The men-at-arms grumbled, but I shouted at them to be quiet. After looking them over, I picked out the ten most likely looking, muscular but with a spark of intelligence in their eyes. It took judgment to survive, to analyze what was happening, and decide the best thing to do. Some people thought you could be stupid and be a good fighter, but that was not true.
So I took them out to the practice yard and started practicing the guards the plow over and over. You had to be able to step into it without thought. When they had that, I changed to the ox.
Sir William strolled over to watch. After a while, he said, “Mayhap spear practice would be of more use.”
I gave him a slight bow of my head. “This afternoon. But I want them to be able to fight in close combat as well, so I plan to practice both.”
They were tired and crabby men by the time I let them go for supper, but Sir William gave me a relaxed smile as we ate our evening meal. He asked me where I was going when I walked to the door as the men filed out. I said I was just going to check the weapons for tomorrow’s practice. To pass the time, I did check that the blunted spears and wasters were repaired and ready for use. Stacking the spare gambesons took some more time. Counting arrows was looking promising when Colban slipped in the doorway.
He looked over his shoulder. “The watch didnae see me.”
“Good.” I propped my hip on the table edge and took a deep breath. “Sir William told me something. That to convince King Edward to release him—” The words almost choked me, my throat was so tight. “—he agreed to let the English army pass through Liddesdale and nae to fight them. He willnae fight them at all.”
Colban’s face went blank, slack with shock.
“And he intends to lead us to France to fight for the English king.”
He paced back and forth across the small, crowded room. “That cannae be.”
“Colban, he told me himself.”
He paced some more, mumbling under his breath. “You must be wrong. You misunderstood.”
“I searched his kist while he was hunting today. The bond he signed was there.” I put my hand on his arm. “Sir William’s imprisonment in the Tower of London must have broken something in him. If he were…himself, he would nae. But I swear on my father’s honor that it is the truth.”
“I heard the stories of the cruelty done there. ‘Tis said your grandfather was starved to death in one of its cells.”
Had those years in a dungeon done this to him? I had to believe that was it. Being locked in a cell in the Tower of London had twisted something in him so much that he was no longer the same man. Had he been tortured or starved as my grandfather was? Whatever had happened he was no longer the man who had been more than a father.
For the man he once had been, I could not let him betray our king and kingdom. His years of loyalty deserved better. I would not let it happen than such an end.
“Aye. So my mother told me.” I crossed my arms and stared at my feet. “But whatever the reason, I must stop him.”
“But how?”
I chewed my lip, my stomach twisting. There was only one man who could or would stop it.
“I need this letter to reach the Lord of Douglas, but dare nae leave.” I pulled a folded parchment from my scrip. “Sir William would guess why if I did.”
He tugged on his grizzled chin. “If I left, he would suspect then too.”
“But he has paid nae attention to Gil. No one will miss him. But Douglas will remember that he left with me.” I handed Colban the letter. “You give it to him. He and I have nae spoken since we arrived, and I want to keep it that way. He can ride out on the horse he arrived on. None of the castle horses will be missing that way. Put Nigell on the late watch to let him out the postern gate in the middle of the night.”
Colban thrust his hands into his graying mop of hair and pulled it. “I cannae believe he is a traitor. I just cannae believe it!”
Nor could I, and we parted in pained silence.