The Devil's Domain

a gallant; he was a soldier with a warrior’s face and blunt mannerisms. Though tongue-tied he’d confessed to Angelica that she was the love of his life. She had touched his fingers, those blue eyes scrutinising his face and, at last, towards the end of July, she had confessed that her love was as great as his: a fierce flame of passion which would never be extinguished. After that Sir Maurice felt as if he had been walking on air. A few more clandestine meetings and then, armed with letters from John of Gaunt himself, he had presented himself at Sir Thomas’ house in Cheapside .
    The young knight clambered to his feet. Even now his face went red with embarrassment at what had happened. He had knelt before Sir Thomas Parr and confessed his love. Sir Thomas had gazed speechlessly back, his face turning puce as he gave vent to the most terrible rage.
    ’ How dare you!’ he had bellowed, striding up and down the solar, leaving Sir Maurice on his knees. ’How dare you even look at my daughter? What are you but some penniless knight! ’
    ’I have a manor and lands in Berkshire ,’ Sir Maurice had retorted.
    ’What! A paltry cottage and a few pigsties!’
    Sir Maurice’s hand had dropped to the hilt of his sword but Parr had remained unabashed. His henchmen standing in the doorway came forward. A group of city thugs, bully boys led by the squire Ralph Hersham, a mealy-mouthed character with a narrow pointed face and sly eyes. Parr had leaned down, eyes blazing with fury. ’Go on!’ he had grated. ’Draw your weapon! Let us end it now!’ Instead, Sir Maurice had scrambled to his feet and, with Parr’s strictures ringing in his ears, had fled the mansion. He’d drowned his sorrows in a tavern and, when he returned to the Savoy Palace , summoned up enough courage to see his lord. John of Gaunt had been sympathetic but unhelpful. The Regent had slouched in his chair, his sharp, hard eyes keenly observant. As he listened, he would stroke his silver moustache and goatee beard. Now and again he would nod or intervene with a question.
    ’But there’s nothing I can do,’ he concluded sadly.
    ’My lord, you are the Regent!’
    ’I am the King’s officer,’ Gaunt replied with a smile. ’I can command his armies, issue writs, but I have no power over Sir Thomas and what he wishes to do with his daughter.’ He held his hand up, emphasising the points on his fingers. ’First, my good knight, our opponents in the Commons would love that. John of Gaunt, the King’s evil Regent, forcing one of his knights into the bed of the daughter of a powerful London merchant! How the scurriers and the gossips would relish it! They’d depict me as an even greater tyrant than Nero or Caligula!’
    Sir Maurice didn’t know who these were but he stared bleakly at Gaunt.
    ’Secondly,’ the Regent continued remorselessly, ’Sir Thomas Parr is a very, very wealthy man. Oh, he comes from nothing but he virtually owns the wool trade to the Low Countries . He has ten ships which he has put at our disposal. Thirdly, the Crown owes him monies. Fourthly, and more importantly, Sir Maurice, so do I. If Sir Thomas called in these loans...’ John of Gaunt drummed his fingers on the table-top. ’Well.’ He sighed. ’ It’s best not to think about what might happen.’ He got up and grasped the young knight’s hands. ’Maurice,’ he continued kindly. ’You are my man in peace and war as your father was. In battle I couldn’t ask for a better soldier. You took those two ships, the St Sulpice and St Denis and, for that, you will always have my favour. In time I will grant you lands, manors, fields, meadows but not now. In this matter of Sir Thomas Parr’s daughter I can do nothing.’
    Crestfallen, Sir Maurice had withdrawn. He had not seen Angelica after his confrontation with her father. He thought his cause was doomed but, a short while later, Rosamunda brought a short letter.
    ’Are you a lackey to leave the field?’ the note had read. ’Is your love so shallow that it breaks at the first obstacle?’
    Full of fire, he had returned to his wooing though this time it was more difficult. Nevertheless, thanks to Rosamunda, he and Angelica had met, sworn oaths of love and agreed to elope this very night. He had no real plan. They would ride into Berkshire and hire some hedge-priest to marry them and be their witness when they exchanged vows at the church door.
    Sir Maurice stepped back into the lane. Further down, cats fought