He paused and took a long pull at his quart of ale before continuing. “What we’ll do is try to have a ship here each Monday and Thursday. We have two ships and we’ll paint the stem post- that’s the post at the front of the ship- red, and the bottom three feet of the mast blue and leave an oar leaning against the yard. If one of them is in the harbour on the due day, or a day late, then go to the arranged meeting place. Also look for a rowing boat beached near the harbour steps. That’ll have a red strake painted second strake from the top. If that’s there, then it means that we’ve left the longship out of sight a little way up the river.
“As to the time of the meetings, it’s getting dark just before evening Vespers, but at this time of the year dusk comes earlier very quickly. We’ll make the meeting time at afternoon Nones, so we can get out of the harbour before dark, even in a month’s time. We’ll meet in a different place each time and set up that location at the previous meeting. Today is Monday 28th September, so Thursday will be the 1st of October. We’ll meet at St Hilda’s Church in the vestibule after the service. I’m sure that a little praying will be good for both of us. After that, and on each second visit, you’ll meet with Brand, who’s a blonde giant of a man- not that there’s any shortage of people who meet that description in a town filled with Danes. He’ll be wearing a blue kerchief on his head, sailor-fashion. You wear the same recognition signs as today. If a meeting is missed, and if the ship or rowing boat is in the harbour, go back same time next day. Otherwise for the following meeting go back to the previous meeting place whether the ships or rowing boat are there or not as something may have happened to require a change of plans.
“Remember, if you value your life, keep your mouth firmly shut and only talk to Thorkell where there is no possibility of you being overheard. Assume that every room you’re in has somebody with their ear pressed to the door- even your bedchamber. Develop a habit of going together for walks in the open, but don’t be silly enough to do that when it’s pissing down with rain. One mistake and you’re dead- and so am I. Now, I’ll ostentatiously hand you a small purse. We’ll leave with you hanging on my arm and groping my privates and me with a silly smirk of anticipation on my face! That should let us use this place again for a meeting in a few weeks time, if needed.”
Back on board Havorn the conditions were every bit as uncomfortable as Alan had indicated to Gundred. Sven had been absent from the rowing boat, so Alan had pulled on an oar on the passage back to the longship. Alan had thought about staying on-shore at an inn, but had decided that ‘leadership functions’ required him to share the hardships of the men. ‘At least I’ve had a decent hot meal and three quarts of ale’ he mused to himself as he stood on a storage chest and relieved himself overboard of part of the intake of fluids before adjusting his trews and having a brief talk to his men. As expected, they grumbled that they were sitting out in the cold, the blankets drawn about their shoulders becoming damp from the night sea air, and only having had cold smoked sausage and stale bread to eat.
“Life’s a bitch- and then you die,” said Alan with obviously mock sincerity in reply to the grumbled complaints. “Just be thankful you’re sitting here in the cold, because you are such useless bastards that when you die you’ll be sitting nice and warm in the fires of hell! Now get some sleep. Unless the wind changes tomorrow, you’re going to be rowing a hundred miles into the teeth of the wind- and that exercise should warm you up nicely!”
The following day was 29th September. Michalemas, the Feast of St Michael. Alan had the ship rowed into the beach an hour after dawn and gave the men three hours of shore-leave with just four men remaining on the ship as guards. “Now listen, you bunch of degenerates! It’s seven in the morning. You have three hours to have something hot to eat, something to drink and get a fuck. Some of you may even want to attend the church services. I’m sure the whores will be working even this early in the morning and even on Michaelmas. If you want to do the first three, you’ll have to be damn quick. I don’t think that you can manage all four. You get back here an hour after Terce, at mid-morning. You go in groups of four or five. You stay quiet and cause no trouble. You have no discussions with anybody as to who you are or where you are from or what you are doing. I don’t care if the Archangel Gabriel appears and asks you your name. If he does, tell him to fuck off! If anybody is late I’ll personally cut his balls off with a blunt knife! If anybody sees Sven, make sure he’s back here by Terce, even if you have to pour him into the ship. Now get going. You’re wasting your shore-time!”
Alan himself jumped over the side onto the dry sand at the ship’s bow and strolled the few paces into the town. Despite the early hour the festivities were already underway, with beasts being roasted over fires in the town square and food and drink stalls being set up. He walked into what appeared to be a disreputable tavern near the dock. The weather-beaten sign hanging over the door could hardly be made out to read ‘The Anchor’ and the peeling paint required a real effort of will and some imagination to discern the shape of an anchor in the space above the name.
Walking through the door Alan was hit by a smell of sour beer, stale urine and rotten rushes. He stepped carefully to try to avoid pools of vomit and dog-turds that littered the floor. Dim light filtered through the shuttered windows and fought bravely against the thick clinging smoke caused by a central hearth burning wet wood with no aperture in the roof to allow the smoke to escape. Alan could just see a number of recumbent forms snoring. Most appeared to be Danes or local fishermen.
Seeing a man seated by himself at a table, wearing a leather jerkin and breeches and with a red woollen cap, Alan walked over and sat next to him. A young serving-wench appeared. About twelve or thirteen years of age, she was dirty with her filthy and ragged shift sufficiently open at the breasts to allow them to be clearly discernable. Presumably she was part of the fare on offer. “Another pint of ale,” instructed the man. As the girl left the man said, “I’m Eadmer. For Christ’s sake don’t order anything to eat or you’ll shit for a week. And don’t drink the ale. They keep it in an open barrel and I saw a dead rat floating in it. Just pour it on the floor inconspicuously.” The ale arrived and was ignored.
“I’m Alan.”
Eadmer grunted in acknowledgement. After coughing several times from the smoke catching his throat Alan looked closely at the man who was King William’s Chief Spy in the north. The man was typically non-descript. Middle height, medium weight, light brown hair, no beard but with several day’s stubble on his chin. And with the coldest and most calculating brown eyes that Alan had ever seen. This man would cut your throat without a second thought- but only if needed, as corpses tended to draw unwanted attention. Aware he was in the presence of a professional of considerable ability, Alan ran through the intended contact procedures but eschewed the comments made to Gundred about security as they would be an insult to this man. The contact arrangements were made for the same day as with Gundred but earlier in the day and at more seedy establishments. In accordance with his instructions from Herfast Alan said nothing about Gundred, as the sources of information were to be treated separately and the information from each used to determine the accuracy of the other.
“Good,” said Eadmer briefly. “That all is simple, effective and allows for problems. I’ll still also use my usual communication methods. They’ll take longer, but at least if your ship sinks in a storm the information will still get there.”
A man walked in through the tavern door and sidled up to the bar. After a glance at him Eadmer continued, “You’re clear. Nobody followed you.”
“Thank you. But please only have your men follow me in the short distance until we meet. I’m seeing other people who you’re not to know about.”