Edward Marston - The Wildcats of Exeter

‘You were not to know how she would react.’ When he kissed her on the head and pulled her closer, she went on: ‘What puzzles me is why she was so meek with her husband yet so tart with me. I did nothing to offend her.’

‘But you did, Golde. You shone with happiness.’

‘How could that upset her?’

‘Simple envy,’ he decided. ‘I do not know her well, but my guess would be that the lady Albreda is a lonely and disappointed woman.

Baldwin does not have the look of an ideal husband to me. His office takes him all over the shire and he is far too busy to pay much heed to the complaints of his wife. She is afraid of him, we both saw that. She is neglected whereas you are patently not, my love. I think she was consumed with envy.’

‘It went deeper than that, Ralph.’

‘You were the target for her anger.’

‘Anger? She seemed so mild and inoffensive at first.’

‘Only in her husband’s presence,’ said Ralph, recalling her conduct at the table. ‘Baldwin keeps her subdued but there must be a lot of anger smouldering away inside her. Some of it was directed at you. That is human nature, alas. Albreda took out her irritation on you.’

‘She will not do so again.’

‘I will speak to Baldwin about it.’

‘No, no,’ she said, grasping his arm. ‘I will handle this my way, Ralph. I do not expect you to fight my battles for me. I have had my share of dealing with haughty Norman ladies before.’ She gave a laugh. ‘The irony is that I am sometimes mistaken for one myself now.’

‘That is one of the many virtues of marrying me.’

‘Virtues or defects?’

Ralph grinned and rolled on top of her. He suddenly became serious. ‘Do you know what I am going to do?’

‘Make your wife glow with happiness again, I hope.’

‘After that,’ he said, thinking it through. ‘I am going to ignore the wishes of our host and follow my own inclination. The body lies here in the castle. What is to stop me going to the mortuary to examine it?’

‘Another body which lies here in the castle — mine!’

Ralph needed no further invitation.

Saewin the Reeve had a long day ahead of him. He rose early and ate a frugal breakfast before addressing himself to his work. He was poring over a document when his servant brought news that a visitor had arrived at the house. Surprised that anyone should call so soon after dawn, the reeve was even more surprised when the visitor was shown into the room. She was a tall, stately woman in her thirties who moved with grace and dressed with elegance. Saewin leapt to his feet at once.

‘This is an unexpected pleasure, my lady,’ he said, noting her fragrance as she swept in. ‘Do be seated.’

‘Thank you,’ she said, settling down on a stool. ‘I am glad to find you at home, Saewin. I feared that you might already have left.’

‘I will do so before long. I am needed at the shire hall.’

‘That is what I have come to talk to you about.’

Loretta had a poise and confidence which made him feel slightly uneasy. A wealthy widow, she lived in one of the finest houses in the city and had other property further afield. Saewin knew her by sight but rarely spoke to her. Loretta was an intensely private woman who was not often seen abroad. The reeve recalled that the last time he had caught a glimpse of her was at a service at the cathedral.

‘How can I help you?’ he said.

‘By giving me information,’ she explained. ‘I understand that the royal commissioners have arrived in the city.’

‘Yes, my lady. They came yesterday.’

‘You have no doubt spoken with them.’

‘It was my duty to do so. I had to take my instructions.’

‘So you will know the order in which cases come before them.’

‘Of course, my lady. I have to ensure that all the relevant witnesses attend. When the first commissioners came, many problems were brought to light and several people failed to appear in order to attest their claims to certain holdings. This second team from Winchester have come to look into the irregularities uncovered by their predecessors.’

‘Is the name of Nicholas Picard still on their list?’

‘Indeed, it is.’

‘Even though the poor man was cruelly murdered?’

‘The lord Nicholas may have died,’ he said quietly, ‘but his land remains and some of it is the subject of bitter controversy.

Ordinarily, the holdings would be inherited by his wife but that is by no means certain. Two other claimants came forth at the first hearing and they are now joined by a third.’

‘Who is that?’

‘The abbot of Tavistock.’

‘His claim is of no account,’ she said with a dismissive flick of her hand. ‘Besides, the abbot has property enough to satisfy him.’

‘That does not appear to be the case.’

‘He is not a serious contender here. I am.’

Saewin blinked in astonishment. ‘You, my lady?’

‘I wish to give formal notice of my interest in the holdings under review. Convey it to the commissioners at the earliest opportunity.’

‘Why, yes,’ he said politely, ‘but I am bound to wonder why you did not come forward when the first commissioners were in the county.’

‘That is my business.’

‘Of course, my lady.’

‘Make their successors aware of my claim.’

‘I will,’ he agreed, ‘but they are certain to ask what weight should be attached to it. What may I tell them?’

‘Advise them to look into the history of those holdings. They were once in the possession of William de Marmoutier, my late son. He bequeathed them to his mother.’ She stood up and moved to the door. ‘Tell them that, Saewin. And be sure that they send for me.’

‘Yes, my lady.’

‘I intend to fight for what is mine by right.’

Without waiting for the servant to show her out, Loretta turned on her heel and made for the door, leaving the reeve to grapple in vain with a number of unanswered questions. Her intrusion into the dispute was far from welcome. It could only make the squabble over the dead body of Nicholas Picard even more acrimonious.

Gervase Bret was kneeling at the altar rail in the chapel when he heard the footsteps approaching. He broke off from his prayer. It was not the steady gait of the chaplain which caught his ear nor the respectful tread of another worshipper. The feet sounded slow and furtive. When the door opened, it did not swing back on its hinges. It inched open so that an eye could scrutinise the interior of the chapel. Gervase rose and stepped back into the shadows, wishing that he was wearing his dagger. It was the last place where he would have anticipated danger, but that is what he sensed now.

Only two small candles burned on the altar, leaving most of the chapel in relative darkness. Gervase flattened himself against a wall and waited. The door opened wide enough to admit a sturdy figure. The newcomer moved stealthily down the aisle. Gervase stepped out to accost him.

‘What do you want?’ he asked firmly.

Ralph Delchard jumped back in alarm with a hand on his heart.

‘Heavens!’ he exclaimed. ‘You frightened the life out of me.’

Gervase was astounded. ‘Is it you, Ralph?’

‘Yes. I thought the chapel would be empty at this time of day.’

‘I came in to pray.’

Ralph smiled. ‘Well, there is no point in pretending that that is why I am here. Nobody would call me devout. Besides,’ he said, ‘it is not the chapel that I came to see but the morgue.’

Gervase did not need to ask why. The moment he knew his friend’s destination, he was a willing accomplice. Both of them were eager to view the corpse of a man who figured so largely in the irregularities which had brought them to Devon. Without any more ado, they crossed to the door in the side wall and went through it. Finding themselves in a gloomy vestry, they were about to withdraw when they noticed a faint glow at floor level on the other side of the chamber. They groped their way to a small door.