Michael Jecks - A Friar's bloodfeud

‘What of it?’

‘Was it not most convenient that you were so near when Sir Geoffrey had need of a coroner when the woman’s body was discovered? His favourite coroner, the one man from his lord’s household, the one man upon whom he could count, and you just happened to be less than a half-day’s ride away?’

‘It was fortunate. I had decided to stay there after another death.’

‘And then rode here urgently to hold your inquest. So urgently, indeed, that there was no time even to invite the local Keeper of the King’s Peace.’

‘If I had known you would like to …’

Baldwin’s horse lurched beneath him as he roared, ‘ Do not take me for a fool, man! You know the rules under which we serve as well as I do. I should have been there to see if I could do more to find the murderer. And I shall discover him, believe me!’

His evident anger spurred Sir Edward to step outside. ‘Sir Baldwin, do you really think it would be in your interests to learn the truth? It could be that you would be plunged into the midst of disputes you would prefer to know nothing about.’

‘I want to know the truth when a man has been killed. I want to know why and how and who did it,’ Baldwin spat. ‘And when I have a coroner who has seen two women, a child and now three men dead, and who yet does nothing to seek the guilty, I have to wonder why he is so reluctant.’

‘You’re mad! Look, you know who my master is. Do you really want him as an enemy? You think your post as Keeper would protect you?’

Baldwin smiled and leaned down towards Sir Edward. In a quiet voice he hissed, ‘And do you really want him to learn that you are helping protect his steward here, even though Sir Geoffrey has been systematically robbing him?’

‘You are joking!’

‘This land that he has invaded today? It was a part of the whole which he acquired for the Despenser. He merely left aside the most profitable lump. That he was keeping for himself, sharing all the profits with Sir Odo.’

‘That’s nonsense!’ Sir Edward scoffed. ‘He couldn’t have. He and Sir Odo never got on.’

‘Not in public, no. But they have known each other for longer than you have yet lived,’ Baldwin said. ‘Still, if you won’t help but instead are set on obstructing us, there is nothing more to be said.’

‘Wait!’ Sir Edward snapped as Baldwin began to pull the reins to turn his beast.

‘What? Be quick, man. We have to get there before your incompetence leads to still more deaths.’

‘What do you want to know?’

‘Why were you so close when Sir Geoffrey sent for you to view Lady Lucy’s body?’

‘Sir Geoffrey had told me that he expected a fight soon over this extra piece of land. He said that it might become a cruel one.’

‘And this fight was over the land where he is now?’

‘I believe so. I cannot be sure. When I had a call from a messenger to come here to view the body of Lady Lucy, I assumed he’d actually decided to take over another manor. I was shocked. It never occurred to me that I’d be called back here to a woman’s body. It made me think I should be seeking some sort of bribe from him.’

‘What of the man Hugh and his family at Iddesleigh?’

‘Them? They were only peasants.’

Baldwin saw a movement from the corner of his eye, but when he flicked a glance at Simon, Edgar had already snatched his reins, and was pulling Simon away from the discussion. ‘Were you told to speed the inquest and find that it was an unknown killer?’

‘Yes. Sir Geoffrey didn’t want any dispute about that. He felt sure that the jury must decide that it had been one of his men who was responsible, and he wanted to ensure that any such speculation was nipped in the bud.’

‘What of today’s action? Did he not ask you to join him? That would have been normal in an entirely legal reoccupation of stolen lands, wouldn’t it?’

‘Perhaps — but I didn’t feel that it lay fully within my responsibilities. Come, Sir Baldwin, I have to ensure that my master is happy with me and my work, but going to behave as an observer …’

‘Especially when you were not aware that there was a fully legitimate excuse for the invasion,’ Baldwin noted coldly. ‘I wonder why he never explained that to you.’

‘I do not know. He is a very secretive man.’

‘Murderers often are!’ Simon burst out, and he snatched his reins back and whipped his rounsey away, down the path to the road.

There was shouting. Blearily Nicholas le Poter looked up through eyes misted with tears. He had dozed for a while, and now, peering up at the door, he saw men bringing in another body.

The first, that of Isaac, was already set out on trestles in front of the altar, and now the shape of a woman was set alongside his on a fresh pair of stands. ‘Who is that?’ Nicholas asked.

‘Lady Lucy. You killed her, you can rest here with her until it’s time for both of you to be buried,’ came the reply from a hulking peasant with a rough laugh that made Nicholas shake.

The candles at the altar were snuffed, but there was a bright ray of sunshine that lanced in through the open window at the south, and sparkled from the clean cross and all the metalwork in the church.

‘You slept a long time, my son,’ Matthew said.

‘I could sleep much longer.’

‘But if you do, you will be escaping your problems for only a short while. Better to plan what you wish to achieve.’

Nicholas wiped a grubby sleeve over his brow. Realizing he had let the altar cloth slip from his hand, he snatched at it eagerly, like an insecure horseman grabbing at a dropped rein. Only when he had it in his hand again could he breathe more easily.

‘I have brought you some wine and water, a pair of good apples, and some meats. They will keep you going for a little,’ Matthew said gently.

‘Father, you are so kind …’

‘I behave as a father must to his flock. No more.’

‘And I behave as a coward. If I had any courage, I would go out and declare Sir Geoffrey’s guilt to all and demand to be put to the justices. But I can’t, because he owns all the serfs here, and if I try to accuse him, he’ll pay all in the jury to find against me and I’ll hang!’

‘If you think that is the right action,’ Matthew murmured, ‘then you should pray to God for courage.’

Nicholas looked up at the priest gratefully. ‘I know you try to help,’ he said, ‘but it’s so hard … if I abjure, I may at least live.’

‘In a state of shame, though. While if you do your duty and accuse him, you will be more attractive to God.’

And dead , Nicholas added for him. There was no benefit to him in being dead. If he succeeded in having a knight condemned for his crimes, the man would probably be pardoned as soon as he wrote to the king. Especially if he offered a good enough bribe. That was how justice was dealt — if you had money, you could do no wrong; if you had none, you were guilty.

‘What should I do, Father?’

Matthew smiled down at him. Then he motioned to Nicholas to move up. Grimacing a little, he bent down to kneel at the altar next to the suspect. ‘First, we pray, you and I, and then you ask God to help you to decide.’

Accommodatingly Nicholas bent his head, and as Matthew began to speak, Nick heard the door open, squeaking on its hinges.

‘Ah, I always loved that sound, you know, Father,’ John said cheerfully as he and Hugh walked in.

Sir Geoffrey was almost finished at Robert’s house. He had engaged all the men in cutting saplings and dragging them to the road just after a sharp bend. With any luck, Sir Odo’s riders would be surprised to find such a barrier to their passage. Some might be thrown from their mounts, while the others would be a bunched, confused mass of men and beasts, easily picked off one by one by Sir Geoffrey’s archers, or even simply dragged from their saddles and knocked on the head.