Ellis Peters - The Hermit of Eyton Forest

The Hermit of Eyton Forest

Ellis Peters

The Fourteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael

Digital Edition v2 HTML January 20, 2003

Copyright Ellis Peters

First published in Great Britain in 1987 by

Headline Book Publishing

CONTENTS

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Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter One

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It was on the eighteenth day of October of thatyear 1142 that Richard Ludel, hereditary tenant of the manor ofEaton, died of a debilitating weakness, left after wounds receivedat the battle of Lincoln, in the service of King Stephen.

The news was duly brought to Hugh Beringar in Shrewsbury castle,since Eaton was one of the many manors in the shire which had beenexpropriated from William Fitz Alan, after that powerful noblemantook arms on the wrong side in the struggle for the throne, heldShrewsbury for the Empress Maud, and took to flight when Stephenbesieged and captured the town. His wide lands, forfeited to thecrown, had been placed in the sheriffs care as overlord, buttheir tenants of long standing had been left undisturbed, once itwas clear that they had wisely accepted the judgement of battle,and pledged their allegiance to the king. Ludel, indeed, had donemore than declare his loyalty, he had proved it in arms at Lincoln,and now, it seemed, paid a high price for his fealty, for he was nomore than thirty-five years old at his death.

Hugh received the news with the mild regret natural to one whohad barely known the man, and whose duties were unlikely to becomplicated by any closer contact with the death. There was anheir, and no second son to cloud the issue of inheritance,certainly no need to interfere with the smooth succession. TheLudels were Stephens men, and loyal, even if the newincumbent was hardly likely to take arms for his king for manyyears to come, being, Hugh recalled, about ten years old. The boywas in school at the abbey, placed there by his father when themother died, most likely, so rumour said, to get him out of thehands of a domineering grandmother, rather than simply to ensurethat he learned his letters.

It seemed, therefore, that the abbey, if not the castle, hadsome unenviable responsibility in the matter, for someone wouldhave to tell young Richard that his father was dead. The funeralrites would not fall to the abbey, Eaton having its own church andparish priest, but the custody of the heir was a matter ofimportance. And as for me, thought Hugh, I had better make certainhow competent a steward Ludel has left to manage the boysestate, while hes not yet of age to manage it himself.

You have not taken this word to the lord abbotyet? he asked the groom who had brought the message.

No, my lord, I came first to you.

And have you orders from the lady to speak with the heirhimself?

No, my lord, and would as soon leave that to those whohave the daily care of him.

You may well be right there, Hugh agreed.Ill go myself and speak with Abbot Radulfus.Hell know best how to deal. As to the succession, DameDionisia need have no concern, the boys title is secureenough.

In times full of trouble, with cousins contending bitterly forthe throne, and opportunist lords changing their coats according tothe pendulum fortunes of this desultory war, Hugh was only too gladto be guardian of a shire which had changed hands but once, andsettled down doggedly thereafter to keep King Stephens titleunchallenged and the tide of unrest at bay from its borders,whether the threat came from the empresss forces, theunpredictable cantrips of the wild Welshmen of Powys to the west,or the calculating ambition of the earl of Chester in the north.Hugh had balanced his relationships with all these perilousneighbours for some years now with fair success, it would have beenfolly to consider handing over Eaton to another tenant, whateverthe possible drawbacks of allowing the succession to pass unbrokento a child. Why upset a family which had remained submissive andloyal, and dug in its heels sturdily to await events when itsoverlord fled to France? Recent rumour had it that William FitzAlan was back in England, and had joined the empress in Oxford, andthe sense of his presence, even at that distance, might stir olderloyalties among his former tenants, but that was a risk to be metwhen it showed signs of arising. To give Eaton to another tenantmight well be to rouse the old allegiance needlessly from itsprudent slumber. No, Ludels son should have his rights. Butit would be well to have a look at the steward, and make sure hecould be trusted, both to keep to his late lords policiesand to take good care of his new lords interests andlands.

Hugh rode out unhurriedly through the town, in the finemid-morning-after the early mist had lifted, gently uphill to theHigh Cross, steeply downhill again by the winding Wyle to theeastward gate, and across the stone bridge towards the Foregate,where the crossing tower of the abbey church loomed solidly againsta pale blue sky. The Severn ran rapid but tranquil under the archesof the bridge, still at its mild summer level, its two small,grassy islands rimmed with a narrow edging of bleached brown whichwould be covered again when the first heavy rain broughtstorm-water down from Wales. To the left, where the highroad openedbefore him, the clustering bushes and trees rising from theriverside just touched the dusty rim of the road, before the smallhouses and yards and gardens of the Foregate began. To the rightthe mill-pool stretched away between its grassy banks, a faintbloom of lingering mist blurring its silver surface, and beyond,the wall of the abbey enclave arose, and the arch of thegatehouse.

Hugh dismounted as the porter came out to take his bridle. Hewas as well known here as any who wore the Benedictine habit andbelonged within the walls.

If youre wanting Brother Cadfael, my lord,offered the porter helpfully, hes away to Saint Gilesto replenish their medicine cupboard. But hes been gone anhour or so now, he left after chapter. Hell be back soon,surely, if youre minded to wait for him.

My business is with the lord abbot first, saidHugh, acknowledging without protest the assumption that his everyvisit here must inevitably be in search of one close crony.Though no doubt Cadfael will hear the same word afterwards,if he hasnt heard it in advance! The winds always seem toblow news his way before they trouble about the rest ofus.

His duties take him forth, more than most of us ever getthe chance, said the porter good-humouredly. Come tothat, how do the poor afflicted souls at Saint Giles ever come tohear so much of what goes on in the wide world? For he seldom comesback without some piece of gossip thats amazement toeverybody this end of the Foregate. Father Abbots down inhis own garden. Hes been closeted over accounts with thesacristan for an hour or more, but I saw Brother Benedict leave hima little while ago. He reached a veined brown hand to caressthe horses neck, very respectfully, for Hughs big,raw-boned grey, as cross-grained as he was strong, had little butcontempt for all things human except his master, and even he wasregarded rather as an equal, to be respected but kept in his place.Theres no news from Oxford yet?

Even within the cloister they could not choose but keep one earcocked for news of the siege. Success there now might well see theempress a prisoner, and force an end at last to this dissensionthat tore the land apart.

Not since the king got his armies through the ford andinto the town. We may hear something soon, if some who had time toget out of the city drift up this way. But the garrison will havemade sure the castle larders were well filled. I doubt it will dragon for many weeks yet.