The Pillars Of The Earth Page 0,83

field of cows; and like cows the people looked nervously over their shoulders at him and moved a step or two out of his way. He ignored the peasants, but spoke a few words to each of the gentry. When he reached the Hamleighs he greeted William's father, ignored William, and turned his attention on Mother. "Such a shame about the marriage," he said.

William flushed. Did the fool think he was being polite with his commiserations?

Mother was no more keen to talk about it than William was. "I'm not one to bear a grudge," she lied.

Waleran ignored that. "I've heard something about Earl Bartholomew that may interest you," he said. His voice went quieter, so that he could not be overheard, and William had to strain to catch his words. "It seems the earl will not renege on his vows to the dead king."

Father said: "Bartholomew always was a stiff-necked hypocrite."

Waleran looked pained. He wanted them to listen, not comment. "Bartholomew and Earl Robert of Gloucester will not accept King Stephen, who is the choice of the Church and the barons, as you know."

William wondered why an archdeacon was telling a lord about this routine baronial squabble. Father was thinking the same thought, for he said: "But there's nothing the earls can do about it."

Mother shared Waleran's impatience with Father's interjected comments. "Listen," she hissed at him.

Waleran said: "What I hear is that they're planning to mount a rebellion and make Maud queen."

William could not believe his ears. Had the archdeacon really made that foolhardy statement, in his quiet, matter-of-fact murmur, right here in the nave of Kingsbridge Cathedral? A man could be hanged for it, true or false.

Father was startled, too, but Mother said thoughtfully: "Robert of Gloucester is the half brother of Maud... It makes sense."

William wondered how she could be so down-to-earth about such a scandalous piece of news. But she was very clever, and she was almost always right about everything.

Waleran said: "Anyone who could get rid of Earl Bartholomew, and stop the rebellion before it gets started, would earn the eternal gratitude of King Stephen and the Holy Mother Church."

"Indeed?" said Father in a dazed tone, but Mother was nodding wisely.

"Bartholomew is expected back at home tomorrow." Waleran looked up as he said this, and caught someone's eye. He looked back at Mother and said: "I thought you, of all people, would be interested." Then he moved away and greeted someone else.

William stared after him. Was that really all he was going to say?

William's parents moved on, and he followed them through the great arched doorway into the open air. All three of them were silent. William had heard a good deal of talk, over the past five weeks, about who would be king, but the matter had seemed to be settled when Stephen was crowned at Westminster Abbey three days before Christmas. Now, if Waleran was right, the matter was an open question once again. But why had Waleran made a point of telling the Hamleighs?

They started across the green to the stables. As soon as they got clear of the crowd outside the church porch, and could no longer be overheard, Father said excitedly: "What a piece of good fortune-the very man who insulted the family, caught out in high treason!"

William did not see why that was such good fortune, but Mother obviously did, for she nodded agreement.

Father went on: "We can arrest him at the point of a sword, and hang him from the nearest tree."

William had not thought of that, but now he saw it in a flash. If Bartholomew was a traitor, it was all right to kill him. "We can take our revenge," William burst out. "And instead of being punished for it we'll get a reward from the king!" They would be able to hold their heads high again, and-

"You stupid fools," Mother said with sudden viciousness. "You blind, brainless idiots. So you would hang Bartholomew from the nearest tree. Shall I tell you what would happen then?"

Neither of them said anything. It was wiser not to respond to her questions when she was in this frame of mind.

She said: "Robert of Gloucester would deny there had been any plot, and he would embrace King Stephen and swear loyalty; and there would be the end of it, except that you two would be hanged as murderers."

William shuddered. The idea of being hanged terrified him. He had nightmares about it. However, he could see that Mother was right: the