The boy who carried the earl’s dispatches had made thisjourney once before, and knew his way across the bridge and up thecurve of the Wyle, and round from the High Cross to the castlegates. The earl’s badge opened the way before him withouthindrance. Hugh came out from the armory in the inner ward, dustinghis hands, his dark hair tangled by the funneled wind through thearchway, to draw the messenger within, and hear his news.
“There’s a small breeze rising,” said the boy,unloading the contents of his satchel upon the table in theanteroom of the gatehouse, “that has my lord snuffing theair. But warily, it’s the first time he’s detected anysuch stirring, and it could as easily blow itself out. And it hasas much to do with what’s happening in the East as with allthis ceding of castles in the Thames valley. Ever since Edessa fellto the paynims of Mosul, last year at Christmas, all Christendomhas been uneasy about the kingdom of Jerusalem. They’rebeginning to talk of a new Crusade, and there are lords on eitherside, here at home, who are none too happy about things done, andmight welcome the Cross as sanctuary for their souls. I’vebrought you his official letters,” he said briskly, musteringthem neatly at Hugh’s hand, “but I’ll give youthe gist of it before I go, and you can study them at leisure, forthere’s no date yet settled. I must return this same day, Ihave an errand to Coventry on my way back.”