Prosper's aim on leaving High March after his gests of arms had been
Goltres, for there he had believed to find Galors. But Galors was a
man of affairs just now who had gone far since Isoult overheard his
plans. His troop of some sixty spears had grown like the avalanche it
resembled. For what the avalanche does not crush it turns to crushing.
Galors harrying had won harriers. In fact, he headed within a
fortnight of his coming into North Morgraunt a force which was the
largest known since Earl Roger of Bellesme had made a quietness like
death over those parts. By the time of Prosper's exodus, that is by
mid-May, his tactical situation was this--it is as well to be precise.
He had Hauterive and Waisford. Goltres was in the hollow of his hand.
If he could get Wanmeeting he would be master of the whole of the
north forest, west of Wan. Here would be enormous advantage. By a
forced march and a night surprise he might get Market Basing, on the
east side of the river; and if he did that he would cut the Countess
of Hauterive practically off the whole of Morgraunt. Going further, so
far as to cut her off March, whence she drew her supplies, she would
be at his mercy. He could pen her in High March like a sheep, and make
such terms as a sheep and a butcher were likely to arrange.
For, strategically, North Morgraunt would be his; with that to the
good South Morgraunt could await his leisure. The key will show how
the Hauterive saltire stood with the Galors pale.
Now the whole of this pretty scheming was based upon one simple
supposed fact, that the Countess's daughter was then actually in her
mother's castle. Galors knew quite well that he could not hold
Morgraunt indefinitely without the lady. Even Morgraunt was part of
the kingdom; and though rumour of the King's troubles came down, with
wild talk of Aquardente from the north and Bottetort from the south-
west combining to slaughter their sovereign, the King's writ would
continue to run though the king that writ it were under the earth: it
was unlikely that a shire would be let fall to a nameless outlaw when
five hundred men out of Kings-hold could keep it where it was. But a
name would come by marriage as well as by birth. All his terms with
his penned Countess would have been, amnesty and the heiress.
At first he prospered in everything he undertook. Waisford and
Hauterive were under-garrisoned, and fell. Goltres, very remote, was
unimportant except as a base. The Countess at this time, if not
engaged philandering with Prosper, was troubled on the northern
borders. As a matter of fact Galors had been able to secure that no
messengers to High March should cross Wan, and that none from it,
having once crossed, should ever re-cross. This was the state of
affairs when Prosper passed the edge of the High March demesnes and
took the road for Wanmeeting and Goltres.