“That makes me feel better.”
“What’s Michael Armstrong like?”
“Smelly and surly and built like an ox.”
“Intelligent?”
“No.”
“So much the better.”
A moment later the man came in. He had a grumpy expression, a short neck and massive shoulders, and he brought with him the odor of the pigsty. He looked inquiringly at Elizabeth, giving the impression that he resented being disturbed.
“I’ve received a message from the earl,” Elizabeth began.
Michael held out his hand.
Aliena was horrified to realize that she had not taken the precaution of providing Elizabeth with a letter. The whole deception could collapse right at the outset because of a silly mistake. Elizabeth threw her a despairing look. Aliena cast about frantically for something to say. Finally she was inspired. “Can you read, Michael?”
He looked resentful. “The priest will read it to me.”
“Your lady can read.”
Elizabeth looked scared, but she said: “I shall give the message to the whole garrison myself, Michael. Ring the bell and get everyone assembled in the courtyard. But make sure to leave three or four men on guard on the ramparts.”
As Aliena had feared, Michael did not like Elizabeth taking command like this. He looked rebellious. “Why not let me address them?”
Aliena realized anxiously that she might not be able to persuade this man: he could be too stupid to listen to reason. She said: “I have brought the countess momentous news from Winchester. She wants to tell her people herself.”
“Well, whatisthe news?” he said.
Aliena said nothing and looked at Elizabeth. Once again Elizabeth looked scared. However, Aliena had not told her what was supposed to be in the fictitious message, so Elizabeth could not possibly accede to Michael’s request. In the end she simply went on as if Michael had not spoken. “Tell the guards to look out for a group of ten or twelve horsemen. Their leader will have fresh news from Earl William, and he must be brought to me immediately. Now ring the bell.”
Michael was clearly disposed to argue. He stood still, frowning, while Aliena held her breath. “More messengers,” he said, as if it were something very difficult to understand. “This lady with one message, and twelve horsemen with another.”
“Yes—now would you please go and ring the bell?” Elizabeth said. Aliena could hear the quaver in her voice.
Michael looked defeated. He could not understand what was happening, but he saw nothing to object to either. Finally he said a grudging “Very well, lady,” and went out.
Aliena breathed again.
Elizabeth said: “What’s going to happen?”
“When they’re gathered in the courtyard, you’ll tell them about the peace between King Stephen and Duke Henry,” Aliena said. “That will distract everyone. While you’re speaking, Richard will send out an advance party of ten men. However, the guards will think they are the messengers we are expecting from Earl William, so they won’t immediately panic and raise the drawbridge. You have to try to keep everyone interested in what you’re saying while the advance party approaches the castle. All right?”
Elizabeth looked nervous. She said: “And then what?”
“When I give you the word, say you have surrendered the castle to the rightful earl, Richard. Then Richard’s army will break cover and charge the castle. At that point Michael will realize what’s happening. But his men will be in doubt about their loyalty—because you have told them to surrender, and called Richard the rightful earl—and the advance party will be inside to prevent anyone from closing the gates.” The bell began to ring. Aliena’s stomach knotted in fear. “We’ve run out of time. How do you feel?”
“Scared.”
“Me too. Let’s go.”
They went down the stairs. The bell on the gatehouse tower was ringing as it had when Aliena was a carefree girl. Same bell, same sound, different Aliena, she thought. She knew it could be heard all across the fields, as far away as the edge of the forest. Richard would by now be saying the Paternoster slowly under his breath, to measure the time he had to wait before sending his advance party.
Aliena and Elizabeth walked from the keep across the internal drawbridge to the lower courtyard. Elizabeth was pale with fear, but her mouth was set in a determined line. Aliena smiled at her to give her courage, then pulled up her hood again. So far she had not seen anyone familiar, but she was a well-known face all over the county, and someone was sure to recognize her sooner or later. If Michael Armstrong were to find out who she was he might smell a rat, dimwitted though he undoubtedly was. Several people gave her curious glances, but no one spoke to her.
She and Elizabeth went to the middle of the lower courtyard. Because the ground sloped somewhat, Aliena could see over the heads of the crowd and through the main gate to the fields outside. The advance party should be breaking cover about now, but she could see no sign of them. Oh, God, I hope there’s no snag, she thought fearfully.
