Lady of the English - By Elizabeth Chadwick Page 0,147
the castle.
On the morning of the third day, Brian came running to 364
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tell her that the soldiers defending the bishop’s palace were catapulting flaming balls of pitch over their walls and had set fire to the adjacent Benedictine Abbey of Hyde and the nunnery of Saint Mary’s. “Our scouts are reporting that Stephen’s wife and William D’Ypres are bringing up an army from Kent and we are likely to be encircled and besieged in our turn,” he panted.
Matilda hurried with him to the castle battlements and looked out in dismay at the gouts of smoke and flame that were spreading from the nunnery to the suburbs as thatched roofs and timber buildings, dry from the summer, caught light.
All was chaos with the monks, nuns, and citizens desperately trying to quench the flames and still the catapults shot out more fireballs to add to the destruction and confusion.
“A townsman reported seeing the bishop riding out with his entourage,” Brian said. “I suspect he has gone to join his sister-in-law.”
“I had to yield London.” Matilda clenched her fists. “I will not give them Winchester too.”
Brian shook his head. “It may not come to that, but we should pack the baggage in readiness. All this burning and wasting means we are being denied ground cover and supplies, and the closer D’Ypres and the Countess of Boulogne come to Winchester, the greater the problem becomes. There will be more hungry mouths to feed and homeless folk with nowhere to find succour.”
“While we have Stephen in chains at Bristol, we have the upper hand,” she said curtly, but her heart sank, because for every gain, there seemed to be a corresponding setback. At midsummer she had been one day away from wearing the crown of England. That day had become weeks and months and she could see the opportunity fading into darkness and becoming never.
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She was in her chamber dictating letters to a scribe when Brian came to break the news that the forces assembled by Stephen’s queen were making a concerted assault upon Winchester from the London road, while mercenaries under the command of William D’Ypres were heading down from Andover, which they had sacked.
“We must leave now,” he said urgently. “If D’Ypres gets past the marshal’s outpost at Wherwell, we are trapped. The Londoners are already in the suburbs. Robert will create a diversion, but Reynald and I have to get you out.” He was breathing hard. “We’ll make for Ludgershall and then on to Devizes, but we have to cross the Test at Stockbridge, and we must do it before the trap closes. You will need stout clothes and shoes; it is going to be a hard ride.” The look in his eyes was bordering on fear and it gave her a jolt. She had the bitter experience of being driven out of Westminster to tell her that she dared not stay. Without a word she hastened to change her clothes. By the time she reached the courtyard, her horse was saddled and Brian was waiting for her clad in his black hauberk.
Robert strode up to her as she was gathering the reins on her mare. “Ride hard, sister,” he said. “Miles and I will protect your rear. We’ll meet you at Ludgershall and ride on to Devizes.” She leaned down and they clasped hands and exchanged a swift kiss. Then she reined about and set her heels to the mare’s flanks. Brian had sent soldiers ahead to scout the way and give them early warning of trouble. He set out at a rapid trot but he was tight-lipped because he knew the pace was not fast enough. The north gate out of the city was the most direct route, but would lead them straight into the jaws of the enemy troops coming down the Andover Road, unless the marshal had held them at Wherwell, and he doubted that, because even with his formidable fighting skills, John 366
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FitzGilbert did not have sufficient men to hold back an entire army of Flemings.
Brian knew they had to clear the causeway at Stockbridge before D’Ypres did and before they were seized by the troops overrunning Winchester. His upper chest was tight and it was difficult to breathe. Recognising panic, he was ashamed. The sensations had been coming upon him with growing frequency as the fighting continued and increasingly difficult burdens were laid upon his shoulders, including those of dependency