“What is amiss?” he asked, glancing at the gatehouse where the other knights were gathered. “FitzUrse? De Tracy? Le Breton? It must be something serious if those three are with you. What has happened?”
Hugh’s gaze lingered on his younger brother. “Is there someplace quiet that we may speak?”
That request did nothing to ease Calum’s curiosity. If anything, it was now joined by a measure of apprehension. “Aye,” he said. “Inside.”
He began to take the steps up to the keep and Hugh turned to his men, off by the gatehouse, and emitted a shrill whistle. When the three turned to look at him, he indicated for them to follow him with a big wave of his arm. When he could see the three men in motion, he followed Calum into the keep of Selborne.
The interior was dark and cool, smelling the same way most keeps did– of dust, of dirt. Sometimes, there was a snippet of smoke from the hearths, or even food. Sometimes, there was even incense if the owner liked to burn that kind of thing. But this keep smelled like any other.
Hugh had been inside Selborne many times before and he knew the layout. Entering into the lobby took one immediately into the small hall which, at this time of the morning, was full of servants sweeping floors and scrubbing the tables in the room. There was a doorway on one side of the hall that led to a corridor, built into the thickness of the wall, that led to a chamber that was used by Val as his private solar. It wasn’t a big room but it was comfortable. The room was packed withshelves that contained decrees and laws, all rolled up in yellowed vellum, plus a pile of maps, two cow hide rugs on the floor, and a big table that was pocked and marred from years of use.
There were also two big chairs with backs on them and a smattering of stools near the hearth. Hugh planted himself in one of the chairs before the others arrived and confiscated them. No one wanted to sit on stools. He watched his brother as the man bent over the hearth to light a fire.
“The weather seems to have grown cold suddenly,” Calum said casually as he struck the flint against stone. Sparks flew, igniting the kindling. “Did you see any frost on your ride here?”
Hugh shook his head. “Nay,” he replied. “We left Winchester before dawn but we saw no frost.”
Calum blew on the fire to feed it. “So you’ve been at Winchester?” he asked. “We were just speaking of you only a day or so ago, wondering where you’d been. I thought you might have gone north to see to Father.”
Hugh watched his younger brother, knowing he was simply making conversation until the others arrived and the serious discussion began. Calum had always been so eager to please, something that made him a very good knight. He was noble and true, and obeyed without question, which made him perfect for the message that Hugh was about to deliver.
“Nay,” Hugh replied, leaning back against the chair. “I have not gone north but I have been planning to. However, Henry keeps me so busy that there hasn’t been the opportunity. I was fortunate that I was able to come to Selborne today.”
Boots were heard in the doorway as Reginald, William, and Richard entered, pulling off gloves and removing cloaks. Calum stood up from the hearth, brushing his hands off and summon a servant for food and wine. When the servant fled, Calum took the cloaks and hung them up by the hearth to both dry them off and warm them.
“Well,” he said with a grin, looking at the men in the chamber, “this is not a sight I expected today. I know you have come to see Val but I will do what I can for you. He should not be long.”
“Where is he?” Reginald asked, moving to warm his hands by the fire. “I thought he was chained to this place.”
Calum shook his head. “He is chained to Hampshire, but not Selborne,” he replied. “He leaves quite frequently to render justice throughout the shire. That is why they call him an itinerant justice. In case you do not know what that means, it requires him to travel.”
Reginald grinned, lopsided. “Now I remember why I do not like you,” he said. “You have your brother’s smart mouth.”
Calum laughed softly. “He learned everything he knows from me.”
“Now Ireallydo not like you.”
Chuckles filled the chamber as William and Richard went to warm their hands, feeling the delicious warmth from the fire lick their flesh. Calum came away from the hearth when he saw the servant return with refreshments, taking the pitcher and cups from the man and setting them onto Val’s big table. Wine was poured, men were satisfied. When the servant left, Calum turned to the group.
“Now,” he said, his voice low. “Will you tell me why you have come? You did not leave Henry’s side and ride all the way to Selborne simply to drink my wine and warm yourself by my fire. What has happened?”
Reginald, William, and Richard looked at Hugh, who remained seated on the big chair. But Hugh’s gaze was on a pair of saddlebags that had been brought in. He stood up and went to the bags, unlacing one of them and pulling forth a faded yellow roll of vellum. It was tied with a red silk ribbon and he broughtit over to his brother, handing it to the man. Calum accepted it, looking at his brother in puzzlement.
“What is this?” he asked.
Hugh was grim. “I already know what it says. You had better open it.”
Calum did. Unrolling the vellum, he was met with the perfectly scribed letters from the king’s clerk. At the bottom was the big red waxed seal of Henry II. Moving into better light, he began to read.
Most Wanted Notice
Upon this First Day in December, Anno Domino Eleven Hundred Seventy, Sir Valor de Nerra, Itinerant Justice of Hampshire with jurisdiction granted by the king for all of England, is hereby ordered to arrest Thomas à Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, for crimes against the king and his descendants. Failure to do so constitutes a refusal of the king’s wishes and a criminal action by the Itinerant Justice.
Becket is to be brought to Winchester Castle with all due haste to face the king’s good judgement.
Calum read it three times. He wasn’t the fastest reader, but he took particular time with this. The missive was signed at the bottom with Henry’s distinctive seal. To Calum, it looked official. When he was finished, he looked at his brother in shock.
“Is Henry serious?” he breathed. “He wants Val to arrest Canterbury?”
