English Knight by Griff Hosker Page A

some stones and, best of all, roof tiles. We made a cart and carried them back so that, before we left for the Bishop’s castle, we had a water proof roof on the church and Osric had some stone for the foundations of the hall. 
    When we left we took Aiden with us to look after the pack horses and my father asked Faren what supplies she needed.  Surprisingly there was little she asked for.  “We are close enough to the sea to make our own salt, my lord and you have more spices than I have seen before. Perhaps some flour to tide us over until the crops are in.”
    We were up before dawn and ready to ride whilst it was still dark.  There was a well worn track which headed north and west to meet up with the old Roman Road. As it went to Durham and thence no further we took to calling it the Durham Road. We smelled the fires from the farms of our tenants as we headed north west.  We had yet to meet them but the smell of wood smoke alerted us to their position. We knew that the manor given to my father abutted the lands of the Bishop. Redemarshall and Bishop’s ton were the two settlements Brother John had identified on a map. 
    The first dim light of the new dawn peered over the eastern horizon as we passed by the first of the villages which we owned.  Thropp had been settled by Danes.  I wondered who lived there now. They had a wooden walled village and it looked to be a good defensive site.  Once we were north then we were in the land owned directly by the Bishop. I saw little evidence of a military presence as we headed along the road which was still cobbled in places. 
    Harold and I led the small column while Aiden brought up the rear with the horses. We only spoke once it was light.  Until then, we warily watched and listened for danger. I took the opportunity of examining my squire and his appearance. He was a better warrior now than when we had first met but he did not look like a squire.  His leather armour was functional as were his leather helmet and sword. Until we had a smith working in the fort we would he hampered and have to rely on the weapons and armour we had brought from the east.  He needed a shield. The other expense I needed to persuade my father to make was some better horses.  Scout was a good horse but he was no war horse.  He would struggle to carry me in armour to battle. I needed a young horse which was much bigger than he was. I was not hopeful about being able to buy one.  They were uncommon here in the north.  I would need to win one on the field of battle. Somehow I doubted that Scottish raiders would provide what I needed.
    I listened to my father speaking with Ralph and Garth behind me. If you did not know them it would be hard to identify the lord for they spoke easily with each other.  My father had told me how often they had stood in a shield wall.  There was little rank in a wall of death. It explained much.
    “We will need a mason, Lord Ridley.  Our skills in building are basic.”
    “Aye but will we find one? I have not noticed many fine buildings. There will be masons in Durham but I suspect that they will be occupied working for the Bishop.”
    “And Osric is right too, lord, we have too few men.  We could not defend our walls if we were attacked.  We have barely enough men to hold the tower we have yet to build.”
    My father lowered his voice but I could still hear his words. “We must give my son a start.  He is young but he is improving.”
    Garth chuckled, “Aye he is but have we enough days left to make him into his father?”
    “He will not be his father.  His father was a housecarl.  My son is a knight. He will achieve more than I could ever have dreamed. He will take Ridley and his name into the future and bards will boast of his deeds.”
    “Your deeds are mighty, my lord and men sing of them.”
    “That is kind of you, Ralph, but we both know that we are forgotten already in Byzantium.” He raised his voice.  “Alfraed, take Harold and scout