Authors: Emily Murdoch
The sun was shining
,
and no cloud blemished the blue sky. As a gentle breeze rustled the trees
,
the flags rippled from their posts and rope surrounding the village.
Ulleskelf was decorated from the top of each house to the grass beneath the feet of the villagers. Branches of blossom adorned walls
,
and flowers were intertwined with fresh leaves around each doorway. The smith of the village had wrought small silver bells that jingled merrily in the lilting breeze. All of the villagers were wearing their best clothes
,
and the children ran round in small groups
,
tripping up the servants that were trying to set a delectable feast on the trestle tables brought from the house.
Catheryn had found her daughter a year ago
,
and every single day that she awoke
,
she could not believe how lucky she was. She had arrived to see her daughter healthy
,
and loved
,
and ready to become a mother herself. Annis had seen terrible hardship
,
but just like her mother
,
she had not buckled.
Catheryn
’
s new son Melville had declared that a feast was to be held
,
and the villagers of Ulleskelf had certainly risen to the occasion. She could see from her seat underneath the swaying branches of her favourite tree that some musicians were wandering around
,
nibbling on sweet pastries and trying not to spill another drop from their tankards of ale.
Melville approached them
,
and Catheryn tried not to laugh as she saw their attempts to hide their merriment. She could not hear their words
,
but she could see that Melville put them at ease immediately. It was probably one of the characteristics that she admired most about him
:
that
,
and the way that he had completely and utterly charmed her daughter. It was quite obvious
,
to Catheryn and everyone else
,
that they were very much in love.
Annis was dancing with some of the girls from the village
,
and children weaved their way through the crowds
,
filling their fists with food
,
and laughing. Catheryn rose
,
and moved towards the group. Annis had just toppled to the ground
,
and her giggles filled the air
,
just as they had done in Catheryn
’
s dreams for so long. It was good to hear them again.
Catheryn was just about to reach her when her way was filled by a man on a horse. The livery was that of King William
,
and the messenger could not dismount before Melville moved to his side.
“
Word from the King
?”
he asked abruptly
,
before the messenger could even dismount.
“
Indeed
.”
The man hauled himself down from his horse
,
and looked at Melville warily.
“
You were expecting such news
?”
Melville gave a short grunt. Catheryn tried to remain calm. There was no reason
,
now that Fitz was dead
,
that King William would know that she had ever left Normandy
;
no reason to ever care that she had found her daughter again
;
no reason to interfere. And yet the fear of this man hung over her head like a cloud ready to rain. You had no idea when the sun would disappear and the rain would descend
,
but you knew that it would.
“
I was not anticipating a message from the King until this autumn
,”
Melville spoke quietly to the messenger.
The messenger smiled uneasily.
“
Then you will be surprised by this letter.
”
Catheryn watched as he reached into the pack on his horse
,
pulling out a small piece of parchment that he handed over. Melville took it but made no motion to read it.
The messenger stared at him.
“
Will you not open it
?”
“
I thank you
,”
Melville said.
“
If you would but follow the music
,
you shall find food and ale awaiting you.
”
“
My lord
.”
Melville did not open the letter until the messenger was out of sight. Catheryn knew better than to attempt to speak to Melville when he was reading such an important letter
,
and so she wandered away
,
finding Orvin standing by a group of children
,
watching them carefully.
“
My lady
,”
he bowed. During their time in the North
,
Orvin had grown softer
,
and more forgiving. Meeting Melville
,
and Robert
,
and Jean
,
some of his friends from Normandy – as well as spending time with Tilian and Bronson
,
Anglo-Saxons like herself that had survived the Harrying of the North – had given him a new understanding of the Norman men that were different from the King. There was even some rumour of Orvin being introduced to Robert
’
s sister
,
although whenever anyone had muttered it within Orvin
’
s hearing he had strongly denied it
,
his face always reddening.
Catheryn suspected that another wedding would soon follow that of Jean and Edith
,
Melville
’
s friends.
“
Orvin
,
it is good to see you
,”
Catheryn smiled
,
“
although I see that you have been given the task of babysitting.
”
Orvin smiled.
“
It does me good to see such youth and hope. The world that we have needs more of such things.
”
Catheryn nodded.
“
It certainly does.
”
She smiled as she watched the young ones play
,
Anglo-Saxon and Norman alike. It would have made Fitz smile also. Her heart did not shatter each time her thoughts dwelled on Fitz
,
as it had done when the news of his death had first been brought to her
,
but it was still difficult to accept that he had died for a cause he had not believed in. And yet
,
that did not mean that she could not live for a cause that she believed in.
Her gaze lifted. There, underneath her favourite tree
,
sat her daughter
,
and her husband
,
and their son. Their family were an example to them all
:
that hatred and fear could in time give way to love. And love could save this kingdom
;
as long as hearts ruled.
The brutal assault by the Normans on the English in 1066 was seen by many Normans as a right of conquest, and a natural emergence of the brilliance of their people. The colonisation of England became less popular as Norman lords had to divide their time between their families in Normandy and their subjects in England.
Geffrei, Orvin, and Catheryn are all fictional characters. Ursule is also fictional, although based in part on a very good friend of mine. However, unlike the first book in this series, this book contains many historical figures. I have gleaned what I can from the records that have been left for us, and then filled in the gaps myself.
My description of King William is based on historical record, as is my description of his wife. We are lucky enough to have documents concerning the coronation of Queen Matilda; Archbishop Ealdred was the man who performed the ceremony, and he did indeed write a song for the occasion. We know that the objects used in the ceremony certainly existed, and many of the promises that you read spoken by her are historically accurate. Even the banquet is as accurate as it can be: the actions of Marmion were performed by an unknown knight, and the awards that King William gave at the feast in this novel were given at the time. The remainder is my own invention: although I like to think that Queen Edith played some part in the coronation ceremony.
The FitzOsbern family really existed. William FitzOsbern was a cousin of King William the Conqueror; he did have a brother that was an advisor to both King Edward the Confessor and King William the Conqueror; he was married to Adeliza de Tosny; and they did have a son called William and a son called Roger and a daughter called Emma. Some sources mention a second daughter, and some do not, and I saw a chance here to introduce a twin for Emma. I have invented Isabella as a device to get Fitz into the cold, but his son William did have a daughter called Isabella, who was Fitz’s granddaughter. Fitz was sick, and so spent much time within Normandy; Adeliza did die of a similar sickness; and Fitz went on to marry Richilde and die fighting for her son’s lands. Into this real family I have inserted the fictional character of Catheryn, to demonstrate the tensions and the trials of a Norman family attempting to understand their developing role within the new Norman empire.
The town of Essetesford where Catheryn and Orvin break their journey is now called Ashford, and is a busy town in Kent.
As much as is humanly possible, I have tried to keep to the customs and traditions of both peoples as the story unfolds. A Norman funeral service certainly existed, but we have sporadic records of what this consisted of. I have used my imagination, and my knowledge of Norman Christian rituals, to create one.
Any historical inaccuracies are due to my ignorance.
For further reading on this period of history, look for:
Elaine M. Treharne.
Living
Through
Conquest
:
the
Politics
of
Early
English
,
1020
-
1220
. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.
George Garnett.
The
Norman
Conquest
:
a
Very
Short
Introduction
. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.
Hugh M. Thomas.
The
Norman
Conquest
:
England
After
William
the
Conqueror
. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2008.
M. T. Clanchy.
England
and
its
rulers
,
1066
-
1307
. Malden: Blackwell Publishers, 2006.
Donald Matthew.
Britain
and
the
continent
,
1000
-
1300
:
the
impact
of
the
Norman
conquest
. London: Hodder Arnold, 2005.
Brian Golding.
Conquest
and
Colonisation
:
the
Normans
in
Britain
,
1066
-
1100
. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2001.
Sarah Foot.
The
making
of
Angelcynn
:
English
identity
before
the
Norman
conquest
. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.
R. Allen Brown.
The
Norman
conquest
of
England
:
sources
and
documents
. Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 1995.
David A. E. Pelteret.
Catalogue
of
English
post
-
conquest
vernacular
documents
. Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 1990.
William E. Kapelle.
The
Norman
Conquest
of
the
north
:
the
region
and
its
transformation
,
1000
-
1135
. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1979.
John Le Patourel.
The
Norman
Conquest
of
Yorkshire
. Leeds: University of Leeds, 1971.
H. R. Loyn.
Anglo
-
Saxon
England
and
the
Norman
Conquest
. London: Longman, 1962.