Candace Robb: The Guilt of Innocents

Rounding the corner to Vicar Lane he saw Osmund walk past the guard in front of Master Nicholas’s school and continue down the street, turning left at Goodramgate. Jasper hurried after him, but by the time he reached Goodramgate there was no sign of Osmund. He rushed through the gate of Holy Trinity churchyard. No Osmund. He kept going down the house backs until he found the alley to Master Nicholas’s chamber. By now his feet were wet and icy, but he thought it would be well worth the pain if he picked up Osmund’s trail again. He had expected a guard here in the alley by the school, but no one was watching the side door. He wondered whether the man would be so bold as to slip in when the guard was out front — but he had tried the handle the previous day. Jasper tried the door handle. Unlocked. Perhaps another guard hid within. That would be clever. But it was only a guess. He decided against opening the door, though it was tempting. A guard might mistake Jasper for Osmund, or a thief. And if Osmund Gamyll were hiding behind the door he would be armed and ready. Feeling foolish for having made the chase but failed to bring the prey to ground, he told himself that at least he had some information for the captain. He turned his back on the door — it was time to continue on to school. He gasped as someone grabbed him and put a gag to his mouth.

It was late afternoon by the time Owen, Alfred and Sir Baldwin led their horses into the archbishop’s stables. Thinking to avoid another lecture from Thoresby on his late reporting, Owen stopped at the palace before heading home. Sir Baldwin seemed reluctant to see the archbishop in his present state, but he accompanied Owen.

Brother Michaelo welcomed them, and as he led Owen into the hall he inquired whether he’d been home as yet.

It was a chilling question. ‘No. What is wrong?’

Michaelo paused, and his expression lacked even a suggestion of his usual playfulness. ‘I have a bad feeling about Jasper.’ He told him of the boy’s visit the previous day.

Owen’s heart sank. ‘You could not have delivered worse news.’ He had feared that Jasper would recognise Osmund and follow him. It’s what he would have done at Jasper’s age.

‘Then I am glad I have told you,’ said Michaelo. ‘I can assure you that Jasper attended his classes yesterday, for I spoke to Master John in the evening. But there was a taste of adventure in the lad’s eyes that has worried me.’

Jasper had been all right the previous day. He prayed that was still so. ‘Have you spoken to Master John today?’ Owen asked.

‘No. Not yet. His Grace has kept me busy. Go to Master John now — before you go home.’

‘I will.’ Owen cursed under his breath. ‘Didn’t they put one of the guards on the school?’

‘Yes, and I am likely worrying for nothing. But we know that Jasper is resourceful, Captain.’

‘Keep Master Nicholas here, Michaelo,’ said Owen.

Sir Baldwin was right behind him as he hurried out.

A servant at St Peter’s School directed them to the Clee, where Master John was dining. Owen cursed. It was too long a walk to the Clee when he was in a hurry to find his son.

Sir Baldwin asked where Nicholas’s school was.

‘So near?’ he said. ‘Why don’t we talk to the guard? He might have seen Jasper today.’

Owen thanked him — he wasn’t thinking clearly or he would have come up with that himself. Memories of another time when he’d feared for Jasper’s life crowded his mind. They almost ran down Vicar Lane, startling people who unwittingly got in their way.

Seeing that the guard was Edmund, one of Owen’s newest men, he cursed himself for leaving Rafe in charge, with his philosophy of pushing inexperienced men into the thick of things, convinced that it was the only way they would learn because that is how he’d learned.

‘I’ve been here since midday and I’ve not seen the lad,’ said Edmund.

‘Who’s in the alley?’ Owen asked.

‘It’s just me, Captain. And this morning Colm. You might ask him if he saw Jasper.’

Owen could not believe the carelessness of Rafe’s command. ‘Do you check the alley at all?’

‘I do. I walk round the building, so I pass it often.’

‘Go to the barracks. Fetch Rafe and Gilbert here.’

Startled, Edmund hesitated.

‘Now!’

He took off.

‘What do you intend?’ asked Baldwin.

Owen was already at the door of the school, trying the latch. Locked. He headed round to the alley, Baldwin striding alongside him. It was mid-afternoon, but the alley was already dark. He wished Sir Baldwin were not with him, for if he found Jasper harmed …

The alley door was unlatched. Owen drew his dagger, then slowly opened the door. It was too dark to see, but he heard nothing. Crouching down, he crept into the chamber. Baldwin followed his lead, shutting the door behind him. Owen let his eye adjust before rising to look around. In the dimness he saw that the room was in disarray.

Baldwin tapped him on the arm. ‘I hear breathing.’ He moved towards the corner of the room taken up by the vestment press. Crouching by the trunk, Baldwin gestured for Owen to come. ‘In here. What’s in here?’

‘Clothing,’ Owen said softly. He heard footsteps in the alley, and opened the door a little to peer out, relieved to see that it was Rafe and Gilbert.

‘Stay! Who goes there?’ Rafe demanded.

‘Your captain, you fool.’ Owen swung the door wide seeing that Gilbert had the sense to bring a lantern, bold now that he had light and backup. ‘Open the shutter,’ Owen said.

Baldwin was trying to lift the lid on the press with one hand, his dagger in the other. Rafe crossed over to help him.

‘God have mercy,’ Baldwin sobbed, reaching into the chest and straightening with Jasper in his arms, bound and gagged and frighteningly limp.

‘He’d dead? No!’ Owen cried. ‘Holy Mary, Mother of God. You said you heard breathing, damn you!’

‘He’s still warm, Captain. But stuffed into that chest — he couldn’t have had much air.’ Baldwin laid Jasper on Nicholas’s bed. ‘My son meant to kill him. Thank God he failed.’

‘For now,’ Rafe muttered as he cut the bonds and removed the gag.

‘He should be coughing,’ Owen moaned, pressing an ear to Jasper’s chest. He almost wept with relief to hear his strong young heart beating. He checked his limbs — Jasper groaned when Owen touched his right shoulder.

Baldwin began to rub Jasper’s wrists, Owen did the ankles. A shudder ran through the boy’s limbs and he opened his eyes. At first unfocused and confused, he fought them.

‘Steady, lad. You are safe. It’s your da,’ said Owen, knowing well this state of confusion on waking from such an attack as this must have been.

‘Da!’ Jasper cried, trying to prop himself up on his elbows. ‘You’re here.’

Owen helped him sit up. ‘I am, I’m here, you’re safe.’

‘I thought I was dying in there. I was so mad.’ Jasper knuckled his eyes. ‘So stupid.’

‘You’re alive. That is not stupid,’ Owen said. ‘Tell me what happened.’

Rafe and Gilbert came from the schoolroom shaking their heads.

‘Someone’s gone through it, but they’re not there now,’ said Gilbert.

‘There’s not much to tell,’ said Jasper, ‘but that I did just what he wanted by following him here. He was pleased with himself. He said he was burying me alive because he didn’t kill boys.’

‘Who, Jasper?’ Owen asked, wanting to be sure.

‘Osmund Gamyll. Remember I saw him — ’

‘I’ll crush him,’ Baldwin growled.

‘Sir Baldwin?’ Jasper had not noticed him. ‘How are you here?’

‘There’s no time to explain,’ said Owen. ‘Do you have any idea where he’s gone?’