A Flight of Arrows by A.J. MacKenzie (most recommended books txt) 📗

‘What do you suppose they do want?’ Clarenceux asked as they trotted their horses towards the waiting men.

‘I don’t know,’ said Merrivale, watching them with narrowed eyes. ‘Andrew, I suggest you talk directly with Montjoie. I will deal with the other two.’

They reined in their horses a few yards from the waiting men and bowed from the saddle. ‘Montjoie,’ said Clarenceux. ‘What brings you here?’

‘I am glad to see you well, Andrew,’ the French herald said, smiling. ‘I heard you were running low on food. I can send for some bread, if you wish, or perhaps some fruit? The quinces have ripened early this year.’

‘Ah, you remember my fondness for quinces,’ said Clarenceux, bowing again. ‘It is kind of you to think of me, but the hour is growing late and I think we should get down to business.’

‘Very well. We took some of your men-at-arms prisoner today, and I believe you took some of ours a few days ago. Would your king be willing to consider an exchange, with prisoners on both sides to go free provided they give their parole?’

‘Certainly we can discuss it,’ said Clarenceux. ‘Whom have you taken?’

Merrivale listened a moment while Montjoie began to list the prisoners, and then turned his mount and rode a few yards away. The other two horsemen followed.

‘Simon, my friend,’ said Vidal, the brown-robed Franciscan. ‘A pleasure to see you again. And you remember Vilém Zajíc, of course.’

‘Good evening, sir,’ said Zajíc smiling. He wore a tabard with a distinctive badge, a white lion rampant with two tails on a field of red. ‘I see you survived your dip in the river.’

‘It was kind of your master to arrange for me to have a bath,’ said Merrivale. ‘What do you two want?’

‘I will be honest with you,’ said Vidal.

‘That would be a novelty.’

‘There is a first time for everything,’ he agreed. ‘You know about the plots, of course, the conspiracies in England and in France. But you do not yet know who is behind them.’

‘Are you going to tell me?’

‘Here and now? No. But there is a way you can gratify your curiosity.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You can join us,’ said Zajíc.

‘Ah,’ said Merrivale after a moment. ‘Why would I wish to do that?’

‘Because we are going to win,’ Vidal said. ‘What you said in Lisieux was right. The French plot centres around Alençon and Cardinal Aubert. The Italians are involved too, Cardinal Ceccano and Doria and Grimaldi. But there are others too.’

Merrivale looked at Zajíc. ‘The King of Bohemia?’

The other herald nodded. ‘Count Rožmberk his chamberlain is one of us.’

‘And the Knights of Saint John,’ said Vidal. He paused for a moment. ‘And an old friend of yours. Louis of Vaud, the regent of Savoy.’

Merrivale turned his head for a moment, staring out at the livid red glow of the sunset, full of smoky brilliance like the entrance to a furnace, or the gates of hell. ‘Why do you mention him?’

‘As a lure, of course,’ said Vidal. ‘We know you trust Louis. With him on our side, you can be sure that our intention is genuine and that our actions will be honourable. We are doing this to bring about the end of the war, Simon. The fighting has already lasted for too long. We all need peace. Removing both Edward and Philippe is the only way to reconcile the two nations.’

Merrivale shook his head. ‘This is not about the war. This conspiracy has longer roots than that, Raimon. Is John of Hainault involved?’

The two men glanced at each other. ‘Yes,’ said Vidal. ‘He is.’

‘King Philip’s councillor and friend. Formerly, councillor and friend to the young King Edward. And before that, he was Roger Mortimer’s right hand. This conspiracy has been twenty years in the making, has it not, Raimon?’

‘I cannot answer that,’ Vidal said. ‘But Louis of Vaud can.’

Silence fell. ‘We have told you who the actors are,’ said Zajíc. ‘If you want to know the rest, how the plot began and who is pulling the strings, all you have to do is join us. But of course you will never be able to go back.’

‘You will not want to,’ Vidal said. ‘This time you will be on the winning side.’

‘I wish to speak to Louis of Vaud,’ Merrivale said. ‘And to Doria and Grimaldi. All three of them.’

Again the two men glanced at each other. ‘Perhaps it can be arranged,’ said Zajíc.

‘Where and when?’

‘That depends on whether they are willing to meet you,’ Vidal said. ‘We will let you know.’

Clarenceux and Montjoie finished their business, parting with professional courtesy. Silently Merrivale rejoined his colleague and rode back towards the camp around Airaines. Vidal and Zajíc watched him go. ‘He is an unusual man,’ said Vidal.

‘Why do you say so?’

‘Well, for one thing, he didn’t even ask how much we were going to pay him.’

Inquisition into the death of Edmund Bray, knight, near the village of Quettehou in Normandy on the XIIth day of July, in the nineteenth year of the reign of King Edward III. This report was composed on the XXIInd day of August, at the town of Airaines.

Item, one of the leaders of the conspiracy can now be identified as John of Hainault, Lord of Beaumont, a member of the adversary’s council.

Item, John of Hainault was also a lieutenant of Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, and was present at Berkeley Castle the night the king’s late father was assassinated. Hainault was also privy to a plot by Mortimer to remove his Grace the king and to rule England in the name of the King of France.

Item, some of Hainault’s late co-conspirators are still working with him, and are attempting to complete the plot they began at Berkeley Castle. Their aim is the overthrow of both England and France. They have powerful allies, including the King of Bohemia, the Count of Alençon, Cardinals Aubert and Ceccano, the Knights of Saint John, the captains of the Genoese mercenaries, and possibly the regent