Pat McIntosh - The Stolen Voice

His audience was waiting.

‘We know,’ he began, ‘that Maister Stirling was party to the negotiations for the English treaty, and we know that some of the terms of the treaty have got to ears or eyes they should never have got to. We also know,’ he said carefully, ‘that Maister Stirling was at the sang-schule in Dunblane along with Andrew Drummond, and also with David Drummond, who vanished, and William Murray, who is now Precentor at Dunkeld.’

‘He’s told me that often,’ said Maister Gregor happily. ‘At least, no about the laddie that vanished.’ He paused, finding his master looking at him, and bleated in faint apology.

‘But are the two connected?’ asked the Bishop.

‘More than you’d think,’ said Gil. ‘You’ve described him to me as an able man, my lord, a good secretary, well content with his position here.’ Brown nodded. ‘I’ve also heard of his humour, of his trick of making clever remarks at other folk’s expense, though he seemed not to make enemies by it.’

‘Och, no, he was a right good friend,’ protested Maister Gregor, ‘you could never take offence at what he said — ’ He subsided as his master looked at him again.

‘Now, the day he vanished, Stirling went out to see about the rents as you bade him, my lord.’ Brown nodded, his mouth tightening. ‘Then he saw his own tenants, and then he went out to the dog-breeder’s yard, looking for Doig himself rather than Mistress Doig. I think you’d given him no errand there, my lord.’

‘That’s right,’ agreed Brown. He bent and scooped up his dog to set it on his knee. ‘I sent him out about the rents, he’d no errand to the dog-breeder that day. So what had he to do wi this man Doig?’

‘Doig,’ said Gil carefully, ‘seems to run a regular messenger service to the Low Countries. It was Doig called away the singer that’s gone missing from Dunblane, though I’ve no proof he spoke to the two men here in Perth. He’s good at shifting information, and I think now he’s shifting people as well.’

‘I knew it,’ said Currie in deep regret. ‘I feared it. So Jaikie was — ’

‘Hold your peace, Wat,’ said the Bishop, still caressing Jerome.

‘I thought so too,’ said Gil. At his tone Brown looked up from his dog. ‘In Mistress Doig’s yard, Stirling met Canon Drummond, who was also looking for Doig. They got into conversation, which the woman described to me as being like two dogs circling one another with their fangs showing. Stirling made some of his clever remarks, and the two of them ended up going off to the Ditchlands to talk the whole afternoon.’

‘So was it Drummond?’ said Brown. He reached for his tablets. ‘I’ll send to Dunblane and have them summon him — ’

‘He’s in Balquhidder,’ Gil said. ‘No, my lord, I think it wasn’t Drummond. I’ll come to why not in a wee while.’

‘So what came to him?’ asked Brown. ‘Maister Cunningham, I ken you’re a busy man, and so am I. I’d be grateful if you’d get on and tell me what I’m needing to know.’

Gil nodded, but continued in the same measured tone.

‘I’ve asked Drummond what they spoke of, and he claims the secrecy of confession — that each of them confessed to the other. I’ve learned from one or two other sources that they spoke of betrayal and forgiveness.’

‘Betrayal!’ said Currie. ‘Who had he — ?’ The Bishop glanced at him, but said nothing.

‘Drummond,’ pursued Gil, ‘went on into Perth and likely had a bite to eat, found Doig and had a word wi him, then spent the rest of the evening in St John’s Kirk afore St Andrew. I’ve a good witness for that.’

Bishop Brown nodded his understanding, but Maister Gregor said, ‘Oh, no, surely no, if he’d just slew — ’

‘Hold your tongue, Rob,’ said Brown.

‘Now,’ said Gil carefully, ‘Stirling had been accompanied on his errand. One of the household servants had gone with him.’

‘Very proper,’ said Brown, ‘but if that’s so, why did the man no come forward after, when Jaikie never returned home? Or is that — ?’ He turned an appalled gaze on his steward. ‘Wat, has one o our men — ?’

‘I’d vouch for all of them, my lord,’ said Currie.

‘He’s made his confession,’ said Gil ambiguously. ‘It seems Stirling sent him back to the house, saying he’d walk on the Ditchlands for a space.’

‘You mean you’ve spoke wi him? Who is it?’ demanded Currie.

‘A man called Mitchel MacGregor,’ Gil replied.

‘Mitchel?’ exclaimed Currie, with a faint echo which must have been Maister Gregor. ‘Christ preserve us, what’s he done?’

‘I thought he was in Dunkeld,’ said Brown.

‘He was,’ agreed Gil. ‘He is now in the care of the Blackfriars.’

‘Oh, what a terrible thing! Will Wat send to the Black-friars, my lord,’ asked Maister Gregor, ‘and get him fetched here? Or will you go out to question him yoursel maybe?’

‘Go on, Maister Cunningham,’ said the Bishop rather grimly, ignoring this.

‘Mitchel returned here,’ said Gil, ‘and was sent out again with a message for Stirling, bidding him go to the dog-breeder and ask her for some of her soap against fleas.’

‘Fleas!’ exclaimed Currie. ‘The wee dog’s never had fleas!’

‘And who sent him this errand?’ asked Bishop Brown.

‘He seemed very clear,’ Gil said with care, ‘that it was an errand for yourself, my lord.’ Brown shook his head. ‘So Stirling went to the Doigs’ yard, with the man Mitchel, and found Mistress Doig from home walking the dogs.’

‘Aye, they’ll need to be exercised,’ agreed Maister Gregor. ‘They get melancholy if they don’t get exercised.’

‘Rob, hold your tongue,’ said Brown again. ‘Wat, where are you away to, man?’

‘I’ll just send a couple men out to the Blackfriars,’ suggested Currie from the door, ‘the way Maister Gregor says, and they can — ’

‘We’ll hear Maister Cunningham out,’ said his master, ‘and then I’ll determine what’s to be done. Stay here and close that door. Come on, Maister Cunningham, let’s get this done wi.’

‘Mitchel says they waited in the yard,’ Gil continued, ‘talking to the dogs or the like, for a wee bit, and then Maister Stirling fell down dead.’

Three shocked faces stared at him.

‘But he’d been shot wi a crossbow bolt,’ said the Bishop, recovering first. ‘Was it no Mitchel that shot him?’

‘He swore it was not,’ Gil said. ‘He said he never saw who loosed the bolt.’ And that’s entirely hearsay, he thought, and would never stand as evidence at law, but it serves my purpose.

‘You’re fairly taking your time,’ said the Bishop irritably. ‘I suppose you’re making it clear, man, but we’ve still the two questions. Who killed Jaikie, and how did he get into the tanpit? Was it Andrew Cornton right enough? I’d thought it wasny, but — ’

‘Maister Cornton spent the entire evening in his own house,’ said Gil. ‘They were moving furniture. His maidservant will swear to it.’

‘Aye, but surely a man’s own household will swear for him — ’ began Maister Gregor.

‘There’s one of my household done me a very ill turn,’ said Brown grimly. ‘Go on, maister. Who was it, then, if it wasny Cornton?’

‘I want to check something first,’ said Gil. He bent and drew the kist towards him, startling Jerome as it rumbled across the floorboards. ‘There was a crossbow in this kist when we checked it before, you mind that, Maister Currie?’

‘Aye, there was, and a good one,’ agreed Currie. ‘It’s right on the top, next his razors.’ He came forward and helped Gil to unfasten the strap and open the lid. ‘You see, it’s well kept, well oiled — ’