The Traitor's Daughter Read Free Page B

disturbance at the back of the church
had made her turn around and look, when she should have been paying attention
to what the priest was doing at the altar. She had been horrified to see armed
men pour into the church and start cutting at the people standing at the back
of the church. They had fallen, stained by their own blood. It had been so
quick that they had died without crying out. Alais almost doubted what she was
seeing, but the amount of blood could not be denied. Other worshippers became
aware of what was happening and began to scream and cry. She watched as the men
set fire to the church. As it started to burn, she suddenly understood that she
should be afraid and she was.
    Her mother had turned to look at the same time. They had
been standing near the front of the church and, shielding her daughter with her
own body, Lady Eleanor pushed Alais behind the rood screen, out of sight of the
invaders. And Alais had followed the servers out through the priest’s door,
picked up her skirts and run away as quickly as possible. Her mother’s last
words to her had been, “Run and do not look back!” Even whispered, they had
carried all the force of her love for her daughter. As always, Alais had obeyed
her mother, although the temptation to stay and try to protect her had been
almost overwhelming.
    It was only when she got out into the street and heard
the screams and the shouts and loud French voices shouting out orders that she
realised that it was the invasion they had feared. Since King Edward had
declared war on France the year before, they had thought that the French must
surely invade by the south coast, even if the king himself had not given it much
thought. Leigh was only six miles inland and they had spent the last few months
making the manor more secure. Even before the war, her uncle Giles had always
made sure the servants knew something about swordplay, although they had
precious few swords if it should come to a fight. All her brothers had died, so
there was no one else to defend the manor and the village. Uncle Giles was too
old to be much help, but he was a good strategist and had worked out a number
of ways that they could defend the manor if it came to a fight. He had always
wanted her father to build a moat round the manor house and now he had had his
way. She had been upset that the old soldier had not been able to travel with
them and had been left behind at Leigh, but now she was glad. When the French
reached Leigh, they would find more there than they expected.
    Peter, the servant who had brought them to Southampton,
had worn his sword at all times and not just because of the French. These were
dangerous times. Outlaws and landless men roamed the woods and forests. They
had not expected to meet any on such a short journey, but they had thought it
best to be prepared. She had wondered briefly what had happened to Peter, but
realising that he was at the back of the church with the other servants, she
knew that he would not have stood a chance when the French rushed in. Of
course, he had not even brought his sword to church. No one could have imagined
that even the profane French would have dared to enter churches and start
killing those at mass.
    She had very quickly lost sight of the boys she was following
and was on her own in streets that she did not recognise. She had had no idea
which was the best way to run. For all she knew she could be running straight
into the French. She had had no time to think, only to act. That brought her up
short – she would not act out of fear. Uncle Giles had told her often enough
that fear led to bad decisions. She had looked into the sky and, finding the
sun, turned herself so that it was to her right. It was mid-morning so north,
where the main gate in and out of the town was situated, was now in front of
her. The wharves, and the French, were behind her. Now she ran.
    She had not run very far before she had run into Sir
Hugh and Edmund and she knew, that but