'I am nay an old woman yet, sone. I can still work 'ard and I can 'ire 'elp. Your father left me a rich woman. I own a bakery. 'ow many women can say that? Precious few, me luv. I will be fine and you must return to the priory just as the prior as asked.'
'Aye, mum,' James replied. 'Boot remember that I luv you and send word to me if you need me 'elp.'
'I will, me luv,' promised Elizabeth.
James left the next day for the priory with the promise to visit again in the coming year, God willing. As he took leave of his mother, he almost felt as though Thomas was there watching over her. He even caught himself looking around as though he would see his father. As the donkey bore him away, he felt that his mother was in good hands, but when or if he would see her again wasn't clear.
Chapter Twenty
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Richard spent the next two days locked beneath the deck of the ship as the ship returned to Dover from Calais. When the ship docked in Dover and the hatch was opened, Richard couldn't see in the light of day for several moments. He had been anticipating this moment from the time that he was locked in the ship. He expected that his best opportunity for escape was before he was thrown into the jail. Once in the jail, he would be in chains until he appeared for sentencing. After that, there would be no escaping. He expected that the distance from the ship to the jail would be short, but it would be the only time that he would be without chains. He knew that he would have at least one armed guard the entire way and perhaps more.
After Richard's eyes adjusted to the light, he saw that there were two guards waiting at the bottom of the ramp from the boat. Richard was disappointed to see that they had a rope with them. Richard quickly surveyed the dock. It was a busy place. There were large bundles of wool stacked all along the dock and people moved about them either moving the bundles in preparation for loading them, or in preparation to board this same ship. Richard saw that there were several buildings adjacent to the dock and small alleyways ran between them. Dover was not a city, but it was a large village and Richard expected that it was large enough to get lost in if needed. Beyond the buildings was the forest that Richard had stayed in while waiting for the boat.
The guards didn't wait for Richard to disembark, but rather they came up the ramp and took charge of him directly from the ship mates. They first tied his hands in front of him and then motioned him toward the ramp. One guard walked in front of Richard and the guard in back held the rope that was tied to Richard's hands. Midway down the ramp, Richard acted out of instinct more than out of planning. The guard in front of him was close enough that Richard kicked his foot in mid-step, tripping him. The guard tried to catch his balance, but fell from the ramp into the sea. At the same time Richard pulled forcefully on the rope, pulling the guard behind him forward. When the rear guard was even with Richard, he pushed him hard sideways and the guard fell from the ramp and into the sea, releasing the rope as he fell. Richard was barely able to keep his own balance as he ran off the ramp and onto the dock. The ship mates had seen the escape and started yelling and Richard could hear their feet on the ramp. Richard ran as fast as he could though his hands were tied together.
He ran up the first alley, a short distance up the alley he took a second alley that emptied in a village square. He could hear yelling and footsteps behind him and he knew that he would not make it to the woods. Across the square was a church. Richard ran across the square and hardly slowed as he crashed through the door. Doing so, he nearly knocked down the priest.
'I need sanctuary,' Richard managed to express between heavy breaths.
The ship mates came up to the church right behind Richard and stopped short when the priest held up his hand.
'Do nay lay 'old on this man,' commanded the priest. ''e 'as claimed