Brother Cadfael 19: The Holy Thief

disruption of his plans. "Man, what are you doing here? Why are you not back in Ramsey? I had thought I could have complete trust in you to get your charge safely home. What has happened? Where have you left the wagon? And your fellows, where are they?"
    Nicol drew deep breath, and told him. "Father, we were set upon in woodland, south of Leicester. Five of us, and a dozen of them, with cudgels and daggers, and two archers among them. Horses and wagon were what they wanted, and what they took, for all we could do to stop them. They were on the run, and in haste, or we should all be dead men. They had one at least of their number wounded, and they needed to move fast. They battered us into the bushes, and made off into the forest with the cart and the team and the load, and left us to limp away on foot wherever we would. And that's the whole tale," he said, and shut his mouth with a snap, confronting Herluin with the stony stare of an elder provoked and ready to do battle.
    The abbey's wagon gone, a team of horses gone, Longner's cartload of timber gone, worst of all, Ramsey's little chest of treasure for the rebuilding, lost to a company of outlaws along the road! Prior Robert drew a hissing breath, Sub-Prior Herluin uttered a howl of bitter deprivation, and began to babble indignation into Nicol's set face.
    "Could you do no better than that? All my work gone to waste! I thought I could rely on you, that Ramsey could rely on you..."
    Hugh laid a restraining hand on the sub-prior's heaving shoulder, and rode somewhat unceremoniously over his lament. "Was any man of yours badly hurt?"
    "None past making his way afoot. As I've made mine," said Nicol sturdily, "all these miles, to bring word as soon as I might."
    "And well done," said Hugh. "God be thanked there was no killing. And where have they headed, since they let you make for here alone?"
    "Roger and the young mason are gone on together for Ramsey. And the master carpenter and the other lad turned back for Shrewsbury. They'll be there by this, if they had no more trouble along the way."
    "And where was this ambush? South of Leicester, you said? Could you lead us there? But no," said Hugh decisively, looking the man over. An elder, well past fifty, and battered and tired from a dogged and laborious journey on foot. "No, you need your rest. Name me some village close by, and we'll find the traces. Here are we, and ready for the road. As well for Leicester as for Shrewsbury."
    "It was in the forest, not far from Ullesthorpe," said Nicol. "But they'll be long gone. I told you, they needed the cart and the horses, for they were running from old pastures gone sour on them, and in the devil's own hurry."
    "If they needed the wagon and the team so sorely," said Hugh, "one thing's certain, they'd want no great load of timber to slow them down. As soon as they were well clear of you, they'd surely get rid of that dead weight, they'd upend the cart and tip the load. If your little treasury was well buried among the coppice-wood, Father Herluin, we may recover it yet." And if something else really was slipped aboard at the last moment, he thought, who knows but we may recover that, too!
    Herluin had brightened and gathered his dignity about him wonderfully, at the very thought of regaining what had gone astray. So had Nicol perceptibly brightened, though rather with the hope of getting his revenge on the devils who had tumbled him from the wagon, and threatened his companions with steel and arrows.
    "You mean to go back there after them?" he questioned, glittering. Then, my lord, gladly I'll come back with you. I'll know the place again, and take you there straight. Father Herluin came with three horses from Shrewsbury. Let his man make his way back there, and let me have the third horse and bring you the quickest way to Ullesthorpe. Give me a moment to wet my throat and take a bite, and I'm ready!"
    "You'll fall by the wayside," said Hugh, laughing at a vehemence he could well understand.
    "Not I, my lord! Let me but get my hands on one of that grisly crew, and you'll put me in better fettle than all the rest in the world. I would not be left out! This was my charge, and I have a score to settle. I kept the key safe, Father Herluin, but never had time to toss the coffer into the bushes, before I was flung there myself, winded among the brambles, and scratches enough to show for it. You would not leave me behind now?"
    "Not for the world!" said Hugh heartily. "I can do with