Michael Jecks - Dispensation of Death

‘Oh, Coroner, no. That is not true!’ Simon protested mildly.

‘Then answer me a few little questions, please. Was there any suggestion that the dead man from the Great Hall had stayed at that inn, for example?’

‘I think so,’ Simon agreed.

‘Was there anything still there which could have assisted us in investigating his death? Oh, come now, Bailiff, surely there can be no difficulty in telling me that much!’

Simon hesitated, but in all fairness he could see no reason to conceal that matter. ‘Very well. Yes, there was proof that he had stayed there.’

‘And what was that proof?’

Simon was relieved to see Baldwin return. ‘Our friend here wants to learn more about what we discovered last night.’

‘Really? Did you tell him that it is not safe to be seen with us? We are become leprous, Coroner,’ Baldwin said heavily. ‘Do not approach us unless you wish to become afflicted in the same manner.’

Coroner John looked from one to the other with a perplexed expression on his face. ‘I do not understand you. All I wish is to discover the truth behind the death of this man, and you are both officers of the law. You ought to want to help me, but you’re obstructing me instead. Why is that?’

‘We have too many other matters to discuss. If you would excuse us, Sir John,’ Baldwin said firmly, and took Simon’s arm to lead him from the room.

‘Baldwin, what is the matter?’

‘You would hardly believe it, Simon,’ Baldwin said, his teeth gritted. ‘The King denies that there is anything to be discussed. He agrees that we have found where the man was staying, but apart from that says we have nothing. He said that the assassin, Jack, was a known felon, so whoever killed him was doing the King a service, especially as the man was obviously here to kill the Queen — and possibly Mabilla too. In God’s name! Have you ever heard such nonsense?’

‘What of Sir Hugh’s horse?’

‘Oh, he knew all about that! Sir Hugh had already told him that a known horse-thief had taken one of his mounts and it was found last night as people were trying to put out the flames at the inn where the man was staying. The King actually made it sound as though he was unimpressed with us, Simon, because Sir Hugh had learned of this place within a little while of us ourselves, and he more or less accused me of being dilatory and lazy. Me! Dear heaven, what can I do to escape this iniquitous den of malevolent, mendacious, manipulative, mean-minded …’

‘Don’t forget “mercenary”,’ Simon prompted.

‘Go fall from a horse,’ Baldwin growled. ‘Look about you, Simon. The King wished to be deluded about the true nature of his chief adviser and friend; here, all try to gallop to a better position compared with others by telling the King and his companion what they want to hear. There may be a short interval while a man seeks to do something for the common good, but that is over in the blink of an eye, because if it suits neither the King’s dreams nor his adviser’s ambitions, it will be forgotten. There is nothing that so embitters a man as to see his good intentions discarded by another for the simple reason that he can see personal advantage by so doing. Dear God in heaven! What must a man do?’

Simon was frowning. ‘Has the King heard about the attempt on Despenser’s life?’

Baldwin nodded. ‘Yes. He knows all about that — his guards kept him informed. He is furious about it. I think that was why he did not make his own speech today. Partly because his voice could have betrayed his rage, and partly because he wanted to demonstrate that his favourite still has his full trust and support.’

Simon looked about him at the walls. ‘It didn’t occur to me before, but there are more men about here today.’

‘The King is treating it as a serious attempt. So is Despenser. The bolt flew very close, so I have heard. The King asked me to forget all about the attack on the Queen, and instead to seek the men who decided to pay an assassin to kill his friend.’

‘What did you say?’

‘I said I thought the Queen was more deserving of my protection. Despenser can go hang! He has his own men to guard him, and he is responsible for breaking apart the Queen’s household and imprisoning or sending abroad all her own guards. Why should I seek to help him compared to her?’

‘You said all that?’ Simon felt a leaden-like weight in his belly. In that case, the die was cast. If Baldwin had summarily rejected the King’s request for help, they would both have lost any patronage which might have been flowing their way.

‘No. Only the first, that the Queen was in more need of my help, and that as her husband he would naturally want me to bend all my efforts to her protection,’ Baldwin said. He turned away from Simon and put a hand to his temple. ‘In God’s name, I swear I wish I had never come here to this cursed isle! There is no good can come of it, not for you nor I. All we can do is hope to survive and not be consumed in this political morass.’

‘What’s a morass?’

‘A bog.’

‘Ah,’ Simon smiled brightly. ‘Yes. It is that.’

He was inclined to fear for a while, but then he remembered the sight of the dead Mabilla, and was disgusted that any man could want to divert attention from her murder to an attempt on the life of Despenser. ‘Sir Hugh is a repellent character. The more I see of him, the more easily I can understand someone trying to kill the bastard.’

‘He is worse than you can imagine,’ Baldwin said.

‘What of the King, though? Would he punish you for refusing to seek the attacker of Despenser?’

Baldwin shook his head. ‘He was very upset that someone could have attempted to hurt his … his friend.’

He drew Simon away to a shadowy corner to speak his mind. ‘Look, Simon, if he were to punish me for simply seeking the person who tried to kill his wife, it would put him in bad odour with everyone else, even those in his own court. He cannot do that. What he can, and may do, is find some other pretext for harming or hurting me. At least at present you are secure. There is no one who can link you to my refusal. You have to keep yourself out of the way so far as is possible.’

‘I am not going to leave you to hunt this man on your own. I have my own pride, Sir Baldwin. I am keen to bring Mabilla’s murderer to justice if I may.’

‘I know, old friend.’ Baldwin gripped his shoulder. ‘We merely have to keep our heads on our shoulders long enough to make sure that we can.’

Simon set his mind back to those earlier murders. ‘Do we agree that the man Jack was here to see the Queen killed?’

‘Of course he was! But someone was defending her.’

‘Then the best course for us would be to meet her again and warn her that another could be sent to achieve where he failed.’

Baldwin looked at him. ‘You are right, but I do not take on that task with any great enthusiasm, Simon. If the Queen has a brain, she will be fully aware that her life is in danger. In her heart she must be praying to be sent to France to negotiate with her brother.’

‘Surely the danger to herself will only spur her on to demand that she be sent?’

‘Yes,’ Baldwin grunted, and then his brow furrowed.

‘What?’

‘I was thinking that if Despenser wished to be rid of her, the easiest option now would be to ensure that she was sent off to France, urgently. Having an assassin found making an attempt on her life would be no bad way to achieve it. If she could tell the King of France that her life was being threatened, he would send messengers demanding safe passage for her in an instant.’

‘Despenser is a devious, political man,’ Simon said.