The Fallen Crown Read Free Page B

would take a rider almost half a day to reach my castle and even if we left straight away he would have to hold off an enemy for at least a day. His castle was well built and had a curve in the river for protection but he did not have a large number of men to defend the walls. I hated leaving him alone while I went to fight for the Empress.
    After halting for some refreshments and a warm at the fire in Gainford Castle we pushed on to Barnard Castle. The approach from the east was deceiving.  The castle seemed to have no natural defences. It was only when you tried to get around the castle that you saw how formidable they really were.  That was Hugh's problem.  The river could be forded or even bridged and once he was besieged then an enemy could overwhelm him.
    He greeted us at his gate.  His men had spied my banners coming from some distance away. "Good to see you again,  lord. I will have rooms prepared for you and your squires."
    "Thank you.  I thought Stockton was cold but here it is even colder and I am sure I felt a few flecks of snow!"
    He laughed, "You did lord."
    I turned to my squires, "See to the horses and then join me in the Great Hall." As squires the care of the horses was second only to their duty to protect me.
    His wife bobbed a curtsy, "It is good to see you, my lord.  I have had mulled wine prepared and there will be hot food soon.  I will go and hurry the servants."
    I smiled, "No on my account, dear lady. I need little in the way of comfort these days."
    She smiled, "Nonetheless lord, I would not be showing you the proper respect if I did not."
    We sat before his roaring fire. "How goes the work on your defences, Sir Hugh?"
    "I have made devices to pour oil and boiling water from my walls. We have laid in great supplies of pig fat. I know that is the best deterrent."
    "And how will you keep them from your walls?"
    "I am loath to improve a castle which may well be returned to that traitor Balliol. I will not give him a drawbridge but we now pull in the bridge each night.  I keep scouts and hunters in my woods.  If Scots or strangers are seen then we pull up the bridges straight away."
    "Good.  But remember, I am but a day away.  It seems to me that you are in a good position to hold off an enemy for a few days at least."
    He hesitated.
    "Speak, Sir. Hugh.  You know me better than that."
    "When you are away, lord as I know you must, then who will come to my aid?"
    It was a good point. "Sir Erre and Sir Richard are both well placed to come to your aid. If the enemy was the Scottish army then all would retire to my castle anyway. I would say send to Durham but I fear that is full of enemies too."
    "I will have to pray that Sir Hugh and Sir Erre can reach me in time then." He sounded resigned to his fate.
    I drank some of the mulled wine.  It tasted good. I came to a decision. "I will also leave Philip of Selby and his archers.  They are well mounted and if they reached you before an attacker then I am confident you could hold off the Scots. Do not forget the men who live in this valley have no love for the Scots.  Their lord, Balliol, might but not his people. Use them on your walls.  We have shown before that doughty folk using slings and bows can defeat mailed warriors."
    My squires returned and we spoke of other things.  "Think you that this is the year the tide will turn for the Empress, Lord?"
    "I hope so but I confess that I do not have enough knights to force the issue.  The Empress and I are dependent on the Earl of Gloucester."
    "Why does he not support the Empress more than he does?"
    That was a very good question. "I am not certain but in my dealings with him, over the years, I have seen that he sees himself as his father's son.  He can never be king but he seeks power.  He seeks a throne. He has one now.  It is the west of England.  He has conquered large parts of Wales yet that is poor country." I shook my head for I could not understand the strategy. "If he conquered more