Michael Jecks - Dispensation of Death

Sir John perched himself on the bench on which the headless body of Piers was resting, arms folded, and peered down at the head, resting on its cheek a few inches away from the torso. He reached over and drew the head down until the stub of ligament and muscle met with those of the torso. It rolled a little, and rested unmatched once more.

‘Sir John, I am glad you could come here,’ Sir Baldwin said a few moments later, the door rattling on its ancient hinges. He waited until Simon had come in, before slamming the door shut once more. ‘What a miserable place this is!’

‘I have known worse,’ Sir John noted, glancing up at the roof. ‘At least it is dry.’

Baldwin did not enlighten him. He had been thinking of the whole of Thorney Island, perhaps extending as far as the city of London itself.

‘This man. You know who he was?’ Sir John asked. When they shook their heads, he continued, ‘Piers de Wrotham. A minor player in this arena, he was a political fellow, who spent his life advising Earl Edmund. However, today the good Earl learned that Piers was receiving instructions from Sir Hugh le Despenser before advising the Earl. Sir Edmund made a gift of his head to the knight, and now he’s running from the King’s ire. I think he will go into exile in all likelihood.’

‘And justice will have been served,’ Baldwin said with disgust.

‘Do not be angry, Sir Baldwin. I have learned that anger at injustice wins little reward. No, it is better to be resilient in the face of such treatment. We do our jobs, we record our facts, and we try to keep our hearts disconnected from the miserable truth of the mundane nature of the cruelty inflicted upon the men and women of our realm. There are some, like this one here,’ he said, looking down at Piers’s head once more, ‘whose death I cannot mourn, because he was one of those who caused much of the sorrow. But others, others I mourn. The ones who have been mistreated and only seek a little compensation, the ones who’ve been robbed and seen their livings destroyed by the harsh greed of the barons. There are many who deserve sympathy.’

‘Does this Piers not deserve justice?’ Simon demanded.

‘Aye. But the exile of the killer will be enough. The King may change his mind, I suppose, and allow Earl Edmund to return, but I doubt it. The fellow has lost the Crown its jewel in France. I don’t think he’ll ever be welcomed back. This was the last sugary coating on the cake of his misdeeds.’

‘What of the other deaths?’

‘What of them? The innocents will go unavenged, I fear. The assassin — well, I am less concerned about him. But I would like to know the truth of his death. And I would be glad to see the killers of the innkeeper at the Swan brought to justice.’

‘They are already at the bar before God and answering for their crimes, I feel sure,’ Baldwin said, and told him about the fight between Ellis and the others in the New Palace Yard. ‘William Pilk and he were slain. I am sure that one or both were responsible, under Sir Hugh, for the murder of Henry and his wife.’

‘What of the killings here? Mabilla and the man?’

Baldwin nodded towards the carpet standing rolled at the wall. ‘If you look at that, it has a large bloody mess on it. I think that the assassin died on it. The rug came from the King’s own chamber. That was where Jack atte Hedge died.’

‘Good God! Why?’

‘Jack was told to come and kill the Queen. I am sure that Sir Hugh paid him for that. Sir Hugh also gave him a horse and had a formal agreement with him, an indenture. But he also had a spy in the Queen’s cloister. Not only his wife, but a woman who was reporting to him independently of his wife, just in case his amiable, kindly lady might grow fond of the Queen. He obviously feared that she might become disgusted with the task he had given her, that of gaoler. The spy was Mabilla.’

‘So the Queen had her killed?’

‘In a manner, yes. She told the Despenser that she wanted Mabilla removed. I think she probably made it clear in what way she wanted it to happen. And the Despenser was happy to comply with her demands, and even made the death a demonstration of his power, showing the Queen that whenever he wanted, he could strike at any in Isabella’s entourage — including, perhaps, herself.’

‘But he appeared quite shocked by the woman’s death.’

‘He would, though, wouldn’t he?’ Baldwin said. ‘The man is quite a consummate actor.’

‘I see,’ Sir John said. ‘But there are many gaps in your story, Sir Baldwin. If Despenser was to have killed the man, why do so in the King’s chamber? Why carry his body to the Great Hall to drop it behind the throne, and why commit that foul mutilation?’

‘True enough. But I fear you will have to enquire yourself about those aspects. I am only seeking to tell you the story as I understand it,’ Baldwin said.

Sir John nodded thoughtfully. Then he sprang lightly from the table, and addressed the two. ‘I thank you for the tale, in any case. It is quite entertaining.’

‘It is the only one you will have on the affair, I think,’ Baldwin said.

Later that night, Baldwin was lying back on his bed when Simon challenged him.

‘That was a whole cartload of garbage, wasn’t it?’

‘What was, Simon?’

‘The tale you gave to John. There was hardly any truth in it, was there?’

‘Simon, look at it this way: we set out to seek a killer, and in the end it became clear that the killer knew his way about the palace, that he was a man who could conceal himself, that he was someone known to Alicia, in all probability, and someone who was removing a woman whom the Queen wanted taken away.’

‘Yes.’

‘Blaket was plainly the man who killed Mabilla. He confessed as much. Jack was killed in the King’s chamber. We know that too. However, Despenser is not so good an actor that he could feign anxiety and rage. He did not know what had happened to his assassin. I am sure of that.’

‘But then … Oh, in Christ’s name, you don’t mean-’

‘Of course. The King is no fool. He heard about the spying and was none too pleased about it. I dare say he was happy enough to see Mabilla removed. But no matter what, he is a politician too. He was furious to learn that an assassin had been hired to kill his wife. It would ruin any chance of regaining Guyenne.’

‘How would he learn of the assassin?’

‘Simon, we already know of one double-agent — that man Piers. There are others here who would act in the same manner, finding all they can from one master to sell to another. But let us assume this Piers realised that there was such a plan in motion, and he told the King. Edward saw how much damage this must do, so he himself sought the assassin. He warned a few trusted guards to keep their eyes open. One of them was Blaket. He met Jack and persuaded him to meet with Despenser in a small chamber, near the King’s hall. But inside was not Despenser but the King himself. There Jack was murdered, and that obscene mutilation committed.’

‘Why that, though? If the King is so fond of other men as you have said, why do that?’

‘It was nothing to do with sodomy, Simon. That was a sign of the King’s great displeasure at such treason. Castration is common for those who try to commit such offences, as the Queen herself told us.’

‘So you mean that Blaket saw all this, and then returned to the Queen’s door to kill Mabilla?’

‘That was his duty, as he saw it. He loves two ladies, Simon. Alicia with his body, but the Queen with his heart. You saw how devoted he was to her. When she wanted peace, we could approach no further than to him. Passage beyond him would have involved someone’s death. Yet he took us to the King when he found us in the Queen’s rooms.’