“Aye,” Brother Justin said grimly.
“Come with me, Brother,” Cristen said, and led him off in the direction of the pantry. They were trailed by the dogs.
Hugh said flatly, “It is Bristol all over again. The strategic importance of Wallingford is incalculable to the empress. It is imperative that Stephen take it. He cannot hope to reduce either Bristol or Gloucester with Wallingford sitting astride his lines of communication.”
Nigel looked unhappy. “Wallingford is a redoubtable bastion, Hugh.”
“So it is. That is why it is so valuable to the empress and why it is so vital that Stephen take it.”
“He has left a strong enough garrison behind to keep it in check,” Nigel pointed out.
“It is not enough,” Hugh said shortly.
Nigel sighed. He very much feared that Hugh was right, although he did not like to say so.
He changed the subject.
“How would you like to ride to Malmesbury with me today?” he asked.
Hugh looked instantly wary. “Why?”
The question surprised Nigel. Hugh was not usually dense. “I must go to see the king and this seems a perfect opportunity for you to meet him,” he explained.
The wary expression on Hugh’s face did not lift. “What would be the point of that, sir?”
Nigel stared at him in exasperation. “The point is for him to meet you in person, to see you for himself.” He tried an encouraging smile. “Who knows? Perhaps you will impress him so much that he will name you Earl of Wiltshire over Guy.”
Hugh snorted with disbelief.
“You cannot lose by meeting him, Hugh,” Nigel said reasonably.
Behind them some of the servants were sweeping up the old rushes from the hall floor. Others were carrying out basins and chamberpots to be emptied in the river. Most of the knights had already gone out into the courtyard.
Hugh said, “May I ask by which name you plan to introduce me to the king?”
“By your real name, of course,” Nigel said. He was starting to get angry. “Hugh de Leon.”
Hugh shook his head. “It’s not a good idea. My identity is in limbo right now. I’ve ceased to be Hugh Corbaille, but I’ve not yet established myself as Hugh de Leon. I think I had better wait until I have a name before I meet the king.”
“You have a name,” Nigel said. “You are Hugh de Leon.” He was growing more angry by the minute. “You know you are.”
“Think for a moment about what you are proposing, sir,” the twenty-one-year-old told him kindly. “The king will not thank you for introducing me to his notice. He has made a commitment to Guy and in return he has received the support of Wiltshire-which he badly needs. As far as Stephen is concerned, I am a nuisance at best. At worst, I am a threat.”
Nigel’s lips pinched together. He hated to admit it, but what the boy said made sense. Unfortunately.
“I am afraid that you are going to side with Gloucester,” he admitted.
“I’m not ready to side with anyone just yet.” Hugh’s face was somber. “I have too many personal questions that need to be answered before I can begin to think of my future in political terms.”
There was a moment’s silence before Nigel said reluctantly, “Perhaps you are right.” His voice strengthened. “However, with the king’s forces only miles away, it is folly for you think of leaving for Evesham.”
Hugh looked unconvinced.
“You have just told me that you don’t wish to meet Stephen yet,” Nigel pointed out. “If you are stopped by one of his men, you will most certainly end up doing just that.”
It was Hugh’s turn to say reluctantly, “Perhaps you are right.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear I’m right about something for a change,” Nigel grumbled.
At that, Hugh grinned. Nigel stared in surprise at the boy’s face. He thought of the remote, closed look Hugh had worn all day yesterday. He thought of his daylong silence.
What had happened to change him from that to this?
Nigel took an escort of knights and rode into Malmesbury to offer his homage to the king. Hugh and the rest of the knights went out hunting to bring in extra meat for the expected influx of refugees from the besieged town. Under Cristen’s direction, the castle servants put up tents in the outer bailey to shelter the new arrivals. The bread ovens went into full-time production. In the kitchen, the cook and his staff roasted pork, beef, mutton, and poultry on a spit, and prepared stews and soups in the great iron cauldrons that hung over the fire. The alewife and her staff began to work to replace the store of ale that would most certainly be drunk by the refugees.
When Hugh and the knights finally returned from the hunt, their pack horses laden down with the carcasses of deer and wild pigs and fowl, they found the bailey crammed with men, women, and what appeared to be hundreds of children.
“Judas,” Thomas said to Hugh. “That is a lot of mouths to feed.”
“It certainly is,” Hugh agreed. “I can see that we will be busy these next few days.”
One of the squires came running up to them. His round face was beaming. “The king is coming to spend the night!” he shouted to the knights as a group. “Sir Nigel just returned from Malmesbury with the news.”
A ripple of excitement ran through the ranks of the knights.
Hugh frowned. This was a development he had not foreseen and did not like. He took Rufus to the stable and took care of the stallion himself, as all the grooms were busy trying to make room for the king’s horses. Once Rufus was groomed and fed and watered, Hugh made his way up to the castle.
The tables had already been set up in the Great Hall. Servants were scurrying around, putting down the benches and sprinkling dried herbs through the fresh rushes on the floor. Hugh asked one of the pages who was carrying the great saltcellar that went on the high table if he knew where Cristen was.
“I think Lady Cristen is in the kitchen, my lord,” came the reply.
Hugh decided that he did not want to attempt the smoke and the confusion of the kitchen just now. He went into the solar, hoping he might find Nigel.
The solar was empty, but the door to Nigel’s bedroom was open and William came out carrying Nigel’s dagger to be polished. The squire grinned at Hugh. “Have you heard, Hugh? The king is coming to dinner and to stay the night!”
“I’ve heard,” Hugh said.
Nigel heard his voice and called out through the partially open bedroom door, “Come in, Hugh. I want to talk to you.”
For the first time, Hugh entered the bedroom that belonged to the lord of Somerford, which had once also belonged to his wife. It was a large room, with an immense bed covered with quilts, fur coverlets, and pillows. The heavy velvet curtains that enclosed the bed at night, both for privacy and for protection from drafts, were pulled back at the moment. Several large wooden chests, a chair, and two large stools with arms completed the furnishings.
Nigel was standing beside one of the chests, on top of which a rich, fur-lined robe was neatly folded. Clearly he was arraying himself in his best clothes for the occasion of the king’s visit.
Hugh said, “Perhaps I should have gone to Evesham after all.”
Nigel shook his head. “It wasn’t safe.”
Hugh cocked an eyebrow and didn’t reply.
“You can sit with the knights at dinner,” Nigel said. “There will be no reason for Stephen to notice you. I will give the king my bedroom, of course, and I will sleep in yours. You can spend the night in the hall as you did when Henry Fairfax visited.” Nigel adjusted the lace at the throat of his immaculate white shirt. “There will be no reason for the king to think you are anyone other than one of my household knights.”
“Perhaps it would be safer if I ate and spent the night in the stable,” Hugh said.
Nigel lifted the robe from the chest and smoothed his hand along the soft fur. “Aren’t you curious to see Stephen, at least?”
Hugh looked amused.
“You must be,” Nigel said irritably.
“Of course I am,” Hugh agreed. “I just do not want to be the cause of any embarrassment for you.”