LORDS OF THE WHITE CASTLE ELIZABETH CHADWICK Sphere paperback September 2006 INTRODUCTION Lords of The White Castle is a novel based on a remarkable true story of honour, treachery and love spanning the turbulent reigns of four great Medieval kings. Award winning author Elizabeth Chadwick brings the thirteenth century vividly to life in the tale of Fulke FitzWarin. From inexperienced young courtier to powerful Marcher lord, from loyal knight to dangerous outlaw, from lover of many women to faithful husband, Fulke’s life story bursts across the page in authentic detail. A violent quarrel with Prince John, later King John, disrupts Fulke’s life ambition to become ‘Lord of the White Castle’ and leads him to rebel. There are perilous chases through autumn woods, ambushes and battles of wit as Fulke thwarts John at every turn. No less dramatic is the dangerous love that Fulke harbours for Maude Walter, a wealthy widow whom John wants for himself. Negotiating a maze of deceit, treachery and shifting political alliances Fulke’s striving is rewarded, but success is precarious. Personal tragedy follows the turbulence of the Magna Carta rebellion, culminating in the destruction of everything for which Fulke has fought. Yet even among the ashes, he finds a reason to begin anew. EXTRACT To set the scene: Fulke FitzWarin has rebelled against King John. During a skirmish Fulke is wounded by a crossbow bolt and seeks succour at the manor of Higford, belonging to his paternal aunt. Maud Walter, a friend's wife to whom Fulke is attracted, is on her way to join her husband when she too arrives at Higford, and the scene is set for confrontation.... Rounding another turn, she came upon the manor. Lulled by the scenes of pleasant industry in the village, she was startled to find the place frenetic with activity as if someone had thrust their arm into a hive of bees. The courtyard was filled with horses and armed men, recently arrived to judge by the chaos. Emmeline’s grooms were busy amongst them and the knights themselves were unsaddling their mounts. Maude felt a selfish rush of dismay and irritation, swiftly followed by a burst of curiosity. "Shall I find out what is happening my lady?" asked Wimarc of Amounderness who was in charge of her escort. Maude nodded. "Do so." Wimarc dismounted and went to speak to the men within. Maude watched him join a group, saw him listen and nod. Glancing beyond, she saw two young men in conversation, one as tall and thin as a jousting lance, the other smaller and stockier with a head of cropped red curls. Philip and Alain FitzWarin. And where Philip and Alain went, Fulke was likely to be ahead of them. She scanned the crowd, her stomach suddenly turning like the mill wheel. Wimarc returned and told her what she already knew. "Lady Emmeline’s nephews are here to rest up for a short while," he said. He gave her a shrewd look. "Do you want to ride on my lady?" Usually decisive, Maude did not give him an answer straight away, but looked at the activity in the courtyard and gnawed her lip. It would be for the best she thought. Accommodation would be horrendously crowded and the thought of seeing Fulke made the wheel in her stomach churn and surge. The thought of not seeing him filled her with flat disappointment. She had promised Emmeline that she would return this way and she owed Fulke the courtesy telling him how sorry she was for his mother’s death. But with so many men, his purpose was obviously not just to visit his aunt and pay respects at his mother’s grave. Wimarc rubbed his palm over his bearded jaw and as if reading her thoughts said, "They tried to lay an ambush for Morys FitzRoger and lord Fulke came away from it with a crossbow bolt in his leg. Lady Emmeline’s tending him now." "A crossbow bolt?" Maude stared at Wimarc in horror. King Richard had died of a crossbow bolt in the shoulder – a minor battle wound that had festered and poisoned his blood so that a week later he died in agony. "Lady Emmeline will need aid if she is to tend Lord Fulke and see to all these men," she said, her decisiveness returning. Gathering the reins, she nudged Doucette through the gateway into the frantic activity of the yard. Maude quietly parted the thick woollen curtain and entered Emmeline’s bedchamber. It was a large, well appointed room at the top of the manor with lime-washed walls that had been warmed and decorated by colourful hangings. Fulke was in Emmeline’s bed, propped up against a collection of bolsters. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, his mouth was thin with pain and weariness, and the bladed bridge of his nose had caught the sun so that he looked more hawkish than ever. Although battle-worn, he scarcely appeared to be at death’s door and the fist of fear beneath Maude’s ribs, ceased to clench quite so hard. The covers were flapped back and Emmeline was leaning over his lower body, her own complexion the colour of whey. As Maude advanced to the bed, Fulke looked up. Alarm flickered in his eyes and he lashed the covers back over himself so swiftly that he almost took out his aunt’s eye on the corner of a sheet. "What are you doing here?" he snarled in a voice that was as far from the grave as Maude had ever heard. "Get out!" Hand over her eye, Emmeline turned. "Maude?" Behind the half-mask of her fingers, a look of relief swept over her face. "I said I would return this way." Maude looked angrily at Fulke. His rejection made her all the more determined to stand her ground. "With an invalid to nurse," here a disparaging curl of her lip at Fulke, "and a passel of hungry men to feed, you are in need of help." Emmeline rose and wiped her streaming eye on her cuff. "Bless you child," she said in a heartfelt voice. "What do you want me to do?" "You’re not going to do anything," Fulke snapped, drawing himself up on the bolsters and glowering furiously. "I’m a dangerous rebel, and if you so much as associate with me, you’ll be tainted too." Maude shrugged. "Who’s to know?" she said. "Theo would be more angry with me for riding away than for staying to help." Emmeline looked uncertainly between them. "It is true that I will be very glad for you to stay, but not if it is going to put you in danger." "No more danger than you are in yourself," Maude said to the older woman. "My brother-in-law is the Archbishop of Canterbury and the King’s Chancellor. That surely must bestow some protection." "His support never did us any good," Fulke growled. Emmeline turned round, her sallow cheeks flushing. "Has your wound bled the courtesy from your body?" she demanded. "What is wrong with you that you should behave like a thwarted small child?" "Aren’t all men like that when they are injured?" Maude gave Emmeline a wry, woman to woman smile. Emmeline snorted down her nose. "Some of them are like it all the time," she said darkly. Clearly annoyed, but recognising that a retort would only lead to more ridicule, Fulke clamped his jaw and thrust his spine against the bolsters. "If you can remove this arrow from my leg, I won’t trouble your hospitality above a couple of days," he said. "I’ve sent for the priest. He’ll be here as soon as he can." "The priest?" Maude thought of the agitated note in Emmeline’s voice and linked it with her pallor as she leaned over Fulke’s wound. Her horror must have shown on her face because for the first time since she had entered the room, Fulke smiled, albeit savagely and without humour. "You need not concern yourself, Lady Walter, I am not about to be administered the last rites." "I…" "Someone has to cut this arrow out of my leg. Having seen the mess William makes gutting a hare, I don’t trust him to do the deed, and I won’t ask any of the men. It’s too great a responsibility. If aught should go wrong, I do not want one of them to carry an unnecessary burden of guilt." The speech had begun with defensive, sardonic humour, and ended in sincerity. Maude’s throat tightened as she was yielded a glimpse behind his shield. "I am afraid I cannot play the healer’s part," Emmeline said, unconsciously wringing her hands. "Even the sight of blood makes me faint. My father always said that it was a good thing that I wasn’t born male." "And can the priest?" Emmeline nodded, although there was a spark of doubt in her eyes. "He set Alwin Shepherd’s broken arm last year and it has healed cleanly. "But he has never removed an arrow?" Emmeline shook her head. "Not that I’m aware," she said. Maude pushed up her sleeves, exposing slender forearms, and advanced to the bed. "How deep is it in?" His fist clenched on the bedclothes holding them firmly down over his leg and in his face, there was fear, anger, and stubborn mutiny. Maude looked at him and then down at his hand, remembering how the sight of it had affected her as Theobald’s new bride.