is my former nurse. She is very dear to me. What is all this about?”
The older of the two men, a grizzled veteran of about forty, cleared his throat, obviously embarrassed.
“Begging your pardon, demoiselle, I understand your concern, but this is Allestone land and, as you know, to cut an assart in the wood is strictly unlawful.”
“We are all aware of that,” Gisela snapped, “but there are many such cottages hereabouts. Rolf, Aldith’s late husband, worked for Godfrey of Allestone as a skilled forester, a free man, and his assart was tolerated by his master.”
“Aye, demoiselle, but the desmesne now belongs to Baron Alain de Treville and he has ordered me to clear this woodland to a depth of half a mile from Allestone Castle, and, as you can see for yourself, this cottage must be destroyed to allow for the total clearance.”
Aldith burst into tears and Sigurd renewed his attempts to fly at the sergeant.
“Surely some allowance could be made for this cottage. Aldith has lived here for some years and…”
“That is quite impossible.” A cold voice broke into Gisela’s pleading and she turned hastily to see that a mailed rider had come into the clearing. She had been so intent on Aldith’s distress that she had failed to notice the jingle of harness or the soft sound of his courser’s progress over the fallen leaves of the forest floor.
She presumed the newcomer was Baron Alain de Treville from the immediate deference shown to him by the two men-at-arms. He sat tall in the saddle and she could discern little of his features under the shadow of his conical helmet with its jutting nose guard and mailed coif for, like all men going abroad in these troubled times, he rode fully armed in mailed hauberk. He gently urged his mount closer to the opposing parties.
He saw a woman clad in an enveloping mantle of dark blue wool, caught upon the right shoulder by a heavy gold clasp which told him she was of knightly class. Even if it had not done so, the very regal stance and the haughty poise of her head would have informed him.
Her hair was mainly hidden beneath her head veil of fine linen and held in place by a simple fillet, covered in the same blue wool as her mantle, but he could just see, by an escaping strand from one braid, that she was fair. He had little chance to judge the stature of her figure, but the rigidity of her form as she stood proud and erect made him sure she was slim and very young.
His brown eyes flashed as he recognised a like spirit to his own. He had heard her high, imperious tones as he had ridden through the wood and he knew this to be a woman to match him in stubborn determination. His long lips twitched slightly as he bowed his head in courteous acknowledgement of her rank. He dismounted and handed his reins to the younger of his two men and came striding unhurriedly towards her.
“Demoiselle, I must reiterate that what you ask is impossible. I regret it must be so, but there it is. I am Alain de Treville, and you, I surmise, are the daughter of my near neighbour, Walter of Brinkhurst.”
He shrugged slightly in the Gallic fashion and the unusual intonation of his Norman French told her he had probably come originally from the dukedom overseas and had only lived in England for a few years.
Her lips trembled mutinously. “Yes, I am Gisela of Brinkhurst and, as I was explaining to your sergeant here, Aldith, whose cottage this is, is my former nurse and we are very fond of her and anxious to ensure her welfare. She cannot be cast from her home with so little consideration.”
“Believe me, demoiselle, I have given this matter every consideration. This woodland must be cut back to give my garrison a clear view of any approaching enemy force. Your father will explain that it is a very usual tactic. King Stephen has commanded me to improve Allestone’s defences, which have been neglected sorely of late.
“Your father will also agree with me that there have been frequent attacks on property in this district by unscrupulous mercenaries. He must be well aware of the need for defensive measures himself.”
His eyes dwelt momentarily upon Gisela’s still-indignant form and then travelled to Oswin, whose portly figure and frowning expression revealing alarm at this unfortunate encounter, hovered anxiously some little distance behind his young mistress.
“I see you do have an escort, but I consider one man is hardly sufficient to protect you should you be ambushed. I would have thought at least two sturdy men-at-arms would be necessary to accompany you when you leave the boundaries of your father’s land.”
“Oswin is perfectly trustworthy,” Gisela snapped irritably. Her father had, indeed, often remonstrated with her recently over such rash behaviour for she had sometimes ventured from the manor lands alone and, as a result of her father’s anger, had suffered curtailment of the freedom she had formerly enjoyed since childhood.
“I am sure he is,” the Baron replied mildly as if to a fractious child, “but it is possible to be too reckless of one’s own safety these days and, if you were my daughter, I would insist on more stringent precautions.”
“Quite likely you would,” Gisela returned drily, “but I am no kin of yours. Now, can we return to the matter in hand? Surely you can make an exception in the case of this one small building?”
He stood facing her, feet astride, one hand upon the serviceable hilt of his longsword. She was annoyed that he continued to smile as if he were reasoning with a child who did not understand the point at issue.
“Demoiselle, you must see that such an exception would defeat the object of the exercise. Your nurse is vulnerable here. The improved defences of Allestone Castle are for her advantage and the rest of the serfs and villeins nearby, as well as for your father and his neighbours, for the castle garrison is at his service should he need to call on it.”
“I hardly think that will be necessary.” Gisela knew her shrillness of tone could be deemed rude and somewhat ungracious for such an offer but she was so incensed by his lordliness that she could not prevent herself from blurting it out.
“I hope your father is of the same opinion,” de Treville commented pithily and she blushed hotly.
“My father has defended his own manor and been ready to answer the King’s call and to go to the assistance of his neighbours,” she retorted.
He made no answer and his very silence added to her feeling that her behaviour was both callow and boorish.
“It is not to be borne,” she said angrily. “Why should Aldith be made homeless simply for a whim of the new master of Allestone?”
“I am prepared to offer your nurse accommodation within the castle precincts where she and her son will be adequately protected,” he replied smoothly, which rather took the wind from her sails and made her draw in breath quickly.
“But there is the question of her vegetable plot. How will she survive the winter when that is destroyed?”
“Again, I am perfectly prepared to provide for her and the boy. She can take service within the castle.”
Aldith clutched agitatedly at Gisela’s arm and she turned to face her. It was evident from her expression and the meaningful glances she directed at first her son, and then the Baron, that she feared for Sigurd within the castle enclosure.
The boy would not bow down easily to discipline. Since his father’s death he had roved the forest fearlessly at will, and, doubtless, acquired
