Elizabeth would need something to stand on while she addressed the people. Aliena told a manservant to fetch a mounting block from the stable. While they were waiting, an elderly woman looked at Aliena and said: “Why, it’s the Lady Aliena! How nice to see you!”
Aliena’s heart sank. She recognized the woman as a cook who had worked at the castle before the coming of the Hamleighs. She forced a smile and said: “Hello, Tilly, how are you?”
Tilly nudged her neighbor. “Hey, it’s the Lady Aliena come back after all these years. Are you going to be mistress again, lady?”
Aliena did not want that thought to occur to Michael Armstrong. She looked around anxiously. Happily, Michael was not within earshot. However, one of his men-at-arms had heard the exchange and was staring at Aliena with a furrowed brow. Aliena looked back at him with a simulated expression of unconcern. The man only had one eye—which no doubt was why he had been left behind here instead of going off to war with William—and it suddenly seemed funny to Aliena to be stared at by a man with one eye, and she had to choke back a laugh. She realized she was slightly hysterical.
The manservant came back with the mounting block. The bell ceased to toll. Aliena made herself calm as Elizabeth stood on the block and the crowd went quiet.
Elizabeth said: “King Stephen and Duke Henry have made peace.”
She paused, and a cheer went up. Aliena was looking through the gateway. Now, Richard, she thought; now is the time, don’t leave it too late!
Elizabeth smiled and let the people cheer for a while, then she went on: “Stephen is to remain king until he dies, then Henry will succeed him.”
Aliena scrutinized the guards on the towers and over the gatehouse. They looked relaxed. Where was Richard?
Elizabeth said: “The peace treaty will bring many changes in our lives.”
Aliena saw the guards stiffen. One of them raised his hand to shade his eyes and peered out over the fields, while another turned and looked down into the courtyard as if hoping to catch the eye of the captain. But Michael Armstrong was listening intently to Elizabeth.
“The present and future kings have agreed that all lands shall be returned to those who possessed them in the time of the old King Henry.”
That caused a buzz of comment in the crowd, as people speculated whether this change would affect the earldom of Shiring. Aliena noticed Michael Armstrong looking thoughtful. Through the gateway she at last saw the horses of Richard’s advance party. Hurry, she thought, hurry! But they were coming at a steady trot, so as not to alarm the guards.
Elizabeth was saying: “We must all give thanks to God for this peace treaty. We should pray that King Stephen will rule wisely in his declining years, and that the young duke will keep his peace until God takes Stephen away. ...” She was doing magnificently, but she was beginning to look troubled, as if she might be about to run out of things to say.
All the guards were looking outward, examining the approaching party. They had been told to expect such a group, and instructed to bring the leader to the countess immediately, so no action was required of them, but they were curious.
The one-eyed man turned around and looked through the gate, then turned back and stared at Aliena again, and she guessed he was frowning over the significance of her presence here and the approach of a troop of horsemen.
One of the guards on the battlements appeared to make a decision, and disappeared down a staircase.
The crowd was getting a little restless. Elizabeth was meandering magnificently, but they were impatient for hard news. She said: “This war started within a year of my birth, and like many young people up and down the kingdom I am looking forward to finding out what peace is like.”
The guard from the battlements emerged from the base of a tower, walked briskly across the compound, and spoke to Michael Armstrong.
Through the gateway, Aliena could see that the horsemen were still a couple of hundred yards away. It was not close enough. She could have screamed in frustration. She would not be able to contain this situation much longer.
Michael Armstrong turned and looked through the gate, frowning. Then the one-eyed man pulled Michael’s sleeve and said something, pointing at Aliena.
Aliena was afraid Michael would close the gates and raise the drawbridge before Richard could get in, but she did not know what she could do to prevent him. She wondered whether she had the nerve to throw herself at him before he could give the order. She still wore her dagger strapped to her left arm: she could even kill him. He turned away decisively. Aliena reached up and touched Elizabeth’s elbow. “Stop Michael!” she hissed.
Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. She looked petrified by fear. Then her expression changed. She took a deep breath, tilted her head up, and spoke in a voice ringing with authority. “Michael Armstrong!”
Michael turned back.
This was the point of no return, Aliena realized. Richard was not quite close enough but she had run out of time. She said to Elizabeth: “Now! Tell them now!”
Elizabeth said: “I have surrendered this castle to the rightful earl of Shiring, Richard of Kingsbridge.”
Michael stared unbelievingly at Elizabeth. “You can’t do that!” he shouted.
Elizabeth said: “I command you all to lay down your weapons. There is to be no bloodshed.”
Michael turned around and yelled: “Raise the drawbridge! Shut the gates!”
The men-at-arms rushed to do his bidding, but he had hesitated a moment too long. As the men reached the massive ironbound doors that would close the entrance arch, Richard’s advance party clattered over the drawbridge and entered the compound. Most of Michael’s men were not wearing armor and some of them did not even have their swords, and they scattered in front of the horsemen.
