Michael Jecks - The Outlaws of Ennor

‘I do not know,’ Simon said, but inwardly he blamed himself for the error. He should have admitted whose sword it was and been done. No matter that his friend would be posthumously acknowledged as a Templar; in reality it would only harm his memory with a few people, and by denying Baldwin, Simon had lied to his own rescuer. ‘Did they say anything else about your release?’

‘Not in so many words, no,’ Sir Charles said with a pensive wrinkling of his forehead. ‘They mentioned that they thought I was a liar, accused me of murdering some fellow who collected taxes, and then threatened me with execution unless I confessed my crimes. Apart from that, nothing.’

‘What crimes, in the name of Christ?’ Simon demanded. ‘We only came here, what, two days ago?’

‘But apparently they are plagued with pirates hereabouts, and I would make a good example to all my friends.’ Sir Charles spoke lightly, but it was plain that his sense of humour was not translating itself to Paul.

‘I’m ready to catch one of them and take a sword or dagger to the rest,’ Paul said in a low voice. ‘Bailiff, would you help us? Can you get us weapons?’

‘There should be no need for that,’ Simon said. ‘There has been another ship attacked by pirates, I’ve heard. It’s come into the port today. That means you can’t be associated with the pirates. They’re still at large, while you two have been locked in here for the last couple of days.’

‘That is very reassuring,’ said Sir Charles. He leaned back in his chair, nodding sagely. ‘However, I think my companion here has a point. Perhaps a dagger or two would make us feel more comfortable. Bailiff?’

Isok stared at Baldwin with an inscrutable expression. ‘I came when you called me, Father William. What can I do for you?’

‘You can take that mulish expression off your face for a start, you bellicose old fart,’ William declared. ‘Come in and sit down here. Now tell this gentleman what you found when you saw Brother Luke on the beach.’

‘It was as I told you before, Father,’ Isok said, ignoring Baldwin. ‘I noticed some wreckage on the water and looked about me to see where it came from. When I glanced at Great Arthur, I saw the splinters of wood, and then this body. I took my boat in to pick him up and bring him to the island.’

‘Speak to the man here as well as to me, Isok.’

Isok shivered slightly. ‘I don’t want to talk to him.’

William glanced at Baldwin. ‘It looks like this man has grown a worm in his bowels. Sorry he’s so rude.’

‘If he wants company, he can get it from my wife, no doubt,’ Isok declared vindictively.

‘What has your wife to do with this? Come, man, we’re trying to find out what happened with this monk. What is the difficulty with that?’

‘I want nothing to do with him.’

‘Isok, he has to see where the body was found,’ William said heavily. ‘This is ridiculous! Look, you were First Finder. You have to help us to seek the killer.’

Isok lowered his head. That was a fair point, and he knew it. If he didn’t help the authorities to investigate a murder, he was breaking the law and risking a serious punishment. A First Finder had legal responsibilities, and since the dead man was a priest, the Prior had every right to demand that his murderer be found. Added to the fact that Prior Cryspyn was Isok’s master, Isok knew he couldn’t very well refuse to help, but he saw no reason to volunteer too quickly.

‘Can you take me there?’ Baldwin asked.

At last Isok favoured him with a cold look. ‘Aye. I could.’

‘And his safety would be on your head,’ William rasped. ‘Don’t think you can throw him over the side, lad! In fact, I think I’d better come too, Sir Baldwin, just to make sure that you’re safe.’

Baldwin was glad of the company. It would be more pleasing to have William to talk to. The belligerent sailor obviously wanted nothing to do with him, and in fairness to Isok, Baldwin was unpleasantly aware that he had cuckolded the man that very morning. It would not be possible for him to relax in Isok’s company.

They soon made their dispositions. William said that as soon as they came back he would send a messenger boy to the castle to let Simon know that Baldwin was safe, but that he couldn’t do it yet if Baldwin wanted to investigate the island where the body was found today. William had duties in his church, he couldn’t spend all day wandering over islands. Baldwin asked for a dagger, and William found an old rusty ballock knife — a long-bladed weapon with two large round spheres at the base of the blade. It was a Dutch weapon, and well-enough balanced, for all that the metal was tarnished and pitted. Baldwin found a stone and began sharpening it. Isok merely demanded some cold meats and a skin of fresh water to take with them.

His boat was large enough for them all, and Baldwin was pleased to see that William was a mariner in his own right. As soon as he was on board, he installed himself at the back, well out of Isok’s way, but he leaped forward when Isok needed a rope to be pulled. For Baldwin’s part, he had little enough understanding of how the vessel was propelled, and was content to sit at the rear of the boat and listen to the thrumming of the taut ropes as the wind blew.

It was a magnificent way to travel, he felt. The spray was thrown up at the bow, and tiny spits of seawater flecked his cheeks and brow, instantly drying as he turned his face to the sun, which was like a fire in the sky. The warmth was marvellous, and soon he felt that the skin of his face was being gently but firmly stretched, the flesh tightening against his bones. The salt air licking at him was wonderfully soporific, and if it wasn’t for the alarm he felt at the thought of sleeping in Isok’s presence, he would have dozed off. The rocking of the boat was enough to lull a man to sleep, he thought. At least, it would be in an environment like this, when the seas were so calm.

To keep himself awake, he glanced out at the island of Ennor as they passed around it. It was beautiful. Rocky shores, sandy beaches, sheltered coves, and over all a lush green blanket of healthy plants. Small cottages stood alone, some clustered together, while herds of cattle and flocks of sheep wandered happily. William had mentioned that there were no predators on the island, and Baldwin could see that all looked content. It was indeed an Eden here on earth.

On a hill, he suddenly saw a figure. It made him start up: the man had the same build, the same posture, it … it must be Simon! But before he could wave, they were past the point of land, and the figure fell back out of sight.

Baldwin felt strangely heavy-hearted, as though as well as having caught a glimpse of his friend, he had been offered the opportunity of renewing their friendship, but now that the fleeting view was gone, so was his friend. A sense of impending loss remained with him all the way to the island, as though he had rejected Simon by sailing past.

It took them long enough for the sun to have moved about the sky, and when Isok steered them around the farthest point of Ennor, the sun was already on Baldwin’s back, a warm hand pushing him on towards the island where the body had been found.

‘You are steering far to the east,’ Baldwin remarked.

‘There are many obstructions in the waters here,’ William said. ‘Rocks and sands lie close beneath the surface of the water.’

Baldwin peered over the side, and could see what William meant. There were stones amid broad fields of sand, with thick clumps of weed waving gently. Flitting here and there were shoals of fish: occasional yellow bursts of sand erupting as a tail flicked, or a series of little puffs as a crab scuttled hurriedly away from the boat’s shadow. It all looked so close that Baldwin could have reached down and touched them. Impossibly close, impossibly beautiful, it reminded him of the stories he had heard of beaches in the Holy Land. Sadly, he had never been able to see one. He had arrived in Acre near to the end of the defence of that great city, and had not been granted a sight of the beautiful country.