The Heart of the Lion (38 page)

‘You are a great lord,’ said the pirate. ‘What is your will?’

‘I wish you to take me on board and convey me and a few of my followers to a spot I shall choose on the Adriatic coast. If you will do this you will be amply paid. If you fail you will surely die with all your sins on you – and a pirate could scarcely pursue his trade without indulging in a goodly number.’

‘You are a brave man,’ said the pirate.

‘It has been said of me.’

‘There is about you a manner different from that of other men. I would say that only great lords and kings have such manners.’

‘Then perhaps you are a discerning man.’

‘There is news around,’ said the pirate, ‘that a great king is on his way back to England.’

‘You hear news then.’

‘We pick it up here and there. It is said that many great lords are looking for the King of England.’

‘For what purpose think you?’

‘That which would brook no good to him, I trow,’ said the pirate with a laugh.

‘And if they were to find him, I trow that would brook no good to them.’

‘He is a mighty man. One ’twould be good not to cross.’

Richard nodded and the pirate smiled slyly.

‘We will do your bidding, my lord,’ he said. ‘We will take you and some of your friends to the spot you choose and if you wish to reward poor men for the trouble they have had, they will be grateful.’

‘You shall be rewarded,’ said Richard. He looked down at the clothes he had adopted soon after leaving Corfu. They were those of a Templar. ‘You see me thus garbed.’

‘My lord, it does not become you as other garbs might.’

‘Then mayhap I should change it. I shall come to your ship as a palmer. Would that fit me better?’

The pirate shook his head. ‘Mayhap ’twill pass but I see you in shining armour, my lord, with a red cross on your breast.’

‘And I see you are a man of insight,’ said Richard, ‘which if it is tempered with discretion should serve you well.’

Thus Richard, in the garb of a humble pilgrim, and a few of his most trusted men boarded the pirate ship. His own he sent off to join his fleet if possible; if not to return to England.

The pirates treated him with a respect which grew during his voyage with them. That he was a man of great courage was obvious to them, that he was Richard the Lion-Heart was almost equally so. They knew they could trust him to reward them if they landed him safely for his honesty was as renowned as his courage. He was a guileless man in many ways; he gave a straight answer and he had so often been deluded because he had trusted others to be as frank as himself. Richard Yea and Nay was a man whose word was his bond.

When one of the ships ran into trouble and was forced on to the island of Lacroma he worked with the men during the violent storm in the hope of saving the ship. As this was impossible he with the other members of the crew transferred to the remaining ship and he travelled in that to Ragusa. There he took his leave of the pirates after paying them as he had promised and still dressed as a pilgrim, accompanied by a band of followers and with rich garments, jewels and money on pack mules, he began his journey across the land.

It was ill luck which had brought him to Ragusa, for the governor of that land was related to Conrad de Montferrat who had been murdered by the Old Man of the Mountains just as he had been declared King of Jerusalem.

When he landed Richard found a lodging which was not very grand, explaining that he was a merchant who was returning from pilgrimage. There he called his followers together and decided what must be done.

‘First, my friends, we must conceal our identity. Our party must consist of Sir Baldwin de Bethune and his retinue. I shall not be of that retinue for it seems to me that if I attempted to ape a servant I should fail in some way. For myself I shall take the role of a wealthy merchant from Damascus who had joined your party for company. My name shall be Hugo . . . Hugo of Damascus.’

‘Where shall we go from here, my lord?’ asked Baldwin.

‘We must make our way to the coast, avoiding French territory, for I should not care to fall into the hands of the King of France.’

‘Nor those of Leopold of Austria, my lord,’ said Baldwin.

‘I liked him not,’ said Richard. ‘An arrogant fellow who came to the crusade in no humble spirit. He sought only gain. Do you remember how he flew his flag on the walls of Acre and refused to help us rebuild the walls of the cities?’

‘Aye, Sire, I remember it well,’ answered Baldwin, ‘and doubtless he does.’

Their host chatted with them as they sat at his table. He had been told he would not regret his hospitality.

Richard asked if they had many pilgrims passing through the land.

‘Nay,’ was the answer, ‘they do not often come this way.’

‘Any Christian country would allow pilgrims to pass through unmolested, I believe,’ said Richard.

‘Nay, Master Hugo, that is not so. Those who wish us ill could so easily hide their identity behind the pilgrim’s robe and palm.’

‘’Tis true enough,’ said Richard, ‘and it may be that the most honest of merchants would be suspected.’

It was so difficult for him to deceive. He was not meant to play any role but that of a king. His manners would have betrayed him again and again to any who was suspicious.

‘We are watchful,’ said their host. ‘I shall be obliged to let it be known that a party of pilgrims has passed this way. Did you know that King Richard has left Palestine?’

‘Is that so?’ said Baldwin before Richard could speak.

‘He has to return to his kingdom where his brother is causing trouble and it seems that he made many enemies when he was in Palestine.’

‘It is difficult not to,’ began Richard.

Baldwin interrupted: ‘There will always be rumours. It is well not to believe them all.’ Even as he spoke he threw an apologetic look at Richard for interrupting him. It was not only impossible for Richard to disguise himself; it was almost equally so for his men.

‘I have heard it said often that the king of France and the Emperor of Germany are against him, as well as Duke Leopold of Austria. My own Governor had reason to hate him.’

‘What reasons are these?’ demanded Richard hotly.

‘My Governor is Count Meinhard of Goritz, nephew of the Marquis Conrad de Montferrat, who was murdered on the orders of Richard of England.’

‘That is not true,’ cried Richard indignantly.

Again Baldwin had the temerity to interrupt. ‘Who says this?’ he asked mildly.

‘All say it. The Marquis was to be King of Jerusalem. Richard of England did not wish this, wanting the crown to go to his own man, Guy de Lusignan; but it was Conrad who had the right. The King of England finally relented and gave his consent to the appointment. It is said that he did this because he was planning to despatch the Count.’

‘It was not the King of England who murdered him,’ said Richard. ‘I swear it, on my pilgrim’s palm.’

‘Ah, my dear merchant, what can we know of these matters? Very soon after Conrad’s election he was returning home after dining with a friend when he was set upon by assassins and stabbed to death.’

‘These assassins were in the employ of the Old Man of the Mountains.’

‘Rumours have come from the mountains that it was Richard of England who ordered the murder of the Count.’

‘Then the Old Man lies.’

Their host looked furtive. Then he said: ‘I must beg of you not to speak ill of the Old Man at my table.’

‘So you fear him,’ cried Richard.

‘All wise men fear the Old Man, sir. It is said that he never forgets a slight. I would not care to be set upon by one of his men. Nay, I speak well of the Old Man. I but wish to warn you that as pilgrims it will be necessary for you to have safe conduct from the Governor.’

‘This Count . . .’ began Richard.

‘Count Meinhard of Goritz, nephew of the Count Conrad de Montferrat.’

‘Very well,’ said Richard. ‘We will ask his permission to pass safely through his land.’

In the room assigned to them they talked in whispers.

‘Think you he knew who I was?’ asked Richard.

‘It is certain, Sire, that he knew you were no ordinary merchant.’

‘Do not call me Sire. People listen. Call me Hugo. Now, Baldwin, we shall have to ask permission to cross the country. Do you think this fellow is suspicious of us?’

‘It might well be so, Sire . . . Hugo.’

‘I will send the Count a gift – a ring I have. I will tell the messenger that I bought it from a Pisan merchant at a bargain price. I would wish him to have it to show our gratitude for giving us free passage through his land.’

‘My lord . . . Hugo,’ said Baldwin, ‘that ring is a very fine one.’

‘Nay,’ said Richard, ‘but a bauble. Let us send it without delay, for I am eager to proceed with the journey. Now we must get a night’s sleep and in the morning be ready to continue our journey.’

He lay down on the pallet his host had provided. One of the men lay across the door, while the others placed themselves in strategic positions.

He lay brooding, thinking of the wasted months, of what was happening in his kingdom, of the treachery of John and Philip – an ill-assorted pair – of the nobility of Saladin.

When the ring was brought to Meinhard of Goritz he looked at it intently.

‘A merchant gave it?’ he said. ‘A merchant Hugo who is with a band of pilgrims?’

He sent for his jeweller.

‘It is a very fine ring,’ said the jeweller.

‘Scarcely one that a merchant would bestow for a free passage,’ said Meinhard.

He dismissed the jeweller and discussed the matter with his ministers.

‘There is something unusual about these pilgrims,’ he said. ‘I hear that one has a bearing of great dignity. He is said to be a merchant but the other members of the party seem very respectful towards him while attempting not to be.’

His chief minister smiled slowly. ‘My lord Count,’ he said, ‘we know that Richard of England has left Palestine. He will be wishing to reach England by the shortest route. This might well be by land.’

Meinhard nodded. ‘And you imply that our merchant Hugo could be the King of England?’

‘Who but a king would bestow such a ring as though it is a trifle. What is of great value to most men is a bagatelle to a king.’

‘If this is indeed King Richard, the murderer of my uncle, then what shall we do?’

‘We will take him prisoner. The Emperor will not easily forgive us if we allow him to slip through our fingers.’

‘I will send for the messengers whom we have been holding and give them back the ring. Then we will take him captive.’

‘There are many who would not forgive us if we did not make it known that he had arrived.’

Meinhard of Goritz sent for the messenger.

‘Take this ring back to your master,’ he said. ‘It does not belong to Hugo the Merchant. It belongs to King Richard of England. I have given my word to seize and question all pilgrims who pass through my territory and not to take gifts from them in return for a safe conduct. But this is a different matter. This is the King of England whose fame has travelled ahead of him. It is Coeur de Lion himself. Therefore take the ring and tell him that I have given my word not to accept gifts but because of his greatness and his generosity in offering it to me, I will give him free leave to go.’