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ropes.  She looked to have been in the wars.
    Captain William made sure that the ship was securely fastened before he ran out the gangplank and stepped ashore.  "Good voyage, Captain?"
    He shook his head, "Winter storms plagued us all the way north. We had to put in at Frisia. It cost us silver to sit out the storm there.  Then, after the first storms abated and we sailed, we were struck by an even greater storm.  I lost a ship's boy overboard."
    "I am sorry.  Can I do anything to make your voyages safer?"
    He looked at me with surprise, "You are worried about us?"
    "You are my ship and you serve me.  Of course I worry.  Perhaps we could make ropes here in Stockton and you could carry spares."
    "Aye and sails too. If that could be managed we would be better off. As it is we will need a month, at least, to repair and clear the weed."
    "Take all the time you need but I have two more voyages for you.  I would prefer you to be ready to sail safely rather risking a damaged ship."
    "We will be shipshape, lord."
    I sensed John, my steward, behind me. "I think my Steward wishes to know your manifest."
    He grinned, "And Gilles is bursting with news for you." He turned and shouted to his Bosun, "Harold Three Fingers, have the chest with the letters and the coin brought up."
    "Aye Skipper."
    "Henri, start unloading the cargo!"
    Gilles struggled over with the chest.  Sir John said, "Here, give me one handle."
    The two of them walked behind me.  I said, over my shoulder, "Did you enjoy returning to your home, Gilles?"
    "This is now my home, Earl.  I enjoyed meeting the Empress and the Earl  but this is where I belong.  I could not wait to get back. You will be a grandfather by summer, lord!"
    Sir John burst out laughing, "I must teach you to be more discreet."
    "I did not know that my son was married."
    Gilles was an innocent, "He is not, lord.  It is one of the girls who works in the manor kitchens.  She is pretty. She laughs a lot"
    Sir John said, quietly, "He is young lord.  Do not be critical of him.  Why even King Henry sired many bastards in his time."
    "But he was not my son!"
    They both sensed my anger and were quiet.  My father would have been appalled at such behaviour.  A man had to be honourable in his dealings with women. And then my own hypocrisy struck me.  The sins of the father were visited upon the son.
    I changed the subject, "And how is Leofric and his bride?"
    "He is to be a father too.  Perhaps he is one already. I lose track of time.  The voyage was hard, lord."
    We placed the chest on my table.  Alice hovered nearby. Her face was filled with joy now that Gilles had returned. She shook her head, "You need fattening up Gilles! You have not been eating!" She began to straighten his hair, much as a mother might do.
    I saw Gilles looking embarrassed at the attention. "The ship has a cargo for us.  Unless I miss my guess there will be wine.  Have a jug brought to me and the rest placed somewhere cool."
    "Aye my lord and I will fetch young Gilles some food too.  He looks a little thin to me.  This foreign food is not as good as our English food you know, my lord.  You always look half starved when you return from Normandy!"
    She bustled away and I felt in a better humour already. Alice's priorities were all her brood in the castle and well fed faces.
    "Before I read the letters tell me what your view is of the war in Normandy.  Is it won yet?"
    The young squire frowned and then smiled, "The Earl and the Count control all but a small part of Normandy.  I think there were talks of surrender but I am not certain. It was easy to move around the country and there was no danger to us."
    I nodded, relieved. That was good.  I could open the letters now without the dread of bad news. Alice brought a jug of wine and another of water along with three beakers.  "Better bring another for my Steward, Alice." I sat at my table and poured the three of us a beaker of wine each. I poured in a little water.