“For a Norman he’s reasonably intelligent and doesn’t just let his sword do his thinking for him. The Border Country is fighting land and if there is one thing that Normans do well, it’s to fight and protect what they hold. I’ll get you and Osmund to have a look at him tonight and get your opinions first,” continued Alan, showing his respect for the judgment of both his wife and the Englishman who had gone beyond being a servant and was rapidly becoming indispensable.
Anne nodded her agreement and said, “That’s a good idea. I don’t want you out in the wilds of the Welsh border if somebody else can do the job. I’ll look forward to meeting Robert. After all, it’s not as if you have a lot of people you can call friends and it’s good to do a friend a good turn if you can. If he proves capable, by all means let us reward that. While we’re on the topic, I think that it is time to reward Osmund, and make sure we retain his services. There are two virgates of land near Great Bentley where the cheorl who held it in laen from you has died with none to inherit. It’s near to Thorrington and won’t cause any great distraction to Osmund. I’m sure that he’ll feel much more settled if he has land of his own. That would be enough land for him to settle down and perhaps get married, as he would then be most eligible.” Alan’s only objection was a comment that it was probably also time to similarly reward Brand. Anne agreed and continued, “Fine, I’ll arrange the deeds.”
Alan smiled amiably at this typical example of their partnership. He dealt with the military aspects associated with his position with the assistance of Hugh, Brand and the other warrior leaders, and with most of the political matters- although the latter in consultation with Anne and Osmund. His military duties and judicial duties, with him dealing with them properly, together with his ‘tinkering’ in the workshop, left him little time during the day and he was determined that the time after the evening meal at Vespers was his own family time.
Anne dealt with the household and business matters. Administration of the estates was dealt with as a joint responsibility, although in practice Anne made most of the decisions after consultation with Alan and Osmund. They viewed themselves as partners not just physically but also intellectually and economically.
“I’ve invited some ladies for tomorrow afternoon, while you and most of their husbands are off at the Hunt that the king has arranged,” said Anne. “Some are friends I have made at court functions, others may become friends and some will be politically advantageous to be involved with. They’re all either from the same clique, that of the de Grandmesnils, or not associated with any group. A few are English ladies.
“We’re having a poetry recital. Osmund will handle the Latin and French poems and he’s found a suitably impressive speaker to perform some English poems. I’ll host a few more similar events over the next couple of weeks, so I can ‘spin a web’ amongst most of the ‘French’ ladies. I know that description isn’t really fair, as many of them are Flemings, Angevins, Danes and so on, and that the Normans and their language are quite different to the French.
“Many of the ladies have close ancestors or relatives who are Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Danes or Danes. Most are at best semi-literate and wouldn’t know a good poem if it was a charging horse that ran them over. But with their social pretensions, a poetry recital is both novel and something they can’t resist being seen at, as it proves their intellectual and discerning nature. Some of them I like, and it should be fun.
“I’ll go out this afternoon and arrange some suitable food to be delivered tomorrow morning. Wilda says that she can do a good dish of braised quail in white wine, fruit pies and custard tarts. I’ll order some small gourmet pies, pasties, small sausages and pastries and get some mead and some herbs to make teas. We have plenty of good white and red wine, of course, as well as aged cheeses and candied fruits. Ladies aren’t used to ‘fine dining’ as usually they’re left at home while their husbands go out, so I am sure the food and drink will ‘dazzle’ them, and that going out for a social function while their husbands are doing the same will be attractive, even if some of them have no idea what the performers are saying.”
Alan smiled and nodded at the astuteness of his wife. While they had no political pretensions, the goodwill of the influential families, both their male and female members, could only be of benefit for the future.
Osmund had arrived several days previously following Alan’s request that he contact each of the people from whom they had received depositions with allegations against Bishop William, Earl Ralph and Engelric. Alan had thought that the trio would take steps to resolve the allegations against them and was determined not to be embarrassed by making allegations that would be responded to by the waving of a counter-deposition advising that the matter had been resolved. Alan’s mediocre political position would be seriously damaged by making several dozen complaints if William, Ralph and Engelric had taken steps to resolve them.
“Never trust anybody to do what you expect, especially your enemies,” Osmund had commented in agreement when he had departed on the mission, and his report had shown that Alan had been correct to harbour his suspicions. Each of those who had provided a deposition had been visited by a minion of one of the trio and with many expressions of regret at the misunderstandings and mistakes made, Heriot amounts had been decreased and threats withdrawn. Complainants had been inveigled to sign new depositions stating their satisfaction and sworn to secrecy.
“What do you intend to do?” asked Anne.
Alan shrugged and replied, “We’ve achieved what we set out to do- obtain justice for those being oppressed. The fact that justice was handed out by the malefactors themselves, out of fear of the consequences if they didn’t do so, doesn’t change that fact. Hopefully others will also have benefited already, or may benefit in the future, if the wolves feel something of a collar around their neck- a collar of hemp rope- and modify their behaviour even a little. There appear four or five matters outstanding, which I’ll leave to the Chancellor and the king to investigate. They both know the true state of affairs from my report, so I’d expect these to be resolved quickly. I expect the king to keep a closer eye on things now- not because he’s concerned about the welfare of the cheorls or thegns but because he was being cheated out of the money being extracted. I’d look silly and vindictive if I raised just one or two cases against each malefactor in the Curia, so I’ll let things slide- with a certain amount of relief I must admit.”
Robert de Aumale arrived on time as the sun was setting. It was snowing gently outside and he was rubbing his leather-gloved hands together and shedding drops of water from his cloak as he was ushered into the warm and by now quite richly-furnished Hall. Aidith took his cloak to dry and warm by the kitchen fire as Robert stood by the fire, removed his gloves, which he tucked into his belt, and rubbed his hands together over the red glow of the fire.
The room had been set up with a small table, able to accommodate six, on one side of the central fire and two larger tables for the household staff and soldiers, the three tables arranged in a triangle around the fire. Anne and Alan followed the usual convention of eating together with the household, except of course the kitchen staff and serving maid, and Robert’s eyes widened slightly as eight huscarles swaggered into the Hall and took their places at one of the tables.