Alys Clare - Girl In A Red Tunic

‘It comes back to finding Walter!’ Josse exclaimed in exasperation. ‘There are so many ifs and maybes that I see no other way forward.’

‘I agree,’ de Gifford said decisively. ‘I shall return to Tonbridge now, my lady, with your permission — ’

‘Of course.’

‘- and see if there has been any word or sighting of Walter Bell. If I make haste, I shall be back in my own home by the time darkness falls.’ He gave Helewise a deep bow, Josse a rather sketchier one, and then he was gone.

‘He is a man,’ Josse observed into the silence left in de Gifford’s wake, ‘who seems always to move with elegance and deliberation, yet there is a vibrant energy about him that belies that impression.’

‘I too have marked it,’ she agreed. ‘We are lucky to have him.’ She smiled suddenly. ‘Remember Harry Pelham?’

‘God’s boots, aye!’ Josse gave a tut of remembered annoyance. Then, apparently noticing the blasphemy, mumbled, ‘I apologise, my lady.’

‘Your apology is accepted,’ she murmured. Then: ‘What should we now do, think you, Sir Josse? Is it worthwhile to make another check of our visitors to make quite sure that Walter Bell is not among them?’

‘That was my thought,’ he said, nodding. ‘And I’ve thought of something else; it is too late for further investigation tonight, but tomorrow, with your leave, I’ll take Saul and Gussie with me and have a good hunt through the nearer reaches of the forest, in case Bell is out there living rough while he plans his next move.’

‘Yes, I will gladly give you leave. But’ — she met his earnest brown eyes — ‘I am happy that you restrain your impatience and do not propose starting your hunt today.’

He smiled. ‘I admit that I am tempted, but it would be fruitless because in the fading light we would miss anything there was to find. Oh!’

‘What is it?’

‘My lady, I would like to ask Leofgar to be of my search party, if you agree. In all the drama of today’s events, he has slipped from my mind. But he would be an asset, of that I am sure.’

She too had forgotten about Leofgar and his family. ‘Sir Josse, I am glad you reminded me. I have not yet made my daily visit to Rohaise and her child nor had the opportunity to speak to Leofgar. And yes, by all means ask him to join your hunt!’

She found Rohaise in the guest chamber preparing Timus for bed. Rohaise sat by the small fire, the child well-wrapped in a blanket on her lap, and she was cuddling him to her as she softly sang a lullaby. The scene was so heart-warming — and it was so good to see Rohaise acting just like any other mother — that Helewise contented herself with a brief smile and a nod to Rohaise before quietly closing the door. Timus, she could see, was almost asleep and a visit from his grandmother might stimulate him back into wakefulness. I will make time for a proper talk with both mother and child tomorrow, she promised herself. As she went off in search of her son, she was already looking forward to it.

She could not find Leofgar at first, but then one of the nuns said she thought she had seen him going towards the stables. Helewise was surprised, but then recalled that he had taken the duty upon himself of looking after Josse’s horse as well as his own; perhaps he had gone to groom them ready for tomorrow. He had always loved to be with horses, even when he was far too small to groom them …

Dwelling for a few self-indulgent moments on the pictures that her memory provided, she then firmly dismissed them.

She made her way to the stables, wrapping her arms around herself against the penetrating cold of the approaching night. Somebody was within; she could hear soothing whistling and the rustle of straw. She called out, ‘Leofgar? Is that you?’

There was a moment of stillness and she was suddenly very afraid. Suppose it was not her son in the stables but Walter Bell, armed with a cudgel and a knife …?

But then there was more rustling and her son’s voice called back, ‘Yes, it’s me, Mother. I’m — er — just finishing grooming Rohaise’s mare.’

Faintly surprised, for surely the mare had not been out anywhere that day to become dirty, she was about to comment but then Leofgar appeared from out of the end stall and, approaching her, gave her a swift hug.

‘What was that for?’ she asked as he released her.

‘Oh — nothing.’ He did not meet her eyes.

After a moment she said, ‘It’s getting cold. Let’s return to somewhere warmer. I will order some wine and-’

‘Thank you, but Rohaise is waiting.’ He led the way out of the stables and they set out across the courtyard side by side. ‘We’re both rather tired.’

‘Yes, it’s been a wearying day.’ She tried to speak brightly to disguise her disappointment; it was unreasonable to expect him to put a cosy chat with his mother above settling down snugly with his wife. ‘Rohaise is being a great help in the infirmary,’ she said. ‘Sister Euphemia reports that she has a gentle hand and a kind manner with the sick.’

‘I’m glad she’s being useful.’

Helewise had intended that her remark should be the prelude to a brief comparing of notes between them concerning Rohaise’s state of mind; she was keen to know whether Leofgar too saw an improvement. But his somewhat curt reply made her realise that he did not think now was the moment and reluctantly she abandoned the plan.

‘You are useful too,’ she said instead. ‘I understand that you have been riding out with Sir Josse and the lay brothers helping with the distribution of food to the needy.’

‘I have.’

‘And has Sir Josse asked you yet about tomorrow’s search?’

‘Search?’ He stopped and stared at her. In the darkness it was hard to see his face properly. ‘What search?’

‘The dead man found this morning is apparently brother to a missing man called Walter Bell. Gervase de Gifford — he’s sheriff of Tonbridge — has reason to think that Walter Bell was on his way here to Hawkenlye and he is looking for him. Sir Josse is to hunt through the forest fringes tomorrow morning to see if there is any sign of Bell and he suggested that you join him.’

Leofgar did not speak for a moment. Then, with a sort of sigh, he said, ‘I see.’

Before Helewise could work out whether his reply meant he would or would not agree to be part of Josse’s search party, Leofgar had taken her arm and was saying something about its being too cold to linger out of doors. He escorted her back to her room and then, with a bow, turned and hurried away in the direction of the guest chamber where Rohaise awaited him.

Helewise, her thoughts and emotions threatening to overcome her, gave him long enough to reach the chamber and then left her room and walked quickly across to the Abbey church. Vespers was long over and there was nobody there; she fell on her knees and prayed both for the ability to understand and therefore help her son with whatever was troubling him so deeply, and at the same time for the grace to put him out of her mind so that she could concentrate on being a good nun.

‘I hope, dear Lord,’ she whispered, ‘that you can work out what exactly I am asking you for, because I do not think that I can.’

Smiling ruefully to herself, she got up and set off to find her own bed.

Most of the people living in, being treated or sheltering at the Abbey that night slept soundly, for it was a cold, still night and the best place to be was warmly wrapped in blankets on a straw mattress, preferably with a low fire burning down gradually not too far away.

But three people hardly slept at all.

As soon as he had eaten his meagre breakfast, Josse took his mind off his still-growling belly by immediately setting about organising his search party. Brother Saul had found woollen cloaks for Brother Augustus and himself, and he accepted the two stout sticks that Josse handed him without comment. Gus, on the other hand, could not conceal his satisfaction; ‘If we’re to hunt down a violent man,’ Josse heard him whisper to Saul, ‘then old Sir Josse here’s quite right and we ought to be able to defend ourselves.’