Page 58 of Rogue Knight
Geoff watched the scene, dismayed. Even knowing they were coming had not prepared him for the sight. He turned to Malet. “Would that you had not sent word to William telling him we could hold out for a year.”
“Mayhap I was wrong,” admitted the sheriff in a stunned voice.
“Surely William has received word of their numbers,” muttered FitzOsbern. “He knows they have been plundering their way north.”
“Even if he has,” Geoff said, “his army cannot move as fast as we require. I would not count upon his aid. Best we prepare for the siege that will soon be upon us.”
***
Maerleswein first stopped at Emma’s house, pleased to find it untouched by the fire as were all the homes in that section of the city, but many were empty, including Emma’s. He ordered his men to ride on, northeast of the city walls, to where he thought she might go—the cottage of Jack and Martha, two of her villeins. Emma was fond of the couple and he knew them to be trustworthy, loyal to his daughter.
When they arrived, he was relieved to see the twins playing in front of the cottage. He dismounted, telling his men to wait.
The twins rushed to greet him and he swept them into his arms.
“Have you come to save us, Godfather?” asked Finna.
“From the fire, you mean?”
“It was awful,” interrupted Ottar. “The smoke burned my eyes.”
“Mine, too,” added his sister in a small voice.
“I have come to take you and Emma home, and to see you are safe. There now, is not that a fine thing?”
The twins grinned. It brought joy to his heart to have cheered them. A fire sweeping through the city must have been terrifying to one so young. It would be terrifying to anyone.
The door of the small thatched cottage opened. Emma appeared, her long flaxen plaits trailing down the front of the simple, brown tunic, one he thought she kept to work in her garden.
“Father! I heard voices and wondered who it was the twins were speaking with. I am glad to see you.”
He put the twins down, walked to his daughter and kissed her on the cheek. The twins ran at his side to keep up with his long strides. In truth, he was glad to see they were all here. He stopped in front of his daughter and studied her face. “You are well?”
“Yea, Father. We escaped the fire as you can see, but we have watched the smoke and people fleeing tell us the city lies in ruins. Did you see my house?”
Finna clung to Emma’s tunic and looked up at him.
“Aye. It stands.” At that Emma’s face brightened, Finna’s did as well. “I have come to bring you home. Are Sigga and Artur with you?”
“Sigga and Inga are in the cottage and Artur is helping Jack with the lambs.”
“You must see them, Godfather,” urged Finna. “They are much bigger now.”
“I will visit the lambs,” he agreed, not wanting to disappoint them. “Then we must go while we still have light.”
“I see you do not come alone,” Emma remarked, her eyes taking in the five men who had come with him sitting atop their horses some distance away.
“Nay, and not just these, four of which I will leave to guard you. The Danes have come with their many ships. They camp on the bank of the River Ouse along with the Northumbrians who have joined our cause. Cospatric and Edgar are with them. Think of it, Emma. Hundreds of ships and thousands of men. All of Northumbria has risen to fight the Normans.”
“When does the fighting begin?” she asked anxiously.
“We attack at first light.”
***
Geoff had spent the night preparing his men and his weapons. From the tower’s battlement, he had watched the hundreds of fires in the Danish camp on the bank of the river, wondering if fire would be the Danes’ chosen weapon. None in the tower castle had slept even after the campfires died down.
Dawn broke in the cloud-streaked sky as he gazed toward the city. The flames still lingering in isolated places added to the hellish nature of what Geoff knew might be the place of his last battle. He had faced death many times and knew well the fear before a battle. But he could not recall a time when William’s forces had been so greatly outnumbered. Even so this was not the first time he had considered the day might be his last.
