Michael Jecks - The Malice of Unnatural Death

‘Forgive?’ Will stared at him. ‘Would you?’

Simon was intrigued when Baldwin stopped in the street, head down towards the cobbles, and then made off westwards beside the Fleshfold.‘Where now?’

‘I want to talk to the man Michael. Let us go and visit him.’

It took little time to walk along the street to Michael’s house. There was a beadle standing outside as they arrived, and Baldwin frowned and walked up to him. ‘We wanted to talk to Michael Tanner — is he here?’

‘No, sir. He’s off at the castle. He was wounded by the madman here. Had his fingers cut off, would you believe? The sheriffhimself ordered that he ought to be brought to safety.’

Exeter Castle

Matthew puffed out his cheeks. The reports he had received seemed to show that the man was dead at last, and thank Christ,the wench was out of his hair as well. Sweet Jesus, but the last week had been dreadful.

‘Husband? Are you well?’

Alice had walked in behind him without his hearing, his mind was so far distracted with other matters. ‘My love, of course!’

She evaded his encircling arms, walked to her chair and sat down, watching him cautiously. ‘You did it, didn’t you?’

‘What?’ His mind was still on the last issue from which he had been rescued, and he smiled openly. ‘The girl? I swear to youon the gospels, dear lady, that I never so much as touched her.’

‘You really swear this?’

‘Of course I do, Alice. I could not look at a woman such as her when I have you, could I?’

Her relief was so palpable, it made his heart warm to see it.

‘Now, my love,’ he said. ‘I think that when I next travel to London, I should like you to come with me.’

‘Will you be going there soon?’

‘There is a new parliament being called, and I think that I shall be asked go to it.’

She pulled a wry face. ‘It is so very far.’

‘And the roads are dreadful in the winter, I know. But it would be good for you to get away from this city for a few weeks,and it would make my journey so much more pleasing.’

‘Very well, my husband. Of course I shall come with you.’

‘I am glad to hear it.’

His pleasure was so entirely natural and unfeigned that she felt herself flushed with a warmth that rose from her belly andflooded every part of her. It was such a relief to see that he did indeed still love her.

It was ridiculous. She ought to have realised from the outset that her man could not have loved that wench. If anything, Aliceshould have instantly guessed the child was insane. Her behaviour was entirely demented, after all. Yes, in the future shewould always trust her man. If Matthew was at all interested in other women, would he have insisted that she went with himto London? Of course not! He would want her far away so that he could go and visit the stews of Southwark alone and not haveto explain why he had been out all night.

He was a lovely man. She adored him. No more nonsense about distrusting him.

There was a clattering of weapons outside, and she saw her man roll his eyes heavenwards. ‘That fool! I swear I shall have him throwninto the gaol to rot for a week if he does that once more!’

‘Sir Matthew?’

They looked at the doorway.

Sir Matthew groaned inwardly to see Sir Baldwin and that bailiff marching in. ‘Yes?’ he asked curtly. ‘I am busy.’

‘Yes. So am I. I would like to speak to you in private for a little,’ Baldwin said tersely.

‘I am listening.’

Baldwin smiled, but then turned to Alice. ‘My lady, if you could leave us a little while.’

She shot a look at her husband. He was fuming, she saw, but there was no point in causing an argument here in the hall. ‘Don’tworry, husband. I have affairs too. Perhaps almost as urgent!’

Her barb had struck, she saw. The keeper and this bailiff both looked a little ashamed to have been so rude. It was all youcould expect from an uncouth rural knight, she reflected as she left the room. Manners and chivalry came from exposure to Court and the fashions that pertained there. Sir Baldwin was too coarse to have spent time with ladies in a court.

With that happy thought, she left the hall and went about her business.

‘Well? You have insulted my wife. I hope you have good reason.’

‘My problem is whether I ought to arrest you myself, or merely tell the bishop about you and leave all to him,’ Baldwin said.

Sir Matthew leaned forward. ‘I could have you arrested for that. It is a gross slander to say that I deserve arrest! I could call my guard now and have you both taken from hereand …’

‘Call him in by all means,’ Baldwin said, baring his teeth. ‘But as soon as you do, this affair becomes publicly aired. Doyou want your guards to know what you have been up to?’

‘I have only ever done my duty. I think you should go now!’

Simon, watching from beside Baldwin, was taken by his demeanour. There was much bluster about him, but it was evident thathe spoke more quietly, and that he did not call his guards into the room.

Baldwin nodded as though he was in accord with Simon. He walked to a stool and sat comfortably. ‘Naturally some of this isconjecture — I do not know all the details — but I think I have put together the bulk of the story.

‘This all began some while ago, didn’t it? I do not know when you first became disillusioned with the government of the Despensersand the king, but you and others felt that you ought to hasten the end of a system that had done so much damage to the nation. Your friends found out about a necromancer of power, and they instructed him in what to do. He had to kill seven people. Theking, the two Despensers, father and son, and several others from the nearby convent.

‘When the attempt failed, because one man grew anxious and blurted the truth to his sheriff, he could hardly have known thatthe sheriff himself was in agreement with the band of conspirators.

‘They were all arrested, and then, soon afterwards, released. Except for two. One of these was the necromancer himself, of course. The other was the man who warned of the attempt. How close am I so far?’

‘Please continue. The story is fascinating.’

‘John of Nottingham somehow managed to escape from the gaol. Yet — and this is the curious part — the gaol at Warwick is allbut impregnable. I know it well enough. Be that as it may, John of Nottingham came here. And as soon as he arrived, he wasable to find a man who could give him rooms. Not only that, but in the same house was a man who had the tools necessary fora necromancer to perform his trade. That was most fortunate. What was more, he was introduced to a man who would be happyto help him kill even a king’s messenger, if ordered.’

‘And I suppose you think all this was my plan?’ the sheriff asked. He had paled, and his hand gripped the armrest of his chair.

‘Not all, no. But much of it. You wanted the assassination to succeed, didn’t you?’

‘I have come to this position because of the goodwill and support of my Lord Despenser. What would I want him harmed for?’

‘There are many who fear him. Any man who can accumulate so much power in so short a space of time is to be feared.’

‘So what exactly are you accusing me of? Trying to kill the king and his adviser? The man who had me placed in post?’

‘Someone had to tell Will that his family had been killed by Walter. Who was it told him that? You don’t want to say? Thenlet me guess. Perhaps it was Michael. I have a feeling that Michael is quite deeply involved in all this.’

‘Why?’

‘We have heard that he is here with you, Sheriff. Where exactly?’

‘He is resting. I would prefer you didn’t disturb him.’