Michael Jecks - The Chapel of Bones

‘You mean Master Udo?’

‘God, no, not him! That revolting old pensioner, Will. I hate him, Mother. He looks at me like a man staring at a piece of meat on the butcher’s slab. He has no compassion or sympathy for others. How could Father have grown to know him? And how can he let a fellow like that in the house?’

‘You shouldn’t speak of him like that,’ Mabilla countered, but without anger. ‘Your father knew Brother William a long time ago.’

‘I’ve never seen him before. It must have been a very long time ago that he left here.’

‘No matter. You should know your father better than to think that he would desert his friends just because they’ve been away for a long while.’

‘Will that German seek to ruin us, Mother?’ Julia said after a moment’s silence.

‘He may not, Daughter. Let us hope not.’

‘I had thought …’

‘Yes?’ Mabilla pressed.

‘The way that he stares at me in church … like a man besotted. And when he asked for the saddle, I felt he was considering making an offer for my hand,’ said Julia. She hadn’t broached the subject before with her mother, and now she could feel her cheeks flush as she spoke.

Mabilla eyed her. ‘You mean you’d consider taking his hand? A man so very much older than you?’

‘He would be experienced of things that I’d know nothing about, and he’d be able to look after me.’

‘For a while, perhaps. But he would be certain to die, wouldn’t he? And then what would you do?’

Julia lifted her chin. ‘I should have thought that he would be able to protect me after he had died. I would be able to count on at least a third part of his estate even if there was a child, according to the law, and he might settle more on me if he wished.’

‘I don’t think there is much likelihood of his wishing to settle anything on you now, dear,’ her mother said sadly. ‘I had no idea you guessed his intentions. I only realised myself when your father told me of the gift he brought for you and me. Then I wondered. We hardly know the man, after all, and there was no need for him to bring us cakes, but then it seemed so obvious.’ She sighed. ‘I shouldn’t think he’d want to treat us like that again.’

‘Perhaps …’ Julia was hesitant, running the fingers of her right hand over the top of the table, avoiding her mother’s eyes. ‘I mean, if I were to signal my interest to him, maybe he’d be prepared to think me a worthy prize? Instead of harming Father’s business, might he not consider taking me and a dowry?’

‘Possibly,’ Mabilla said, but now her voice was harder. ‘Yet think on this, Julia. If a man was to take you not from love or affection, but because you were a prize won at another man’s expense, or rather, you were another man’s prized possession, and he took you in compensation instead of another reward, just ask yourself how well he would treat such a woman. Would he cherish you, or merely own you like any other chattel? As your mother I should be wary of letting you enter a bargain of that nature, child.’

It was all too true, Mabilla thought bitterly. A man could take a woman without care, without thinking. If he desired her, all too often he would have her, promising her love and adoration for life, and then disappear the moment any proof of his commitment was needed. Yes, Mabilla knew that well enough. Yet at least Julia was not keen on William. That would have been too demeaning and degrading to consider.

‘To live as the unloved wife of a wealthy man would not be so very hard,’ Julia continued. ‘Especially if the alternative was to live in dire poverty without a husband.’

Mabilla bit back her anger. ‘You would be happier living in luxury with your father’s enemy, rather than remaining with us if that same man sued us and ruined us?’

‘I didn’t mean that!’

‘It’s what it sounded like.’

‘No, Mother.’ Julia took a deep breath. ‘I was only thinking that I should prefer to live with him as his wife if that was all it cost me to see you and Father living in comfort. If the alternative was to see you both impecunious, obviously I’d prefer to marry him.’

‘He would be taking you for the wrong reasons.’

‘I don’t know,’ Julia said, and now she stood at the great window, pulling her neckerchief about her again in the draught. ‘He was keen enough before. I believe he loved me. Who can say how his heart is today? Perhaps he would still make me a good husband. It’s worth thinking about, isn’t it? I know how worried you are.’

Her mother grunted, staring back into the flames, but Julia was sure that Mabilla would consider her words. It did make good sense, after all.

‘Well? And what is your feeling about this?’ Udo asked as he completed his offer.

It had taken him time to work out the best means of presenting his suggestion. First, he had thought that he should perhaps threaten the man, saying that if he didn’t agree to let him take Julia, he would continue with suing him for damages — but on reflection, he felt that threatening a fellow in order to be able to take his daughter’s hand in marriage might not be the ideal approach. No, it was better simply to present himself as a keen groom to the daughter, and ask for her hand as would any hopeful swain.

Henry stood gazing at him blankly, and Udo felt a rising irritation that this man had not jumped at the opportunity of having him as son-in-law. He had made his case as best he could, after all. He was surely not such a poor catch, was he? This man’s gormless stare was insulting. He should be glad that Udo had not threatened him with ruin! Udo had gone to some lengths to explain that he had desired a wife for some while, and felt sure that Henry’s daughter would serve him well. She was young and desirable, Udo was old but wealthy. They would make a good match.

Henry cleared his throat. ‘You are asking me for my daughter? You want to marry Julia?’

‘Of course. It would be a good arrangement, so I think.’

‘You expect me to sell my daughter to a foreigner?’

‘I have lived in Exeter for many years, Henry. I am more of an Exonian than many others who are members of the freedom.’

‘I would have to think very hard. And ask Julia.’

‘I am sure she would agree with your advice. She is a dutiful woman, I think.’

‘Perhaps she is, but I wouldn’t tell her to marry against her own feelings.’

‘This would be a good marriage for her. I can support her better than … than most.’

‘You mean, “Better than you, Henry Saddler”.’

‘No, not at all. I was thinking of the other men who could ask for her.’

Henry chewed at his inner lip. He was unsure of the best course. Right now his mind was focused on the friar and what he must say to him in Confession. His eyes wandered over the Close until they reached the Charnel Chapel again.

It was a foul little place. Henry could see again the anguish and naked terror in the Chaunter’s men’s eyes as the first fellow hared down to them screaming that it was an ambush, only to be struck down by the man at the Chaunter’s right hand. He fell without a further sound, tumbling down like a rag doll, by a small depression in the grass. Staring about him now, Henry could see that depression again. If he was of a melancholy disposition, he might have considered that it looked like a grave. Poor devil: to be slaughtered like that when all he was trying to do was save them all.

‘Come, now. I want your daughter. Will you not accept? I promise to make her happy, wealthy and wise.’

‘She’s not a piece of property to be bought and sold. She’s my flesh and blood.’

‘You are a stubborn man, Saddler. I expect you to persuade her, though, yes?’