Chapter Eleven
Every St George’s day for the last five years, the tithes of Aston and Small Heath had played each other at camp ball. Each tithe had won two of those games. Last year’s match had been drawn, and one player from each side had died. One of a broken neck, the other from a knife in the ribs. Both sides were keen to win today and pull ahead.
After the previous year’s fatalities, William de Birmingham had banned the sport from his town. They would play this year’s match near Duddeston, regarded as neutral territory. Marion had agreed to take her brothers to watch, and Clement had insisted they bring Daniel.
Clement had wanted Imelda to come as well, but she flat refused. She said that watching men fighting over a ball held no interest for her. Instead she was fulfilling her pr
