Patiently she replied, “Nay, the demesne amounts to eight hundred marks a year. The wardship is two manor farms with villages accounting for one hundred fifty. ’Tis Birkenham Keep and Town—”
“Birkenham!” all three men gasped in unison, but it was Ranulf who demanded, “Birkenham Town is yours?”
“And the keep that guards it,” she said. “You know Birkenham, then?”
“Lady, who does not know Birkenham? ’Tis nigh as large as Lincoln!”
“So it is,” she replied without the least smugness in her tone. “But as I was saying, Birkenham is the richest of the holdings, with dues and fees amounting to five hundred marks a year. ’Tis also the fief that has returned to me, though I have yet to see the additional income that that entails, nor will I until Michaelmas.”
“But why would your father subinfeudate a fief that must be worth more than Clydon, if the dues alone are five hundred marks a year?”
She finally smiled. “Have you never dealt with merchants, Sir Ranulf, or their guilds? Birkenham may be the richest fief, but ’tis also the most troublesome, as well as time-consuming if you are not in residence there. My father was glad to have done with it.”
“And now it will be my problem?” he fairly snarled.
“It need not be a problem at all.” She frowned at him. “You need only decide whether you wish to keep it or give it to your own man or one of mine. Give it to Sir Walter,” she sneered. “His tongue is glib enough to deal right well with demanding merchants.”
“God’s wounds, Ranulf!” Walter groaned, horrified. “Do not even consider—”
“’Tis no more than you deserve for getting me entangled in this,” Ranulf growled low, and then, to Reina: “Now ifthatis all, let us get back to the terms, which have been so far one-sided. What do you want from me, demoiselle?”
“I am rich in land and priceless trophies from the Holy Land, but there is no money at present, as you may have surmised, nor will there be until after the harvest and the rents due at Michaelmas.”
“How is that possible? Were you robbed? Those outlaws in your woods—”
“Nay, nothing like that,” she assured him. “Crusading is not done cheaply, Sir Ranulf. My father took more than half our wealth, gold stuff, and jewels to support the large army he brought with him. He also took most of our horses, and fifty of the men-at-arms from Clydon.”
“Isthatwhy you were so little protected?”
This brought a look from the monk and a blush from the lady. “Partly. I was to replace the garrison as well as the horses and did half, replacing the men, only to lose thirty of them in war. Immediately my father left, both Forthwick and Brent Tower were attacked. The crops and village were burned at Brent Tower ere my men arrived, so there was no income from there last year, and much cost to me to rebuild the village and see they did not starve. But Lord Simon was captured and ransom demanded, which took nigh all the money I had left. And losing those men I had just paid a year’s wage to did not make it easy to replace them, not when one thing after another kept occurring to put it off. So for the rest of that year I took what was left in knights’ service as castle guard, though it has never been my father’s policy to do so. I was then able to hire new men for a garrison of fifty-five soldiers when the rents came due last year.”
“A small number for such a large castle, but not all accounted for,” Ranulf reminded her.
She gave him a baleful stare before replying. “I was caught short only this past fortnight. Lady Margaret’s married daughter had been visiting this past month and needed an escort of ten to return her to London. Sir Arnulph, another household knight, needed another ten to accompany him to Birkenham, where I sent him in my stead. And one of my bailiffs requested assistance with a killing at one of my manors, so I sent him a knight with five men just four days ago.” When Sir William had gotten his crazy idea thatshecould be taught to defend her own castle, and had quickly instructed the armorer to piece together her mail. “I know the number is small. As I said, there has simply been no extra money for long now.”
“But you had your income from last year.”
“And more catastrophes this year than I care to mention. A fire at Roth Hill took every building in the bailey, including the grain sheds, only just replenished. The walls there have long needed repair, too, which was begun but not finished. More than a hundred sheep have been stolen, preventing me from selling any, and my entire herd of cattle. I suspect Falkes de Rochefort had a hand in that. The cattle had to be replaced, as well as the horses for the garrison, though I still do not have enough for all my men. And—”
“So from me you need money?”
“Aye, but not overmuch, just enough to finish the repairs at Roth Hill and to meet any other emergencies occurring before Michaelmas. You already have men to increase the garrison, though Roth Hill and Brent Tower could use more as well. And it would not be amiss if we had more horses. Is this too much for you to meet?”
His answer was accompanied with a surly glare. “You already know what I am worth and that this will not tax me at all. But what of the obligatory payment due from your vassals on your wedding?”
“’Tis due on the wedding of the lord’s oldest daughter, but technically I am no longer that. I am now their liege lady, and there is no aid due on the wedding of their lord or lady. But that payment would only have offset the costs of the wedding, which will be no burden. Clydon has an abundance of food and stores. We were never in danger of starving.”
Ranulf was still so far dissatisfied he could barely stand it. Howcouldshe give all this to him, with almost naught in return? Granted, some man had to have it, but doubtless that Lord John or Richard she had wanted would have brought her untold wealth and the power of his family.Therewas where she was being shafted.Hehad no connections, no family to give aid, naught of power to draw on should the need arise. But she could not know that, or she would not have mentioned giving half her estate to him to remain with his family on his death.
Ranulf stiffened, recalling that and what it actually meant. He would have to speak to her about it, but not in front of the monk.
Looking at the monk, he asked, “You are not writing all of this down, are you?”
“Nay, my lord, only the extent of the lady’s holdings as will come to you through the marriage, the stipulations upon the death of either of you, and what you have agreed to pay for. I need only list now your holdings before you can return to Father Geoffrey to speak your vows. The legalities of these terms will be added later, the copies of the complete contract ready in the morning.”
Ranulf said nothing, loath to mention how little he was bringing to this marriage. But the monk was waiting.…
“His marriage portion is seven thousand marks, to give it an even number,” Lady Reina said without the slightest inflection in her tone. “Half his wealth.”
