April Munday by His Ransom Read Free Book Online Page B

of Guy. Despite his youth, the man had managed to pull together a well-trained force and Richard now began to understand why France had been defeated at Poitiers. This was a people that took war seriously and trained to fight under any circumstances. He had seen the archers that morning. The boys shot with an accuracy which could only be matched by the very best crossbowmen. Their speed could be matched by none. They had also practised swordplay, although not to the same level. And when Richard asked later why they had done this, he was told that at Crécy the archers had run out of arrows and the duke had decided that his men would be trained to fight in other ways should that happen again.
    In one corner of the courtyard the men-at-arms trained with pikes and swords, but what surprised Richard was the amount of training the knights did off their horses. French knights also trained to fight on foot, but not to this extent. He turned to Thomas. “Do you show me this to humiliate me?” he asked, with a slight curl to his lip.
    Thomas laughed. “No, I simply wanted to know when you think you’ll be able to join in and whether you think there’s anything we could do better.”
    Richard laughed, “You ask a defeated enemy how you can improve?”
    “These men will be tested soon.” Thomas was serious again, “And I would rather not lose any more men.”
    “Why should we trust him?” asked Guy, coming up behind them panting heavily from his exertions.
    “Because,” said Thomas, “Should Sir Walter get inside this castle, he will not stop to ask whether anyone inside is French or English, friend or enemy of the duke. He will just kill everyone until he gets to Lady Rosamunde.”
    “No,” said Richard. “That is not why I will help you. I will help you because I am sworn to protect Lady Rosamunde.  And if that means helping to train these men, even though they later use those skills against France, then that is what I must do.”
    Guy paled. “Do you intend to arm him?”
    Thomas grinned. “If he promises not to turn his sword against anyone in the castle, of course.”
    “You will accept his word?”
    “Yes, I will.”
    This did not please Guy, who muttered something under his breath and left them.
    “I will not give you cause to regret your trust in me.”
    “No,” said Thomas. “I don’t think you will. Come, Margaret said she would have something ready for your leg by now. Perhaps she can ease the pain a little.”
     
    Distracted by her grief, Rosamunde only gradually became aware of the effect that Richard was having on her household. She supposed it was only to be expected that the women would find as many opportunities as possible to be near him or to watch him. He was an extremely attractive man. Once he was rested and clean he dominated the other men. His dark beard and hair had been trimmed, although his hair was still long. Although they affected to laugh at the strange fashions that he wore and his almost incomprehensible English, they had been wary of Richard from the start and now they paid him very close attention. Despite his limp, he moved with grace and his long hair and beard gave him an air of mystery and excitement that seemed lacking in the men who had remained at the castle. That air of mystery was not diminished when he did not always understand what was said to him, or sometimes pretended not to understand. He spoke little unless he was in council with Rosamunde and she quickly realised that it was because he spoke English so poorly. There were very few people in the castle who were able and prepared to speak French with him. His very silence seemed to increase the women’s interest in him.
    And the women’s interest increased the men’s. They kept a wary eye on him and he was rarely to be seen out of the company of one or other of them. She noted with some relief that Richard did not encourage the women’s attention and did not seem to go out of his way to speak to any of them.