Wolf Wood (Part One): The Gathering Storm by Mike Dixon Read Free Book Online

about Mary.
    She moderated
her voice. 'It's beautiful.'
    'Thank you, my
lady.'
    Alice felt
embarrassed. She'd misjudged him. He might look like the shallow,
ignorant successor to the wild adolescent she'd known but his work
told a different story. A sudden impulse took her.
    'Ralph, would
you do something for me?'
    The sensual
grin returned. 'That would be my pleasure.'
    'We need a new
sign for the Julian Inn. Perhaps you could paint one as a gift to
the good people of Sherborne.'
    'Your wish is
my command.'
    He rose from
his stool. For an awful moment she thought he would try to kiss
her. But he merely bowed.
    Back on the
street she could scarcely contain herself. The wind blew her hood
to one side. She pulled it back and turned to Harald who was
escorting her back to the almshouse.
    'I recognised
him. He was no more than fifteen when we last met but he already
had that wild look. His name is Ralph Knowles. You might know the
family.'
    Harald gave an
ironic laugh.
    'Yes, I know
them. My wife was a Knowles. Her brother, Roger, is trying to take
back her dowry.'
    Alice felt his
pain. 'On what possible grounds?'
    'They ...
they're …'
    Alice had
noticed that Harald's voice failed him whenever he was nervous.
    'I'm sorry. I
shouldn't pry into your affairs.'
    'No.' He
seemed to relax. 'You'll find out before long and I wouldn't like
you to hear it from the lips of others.'
    They stopped
near the site for the new almshouse. Harald told her about the
claim that William was illegitimate and the marriage contract
invalid as a consequence. She listened as one distressing detail
followed another. To be called a cuckold was bad enough. To have it
said that you were cuckolded by your fourteen-year-old brother was
devastating.
    'Does William
know?'
    'Not yet. But
he will when the case goes to court. He's twelve. He's not a little
boy anymore. He'll find out.'
    'Whatever will
he think?'
    'He'll love
it.' Harald choked back tears. 'He worships Guy. He'll be delighted
to think that Guy is his father and not his uncle.'
    'Oh, Harald.'
Alice grasped his hand. 'This is such an ordeal for you. I
shouldn't have pried. I'm sorry.'
    'No. I needed
someone to talk to.'
    'There must be
others ... members of your family?'
    'My family
would have me raise a force and attack the Knowles. That's the way
the Gascoignes settle arguments. The strongest win. Everyone else
has to bow down to them or suffer the consequences.'
    'Is there no
one you can turn to?'
    'John and
Elizabeth Baret are my only true friends. They have given advice
and been of great comfort to me.'
    'I hope I can
be of assistance too …'
    Alice let go
his hand. People were looking at them.
    'We're
attracting attention,' she whispered. 'I think I should go. The
matron of the almshouse shouldn't hold hands ... not unless they're
very old hands.'
    Harald watched
her leave. A black cloud still hung over him but a ray of sunshine
had entered his life.
     
     

Chapter
10
    Manor Court
    Robin reined
in his horse and waited for the other members of his party. The
mole said they should come unarmed. That's what he called Sir
Harald. Some people did it as a joke. Robin liked his employer. For
him, the term was almost one of affection. The mole didn't boss you
around and treat you like you were a nobody.
    Robin took “ unarmed ” to mean you shouldn't carry
any conspicuous weapons. He had left his sword back at the
Gascoigne manor. It was too difficult to conceal but his dirk
fitted nicely in a shoulder harness under his green cloak. It was a
bit fancy and so was his white shirt. They made him look a bit of a
dill who wasn't capable of looking after himself. Guy Gascoigne
said that was how you should look when you went on a secret
mission.
    At eighteen,
Robin was by far the youngest member of the party. The mole was
almost twice his age and the others were ancient. He'd known John
Baret from childhood. The old man had a big house near the Half
Moon Inn and William lived with him when he was at