Lady of the English - By Elizabeth Chadwick Page 0,82
head with dirt and sweat, its colour closer to dingy brown than bright gold. He lay on bloodstained sheets, clad in his battle-soiled shirt and braies. The chirurgeon was washing his hands in a bowl of red water. On a table at his side was an unfolded bundle of the tools of his trade, including several fearsome-looking needles. Geoffrey’s leg, heavily bandaged, was propped up on several pillows. “Dear God!” she gasped.
He turned his bloodshot gaze towards her. “Ah, my sweet 203
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wife. I was wondering when you would arrive. I am afraid you are too late to do anything save gloat over my condition.”
“Why would I want to do that when you are fighting for my interests?” she snapped. She was more shaken than she wanted to admit. “How bad is it?”
He made a face. “My foot has a slit in it like a gutted herring.
I cannot walk; I cannot ride. Christ, I’ll have to use a forked branch for a crutch like one of those beggars at a monastery gate—probably for weeks.”
“Is this true?” Matilda turned to the chirurgeon who gave a doleful nod.
“I have done my best, domina, but the count will be unable to sit a horse for several days and certainly not set his foot on the ground.”
She folded her lips together and turned back to her husband.
Anxiety made her waspish. She did not want to think about William le Clito, who had died from a minor wound in the hand that had festered and poisoned his blood. “Then what is to happen? You cannot stay here in this burned-out shell, and Waleran de Meulan is in the vicinity with seasoned troops.”
“I have injured my foot, not lost my wits,” he spat. “I am perfectly aware of the whereabouts of de Meulan. Since when have you acquired the knowledge to command in the field?”
“Since you asked me to bring you reinforcements from Argentan,” she retorted.
“Which did not arrive soon enough. If you had pushed faster, I could have taken Lisieux.” Matilda’s eyes flashed. “We came with all the haste we could muster. If you had wanted us sooner, you should have sent for us in better time. That is your lack, not mine, my lord.” He pushed himself upright. “Christ, hold your tongue, you sour bitch. Do you know how hellish this campaign has been?
Do you know how much sweat and blood it has taken to push 204
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this far while you have been sitting safe behind your high walls at Argentan, and then, after one day’s ride and no fighting, have the bile to tell me I have failed?” His voice ended on a ragged note and tears of fury shone in his eyes.
She made an impatient throwing gesture. “The fact remains that you did not take Lisieux and this place is not secure.
Someone needs to plan what happens next. I have brought you reinforcements and supplies, but not enough to feed all of your men and mine. We will have to send out foragers, but how far afield will they have to go?”
Geoffrey looked away into the shadows of the bed. “I will talk to you no more,” he said hoarsely.
The chirurgeon came to the bed and felt Geoffrey’s brow.
“He has a fever, domina,” he said. “Better to return in a while when he is rested.”
“Very well,” she said. “But decisions have to be made.” ttt
That night, Matilda barely slept. There was constant toing and froing in the camp. Scouts arrived by lantern-light and departed again. The men played music round their fires, drank, told tales, and grew loud. Brawls broke out and were mostly settled with the whips and fists of the commanders. The wounded groaned on their pallets. Some died. The fire from the burned church subdued to glowing embers, but the stink of smoke hung on the air. Matilda checked on Geoffrey a couple of times, but the chirurgeon had dosed him with syrup of the white poppy to give him ease, and he was deep in a drugged sleep. Many of the troops were sick with bloody bowel motions. William Talvas had fallen victim in the night, and had retired to groan in his tent. Towards dawn, Matilda gave up on sleep and, gritty-eyed with tiredness, went to mass. The morning light did not make the situation look any better and more men were falling sick.
Without Geoffrey to lead the campaign it was going to founder.