The Death of Robin Hood by Angus Donald Read Free Book Online

stopped whatever they were doing to come out and watch.
    And what a sight it was: a huge cloud of dust kicked up by a column of marching men, about five or six miles away to the south-east, on the main road from Dover. Broad standards flew above the moving mass and here and there was the glitter of weak sunlight on steel spear-tips. The men who had attacked and burned the bridge were just an advance party: this was the main force, the full strength. Around the central column were horsemen, many hundreds of them, riding through the fields on either side of the road, their surcoats and the cloth trappers of their horses brilliant against the drab fields of stubble. It was an army on the march, a horde some three thousand strong, I would guess, heading straight for us.
    The King had come to Rochester.
    As wegazed out at the advancing column, with men-at-arms, and even some knights, on either side of us muttering fearfully at the size of the King’s army, I felt a jostling ripple in the crowd about me. Pushing lesser men out of his path without the slightest compunction, a huge figure in a black velvet tunic trimmed with silver thread forced his way through to Robin’s side.
    William d’Aubigny, lord of Belvoir, leaned his ham-thick forearms on the battlements and stared impassively out at the advancing foe. His vast leonine head was extended to the fullest on his thick neck, as if to help him see a few inches further, and I noticed that the curls of silver-grey hair falling to the collar of his tunic matched the bullion trim of his attire perfectly. He was a man who had seen more than sixty summers yet he was as strong and as brisk in his speech as a man half his age.
    He let out a long gusty breath. ‘I had hoped we’d have more time, Locksley,’ he said. ‘At least a day or two more. But he’s here now and so the dance begins.’
    ‘We are ready, are we not?’ said Robin.
    ‘Depends how long Fitzwalter takes to get back here.’ D’Aubigny turned suddenly to face the murmuring crowd behind him, and all the talk stopped dead.
    ‘Every man who does not have business here is to leave. Off this roof. Go on. It’s not a fair-day show, it’s not an Easter parade. Be about your duties now. Be off.’
    The crowd began to disperse down the spiral steps to the floors below.
    ‘Give me a moment of your time, Locksley. I want a word. You too, Sir Alan, if you are not needed elsewhere.’
    Cass looked enquiringly at his lord and I saw Robin give him a quick sideways nod to indicate that he should leave.
    A few moments later and we three were alone on the roof, the wind suddenly fiercer and the height of the tower more apparent.
    Robin said:‘The town won’t hold even a day against those numbers, sir, you know that, don’t you.’
    ‘Yes, Locksley, I know. We can’t feed those extra mouths in the castle either. The townspeople must go. I need a willing knight for a hard task.’
    He looked at me.
    ‘I’m told you did very well on the bridge, Sir Alan,’ he said. ‘My compliments. You know how to deal with an enemy, clearly. But how are you at dealing with obstinate townsfolk – or self-righteous churchmen?’
    The question confused me momentarily.
    ‘What are you asking of him?’ said my lord, with an edge in his voice.
    ‘I know he’s your man, Locksley, but I want Sir Alan to clear out the town, send the people away – unless any of the able-bodied young men choose to fight with us – get them to head south, to Boxley Abbey, while there is still time. I want a good man to lead them south and install them with the abbot. They should be safe enough there, under the protection of Holy Mother Church. Thing is, they won’t want to go. They must be made to go.’
    I understood then what d’Aubigny was asking.
    ‘Would you do it?’ Robin asked me.
    I shrugged. ‘Certainly – but do you not need me here?’
    ‘I have nigh-on a hundred knights,’ said d’Aubigny, ‘one fellow more or less—’ He stopped,