Heartstone (Matthew Shardlake #5)(107)

‘Certainly. We have a meeting at ten, but after that will be free.’

‘The Red Lion tavern for lunch then, say at twelve?’

‘I should be pleased.’

‘I will arrange for one of the officers I am meeting to stay behind to talk to you. He has an interesting tale to tell about good Master Coldiron.’

‘What news of your company? How fare you, Llewellyn?’

‘Well, sir. Though those ships fair affrighted us when we saw them.’

‘Ay,’ Leacon agreed. ‘If the men are to go on them, they need to accustom themselves to being at sea. But those in charge keep arguing how best to use us, and nothing is done, for all they tell me how they value us as principal archers.’ He sighed heavily. ‘Come, will you walk with me back to the road?’

We made our way through the rows of tents. ‘What news of the French?’ I asked quietly.

He drew a little ahead of Llewellyn. ‘Bad. Over two hundred ships gathering at the French ports, packed with thirty thousand soldiers. Lord Lisle encountered a host of their galleys off the Channel Islands last week. The weather turned bad, though, and there was no real action. We are going to need every man if they land here.’ He looked at me seriously. ‘Those galleys of theirs are large and fast, much superior to our galleasses, and rowed by slaves experienced in Mediterranean warfare. They have two dozen.’ He gave me a sombre look. ‘You know how many such galleys we have?’ I shook my head. ‘One.’

‘When might they come?’

‘A week, perhaps two. Much will depend on the weather, as always at sea.’

I was eager to talk about Coldiron, but saw Leacon was keen to move on. We were beyond the tents now. Then Barak pointed to where the men were practising at the butts and laughed. ‘Look at that!’

Hugh and David, in defiance of Hobbey’s orders, had dismounted and joined the archers. Hugh was bending to a longbow which he must have borrowed, and as I watched he sent an arrow flying. It hit the oyster shell, shattering it into a dozen pieces. The soldiers clapped. I saw Sulyard in the group, his enemy Pygeon standing at a little distance. A man at the other end of the range hurried up to the butts and fixed another oyster shell to the centre.

‘Look at that fellow, sir,’ Llewellyn said admiringly to Leacon.

Hugh handed the bow to David. David’s arrow just missed the oyster shell and he scowled.

‘Who are those lads?’ Leacon asked curiously.

‘My host’s son and his ward.’ I saw Hobbey and Dyrick talking agitatedly to Snodin the whiffler, who stood with hands on hips, an aggressive expression on his red face. Hugh bent to the bow again as we walked across to Hobbey and Dyrick.

‘Get them away from there!’ Hobbey was shouting to Snodin, more angry and agitated than I had ever seen him. ‘Tell your men to stop their practice now.’

‘But they have been ordered to practise,’ Snodin replied in his deep voice, ‘by Sir Franklin Giffard himself.’ He waved a meaty hand at Leacon as we came up. ‘Here, talk to Master Petty-Captain if you like.’

Leacon gave Hobbey and Dyrick a curt nod, then watched as Hugh sent another arrow flying to the oyster shell. Again he broke it. Hobbey grabbed Leacon’s arm. ‘Are you the captain of this rabble? Get my boys away from those butts. They are defying my explicit orders—’

Leacon pushed Hobbey’s arm away. ‘I do not care for your manners, sir,’ he said sharply. ‘Boys they may be, but few enough adults could pull a longbow like that, let alone shoot so well. They must be very well practised.’

‘They’d make good recruits,’ Snodin said maliciously. ‘Especially the taller lad.’

‘You insolent dog,’ Hobbey snapped.

Dyrick spoke up. ‘Captain Leacon, we have an appointment in the city with the feodary of Hampshire. We shall be late.’ He looked over to the gates. The obstruction had been cleared and the carts were going slowly in. The bull’s cage was just entering.

‘I think you had better call Hugh and David over,’ I said quietly to Leacon.

‘For you, Master Shardlake, certainly. You keep a civil tongue in your head.’ He called to the archers. ‘Cease firing! You two young fellows, over here!’

Reluctantly, Hugh handed the bow back to its owner, and he and David walked over to us. Leacon smiled at them. ‘Well done, lads. Fine shooting.’ He looked at Hugh. ‘You hit the mark twice in succession, young fellow.’

‘We practise every day.’ Hugh was staring at Leacon with something like awe. ‘Sir, will we repel the French?’

‘You won’t!’ Hobbey, still angry, grabbed him by the shoulder. David flinched and backed away, a frightened expression on his face. So he had not forgotten about yesterday after all.

Hugh turned on Hobbey, his face suddenly red with fury. ‘Let me go!’ For a second I thought he might lash out.

‘Hugh,’ I said quietly.

To my relief, Hugh brushed off Hobbey’s arm and walked back to the horses. ‘Till later,’ I said to Leacon. ‘I am sorry about that.’

He nodded. ‘Back to practice, Goddams,’ he called to the soldiers. We remounted and rode up to the gates; Leacon and Llewellyn had already passed through. Once again we were asked our business by the soldiers on guard before we were allowed through. As we rode through the barbican into the sunlight, I heard the steady beat of drums from within.