Sir Hugh's wine was served in a golden goblet. He raised it and proposed the loyal toast.

'To Good King Harry!'

'To Harry!' the guard bellowed.

Harald was mortified. In his father's absence it was his duty and privilege to propose the loyal toast. The man was usurping his role. Worst of all, there was nothing he could do about it. In a fit of pique, he jumped to his feet.

'To my father, Sir William Gascoigne, and all the brave lads who are fighting with him in France to protect the sovereign rights of our noble young king.'

He raised his tankard and a confused babble followed as the guard tried to repeat what he had just said.

Sir Hugh showed him how it should be done 'To Duke Humphrey!'

'Humph! Humph! Humph!'

The guard banged their tankards on the table and shouted the duke's name, linking it with the Earl of Huntingdon. The din continued unabated. It was what Harald hated about dining at home. No one seemed able to do anything without making a huge amount of noise. John Baret evidently shared his disquiet but Sir Hugh was in his element. He rose and proposed another toast when the hubbub died down.

'To Henry Beaufort!'

'Henry Bigfart!'

The guard blew raspberries and downed their wine.

Other toasts and insults followed. The Duke of York and John Talbot were hailed as heroes. The Earl of Suffolk was derided as a traitor together with the entire Beaufort clan. Harald watched as huge hunks of flesh were hacked from bone and stuffed into gaping mouths. Greasy fingers were wiped on bread and clothing. He yearned for the linen napkins and finger bowls that graced John Baret's table.

Sir Hugh turned to him with a mouth full of meat.

'The chaplain tells me you've got informants.'

Harald leant past his mother and tried to conduct a conversation.

'I have friends who have provided valuable information.'

'You mean you're not paying for it?'

'No. I believe that to be detrimental to the cause of justice.'

The proposition seemed novel to Sir Hugh.

'What have they told you?'

'Roger Knowles is bribing people to say that Judith was unfaithful.'

'Do you know who they are?'

'Yes.'

'How would you categorise them?'

'Some are easy to refute. Others are not.'

'Tell me about them.'

'Henry Knowles is easy to refute and so is Jane Etheridge.'

'Where's the weakness?'

'One was too young and the other was in France.

'Can you prove that?'




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