Edward Marston - The Wildcats of Exeter

‘Who are the teachers and who the pupil here?’ he said. ‘That was masterly. You had that fellow squirming like a fish on a hook.’

‘He was obviously lying,’ explained de Marigny.

‘But how did you know?’

‘He all but took me in,’ admitted Gervase.

‘And me,’ said Hubert. ‘I have never met so plausible a rogue.’

‘It was his very plausibility which alerted me,’ said de Marigny.

‘If his argument was as strong and irrefutable as he alleged, why did it not convince our predecessors? They smelt an irregularity.

So did I.’

‘And unmasked the man for the perjurer he was.’ Ralph gave him a pat on the back. ‘Excellently done, Hervey! You are indeed a worthy commissioner and need no more instruction from us.’

‘Tomorrow, you may think otherwise,’ said de Marigny modestly.

‘Why?’

‘Because we only dealt with the most paltry cases today, Ralph.

Small disputes which could easily be settled. Tomorrow, I believe, we are due to tackle something far more substantial and complicated.’

‘The case involving the late Nicholas Picard.’

‘Yes.’

‘I have a suggestion to make,’ said Hubert in a tone of voice which made it sound more like a decree than a proposal. ‘Let us postpone that dispute until a fitter time and deal instead with the many others which await our judgement.’

‘That is eminently sensible advice,’ said de Marigny.

Hubert was pleased. ‘Then it is settled.’

‘No,’ said Ralph, ‘it most certainly is not, Hubert. Our schedule has been worked out and we will keep to it as planned.’

‘But the lord Nicholas’s death alters everything,’ returned Hubert.

‘The only thing that it alters is his chance of appearing before us.’

‘The case must be postponed out of respect.’

‘To whom?’

‘His family.’

‘That will not be necessary.’

‘His widow will be prostrate with grief.’

‘Then why did she send word to me through Saewin that she wished the dispute over her husband’s property to be settled as soon as possible? The town reeve gave me this message as we arrived here.’

‘He delivered another message for you,’ suddenly recalled Brother Simon.

‘Indeed?’

‘It seems that there is a further claimant in that dispute.’

‘One more reason to tackle it at once,’ decided Ralph. ‘The longer we delay, the more time we give for new people to contest those holdings. We already have three in addition to the widow of the lord Nicholas, who would normally be expected to inherit his estates. Postpone this case indefinitely and we will find that half the county wish to lodge a claim.’ He rose from the table.

‘Who is the latest to be added to the list?’

‘The lady Loretta,’ said Hubert. ‘Widow of Roger de Marmoutier.’

‘That is a name of importance in Devon,’ noted Gervase. ‘The lord Roger held property scattered throughout the county and did at one time hold the land at the centre of this dispute.’

‘So did the abbot of Tavistock,’ Hubert reminded him.

‘And so did everyone else south of Bristol!’ said Ralph with sarcasm. ‘The next person who will assert his right to those holdings will be Berold the Jester! This dispute trembles on the edge of absurdity.’

‘It is a major case,’ said Gervase calmly, ‘and should be heard sooner rather than later. Many different interests are involved here. If we settle this dispute with firm authority at the start of our sojourn here, it will act as a salutary warning to those involved in later cases. It will set the standard for all else that follows.’

‘I could not agree more, Gervase,’ said Ralph.

‘Nor I support you less,’ added Hubert. ‘There are questions of taste and delicacy here. We must not be seen to incite an argument over the bones of a man who has not yet been buried.’

‘I side with Canon Hubert,’ said Simon loyally.

‘And I incline to his view as well,’ confessed de Marigny. ‘Can the widow of the lord Nicholas really wish us to proceed so soon?’

‘According to Saewin,’ said Ralph. ‘He received a personal visit from her steward, urging that there be no delay. This same steward, Tetbald, is to represent the widow before us. He has full authority to act in her stead so the case will proceed.’

‘Against my better judgement,’ noted Hubert.

Ralph beamed. ‘As usual.’

‘I find this very perplexing,’ said de Marigny, scratching his head. ‘If I was brutally murdered, I am certain that my wife would not wish to continue any litigation in which I was involved until a decent interval had elapsed for mourning. Can this lady be so heartless that she does not need to weep over her husband’s tomb? Or is there another reason why she wishes to hurry this matter through?’

‘The explanation has already been given, my lord,’ said Gervase.

‘This dispute hangs over his widow like a black cloud. Until it is dispelled, she is not able properly to mourn the deceased. And is it so surprising that a wife should fight for something which she believes is part of her rightful inheritance?’

‘Golde would do so in the same position,’ said Ralph.

‘I doubt that,’ returned de Marigny.

‘So do I,’ supported Hubert.

‘You forget that the lord Nicholas’s widow will not be here in person,’ said Gervase, keen to terminate the debate. ‘While she grieves in private, her steward can speak for her in public. If he can report to her that we find in her favour, I am sure that it will be a balm to her troubled mind.’

‘No more argument,’ announced Ralph. ‘It is agreed.’

Canon Hubert grumbled, Brother Simon rolled his eyes in despair and Hervey de Marigny still had reservations, but all three accepted his decision. As they left the shire hall, Ralph fell in beside Gervase.

‘Thank you for backing me, Gervase.’

‘I thought it important to settle this dispute while it is still within our power to do so,’ said the other. ‘It was tangled enough before we arrived but it has grown infinitely more complicated since we have been here. If we delay a judgement, we may find that its intricacies only multiply and that it takes an eternity to resolve.’

‘With you stuck in Devon while Alys pines in Winchester.’

‘That thought was at the back of my mind.’

‘So it should be, Gervase,’ said Ralph jovially. ‘Our work is of the highest importance but we must not let it keep you away from the altar. I share your fears that this case could increase in size and complexity until it dominates all the rest and ensnares us for weeks. On the other hand, it may soon be simplified for us.’

‘Simplified?’

‘Yes. Remember what Baldwin told us. Arrests are imminent.

When we know why Nicholas Picard was killed, we will have a much clearer idea of what this dispute is all about.’

‘The lord sheriff said that he was murdered by robbers.’

‘I know,’ said Ralph. ‘But who hired them?’

It was the smoke which gave them away. Breaking their journey for refreshment, they lit a fire to roast one of the chickens they had stolen from a farm. It made a tasty meal and they ate it between long gulps of ale. Their fortunes were improving. As they counted out their takings once more, they realised that they could afford to buy what had hitherto only been within reach by theft. The two of them sniggered complacently.

The posse comprised a dozen men, veteran soldiers who knew how to work together. They trailed the robbers all the way from Crediton until they reached the copse where the couple were hiding. A slow curl of smoke rose above the trees. It was all the encouragement they needed. Under the guidance of their captain, the soldiers separated to surround the copse. When the signal was given, they moved slowly in.