes, for he loved her dearly. And Anne was even more eager than Guy to have the marriage done. She was the one who had nagged him to speak with Wulfric ere he found himself another war to run off to. In anticipation of having her own coffers replenished, no doubt. But at least she could have got their son to agree, without seeing how much he hated doing so.
    Guy sighed again, wondering now if he was doing Nigel’s daughter a disservice, forcing his son to marry her.

Three
    It was a
day-and-a-half journey to Dunburh, even accompanied by a score of men-at-arms, as well as several knights. These were not for his own protection, but because they would be escorting a lady and likely her retinue of servants on the return journey. And brigands were rife in John’s realm.
    Some of John’s own barons, having been exiled, had taken their war to the roads, attacking those still in John’s