Michael Jecks - The Templar, the Queen and Her Lover

‘Was it the Earl in there?’ Philip asked.

‘No. He was in the buttery when I went there. It was someone else.’

Philip nodded, scowling. ‘Well, you should tell her anyway. And see if you can learn who the man in the chamber was. It couldbe worthwhile knowing that.’

‘Why?’ Ricard asked.

‘Why?’ He looked nonplussed for a moment or two. ‘If the Queen’s having funny little meetings with someone, don’t you thinkit’d be worth knowing? I mean, we’re the Queen’s Men, aren’t we? If she’s having negotiations on the side with someone, itcould be dangerous.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Janin demanded. ‘It’s nothing to us who she sees.’

‘Oh no? Think on this, Jan. If she’s seeing someone and the King himself knows nothing about it, is he going to torture herto find out about it? No. But he may well torture someone else.’

‘If we don’t know-’ Adam began.

‘We’ll still be tortured. They don’t stop because you say you know nothing,’ Philip spat. ‘Don’t you know anything? Look,if Despenser thinks there’s something to be found out from you, he’ll have the skin cut from your body, the bones broken,the nails ripped away, and he won’t stop until you do tell him something. Saying you know nothing just means he’ll carry on.Torture isn’t about finding out someone’s got nothing to tell — it’s about making them tell anything. Everything . If she’s seeing someone, I’d prefer to be able to tell the King, Despenser or whoever, exactly who it was, how long she saw him, and whether they met once or plenty. She’s the Queen. She can’t just go into a room and meet with men alone.’

Ricard looked towards Janin. Both shook their heads in disgust, but there was little either felt he could say. For Ricard’spart, he merely wished he was away from here. The only consolation was that when little Charlie had seen the Earl, it hadmade not the slightest impact on him. Either he was so young he had not recognised the man who had killed his parents, ormaybe he’d forgotten him. It seemed odd to Ricard that the little fellow could have forgotten the man who had so scared himat the time, but perhaps it was natural. The lad was very young, after all. Maybe he didn’t think like an adult.

At least it meant the boy wasn’t upset and screaming just now, Ricard thought, just in time to see Adam’s recorder being usedto prise away another chunk of plaster.

‘Oi! Charlie, no!’

Cromwell saw Baldwin and Simon in the main hall when they were all seated for their evening meal. He passed by their mess on his wayto the top table, where he took a seat not far from the Queen, his eyes on Baldwin as he sat.

‘He is hoping for some good news, I think,’ Simon said.

‘He can continue to hope, then,’ Baldwin said. ‘We have learned nothing of any use today.’

‘We know he was there,’ Simon said quietly.

Baldwin nodded. Mortimer was never far from his thoughts just now. ‘Yes. And he denied the attack. Which may mean nothing,of course. The man had good reason to defend himself against Paul. The fellow was after a bounty, after all. He would havestabbed first and asked questions later, wouldn’t he? Mortimer would have been within his rights to remove such a threat.’

‘But you don’t think he did?’

‘If he had done it, I feel sure he would have told us.’ Baldwin shrugged. ‘Why hide a justifiable defence? He’s a warrior.Surely he’d just say, “Yes. It was me. That fellow was going to kill me and take my head to the King, and I acted in self-defence.”It would be understandable, truthful and, over here, he would be acting within the law, I feel sure. Why hide something thatwas not a crime?’

‘Who else could have wanted him dead?’

‘Perhaps it was merely a foolish argument in the street? Or perhaps a whore’s master, who sought to take more than Paul feltfair? There are so many reasons why men are killed in city streets. And here, of course, we are in a foreign land. He mayhave offended someone without realising it.’

‘Paul? He was always more astute than his master,’ Simon said.

Baldwin nodded slowly, his eyes moving about the tables. ‘Yes. Paul would always be wary of upsetting people, whereas SirCharles was far less cautious. Where is he now?’

‘Perhaps in his room … and perhaps with Sir John and Sir Peter.’

Baldwin grunted. ‘He’s told them, hasn’t he? They’re all three trying their luck, hoping to catch Mortimer.’

‘It’s no surprise, is it?’ Simon agreed. ‘How much would his head be worth?’

Baldwin admitted to being baffled. ‘The man was one of the King’s closest friends and advisers, his best general. I shouldthink he’d pay almost anything to have him killed.’

‘What, a hundred pounds?’

Baldwin looked at him steadily. ‘At least five times that, and he’d still think it a bargain. And if Mortimer ever dared toreturn to England, he’d find the rewards notified to all the sheriffs in the land. He wouldn’t be able to march a step withoutthe bounty hunters aiming their arrows.’

‘No more than the man would deserve, either,’ Lord John said.

He had approached them as they spoke, and now he rested an elbow on the table at Baldwin’s side, peering at both men as hesqueezed his arse on to the bench.

‘You really think the King would pay five hundred pounds to have him killed?’ Simon asked. The thought of so much money wasappalling. A daunting sum. ‘Just to carry so much would be a challenge. The weight …’

‘The King would pay a thousand to have the devil removed. All the while he lives, Mortimer is a threat. To the King, to the realm, to all. Do you think he had a part in Paul’s murder, then?’

‘I have no means of knowing. All I do know is that Sir Charles apparently thought he saw Mortimer yesterday. Paul was outlooking for him when he was killed. Now Sir Charles and your other two knights have missed their meal. I somehow doubt thatthey are holding vigil over the body, don’t you?’

Cromwell looked away, chewing at his inner lip. ‘This is mad. They are supposed to be here to help protect the Queen, andthey’re running off to try to win a prize.’

‘If so much money is waved before a man’s nose, it is no surprise that he might snatch at it,’ Baldwin said.

Cromwell grunted. He did not meet Baldwin’s or Simon’s eye, but sat staring at the wall, considering. ‘Sir Baldwin, I am concerned.I have the charge of the defence of the Queen during these negotiations, but here I have only myself and you whom I can trust.The others are too careless of her safety. They prefer to seek their own rewards. Well, I cannot surrender myself to suchgreed. If they treat her in such a disrespectful manner, it means I have to be more wary.’

‘Would you like us to go and seek out the three knights?’ Baldwin asked.

‘No. I cannot afford to lose you two as well.’ He saw the expression on Baldwin’s face and laughed quietly. ‘Nay, Sir Baldwin,do not look like that! I do not accuse you of also chasing the reward, I merely say that I can hardly see to her safety allon my own. If you and Simon were to go and seek the others, I would be here alone. I tell you now, I would not feel safe insuch a position.’ He rose. ‘Would you aid me in protecting the Queen, Sir Baldwin?’

‘Of course.’

It was enough. Lord Cromwell nodded and returned to his seat near the Queen, and Baldwin and Simon turned back to their food.

‘Damn their eyes, what do they all think they’re doing?’ Simon grumbled.

‘Seeking their fortune,’ Baldwin said absently. He toyed with some bread. ‘But that’s not the worst, should news of this sortof reward get out.’