Edward Marston - The Wildcats of Exeter

Albreda was safe. He would ask Golde to tell her that.

When Ralph Delchard and his men reached the North Gate, darkness was falling. Two of the four knights who accompanied him were carrying torches. The guards on sentry duty were surprised that they wanted to leave the city on foot at that hour.

Ralph brushed aside their enquiries and led his men out through the gate, determination keeping fatigue at bay. They walked in the direction taken by Hervey de Marigny after his talk with the captain of the guard. It was almost pitch dark in the shadow of the city wall and they needed their torches to guide their footsteps as they scrunched through the grass.

Eventually, they came to the siege tunnel on the eastern side.

It looked quite eerie now, a gaping wound in the earth. When Ralph peered into it, he expected to see a forbidding gloom but instead noticed a faint glow. He remembered Berold’s mention of someone who claimed that flames had come from the hole. Taking a torch from one of his men, he bent double and went into the tunnel. In the confined space, the flaming torch gave off an acrid smell but it did not completely hide the stench which came from the end of the tunnel. Ralph moved on to the point where the boulder had stopped him earlier and was amazed to see that it had been rolled back and eased into a large cavity in the side of the tunnel. He was able to work his way forward for twenty yards or more.

A slight bend was ahead of him and instinct warned him of the danger that lay around it. He drew his sword in readiness and moved on. The stench grew stronger and hissing noises filled his ears. When he came round the bend, he saw that the tunnel widened into a cave and his torch illumined a number of wooden cages around their walls. Animals of all kinds crouched and growled in their lairs but it was the wildcat which caught his attention. When it saw Ralph, it let out a screech of anger. Its cage was suddenly opened by a man’s hand and it came hurtling out to attack him.

But Ralph was no careless rider, returning home alone through a wood. Nor was he a curious soldier, wishing to take a nostalgic peep at a siege tunnel. The element of surprise which had rendered both Nicholas Picard and Hervey de Marigny vulnerable to their killer did not exist here. As the wildcat leaped for his face, Ralph knocked it away with the torch, then put it out of its wailing misery with one jab from his sword. The death of his beloved pet enraged Eldred. He came out from the corner where he was lurking and flung himself at Ralph, knocking him to the ground and sending both sword and torch rolling from his hands.

Eldred pounded away at his face with both fists but Ralph reacted swiftly. Summoning up the last reserves of his strength, he pushed his attacker off him and rolled on top. Amid the pandemonium of the watching animals, they fought with great ferocity, punching, kicking, gouging and drawing blood. Eldred snatched a dagger from its scabbard and went for his adversary’s throat. Ralph was ready for him, seizing the man’s wrist and applying such irresistible power that the weapon was turned back upon its owner until it pierced his head between the staring eyes. Only when it had been sunk to the hilt did Eldred stop struggling.

The animals accorded their master a deafening requiem.

It took no more than a morning for the commissioners to reach their decision. Loretta’s arrest simplified the proceedings. Since her claim was summarily withdrawn, and since neither Asa nor the abbot of Tavistock commanded any support at the shire hall, the dispute became a battle between Engelric and the widow of Nicholas Picard. Representing the latter, Tetbald the Steward was so certain of success that his arrogance overflowed and he tried to lecture the commissioners on the laws of inheritance. It was a foolish mistake. Ralph Delchard put him firmly in his place and rejection was added to reproach when Tetbald heard that the dispute had been resolved in favour of Engelric. While the old Saxon was celebrating the return of his property, the steward had to ride home to what he knew would be a frosty reception at the manor house.

As they took refreshment in the shire hall, the commissioners were entitled to feel that they were making progress. Ralph was jubilant.

‘Exeter is indebted to us,’ he said, chewing a piece of bread.

‘We have solved two murders and a burglary, arrested those responsible, saved a number of ladies in this city from embarrassing revelations and settled the most complicated dispute which faced us. At this rate, we will have Gervase back in Winchester a week before the marriage.’

‘As long as I am home on the day itself,’ said Gervase with a smile. ‘That is all that Alys will want. To have me there.’

‘Wait until your wedding night. Alys will want much more than simply having you there. A marriage has to be consummated.’

‘God forbid!’ cried Brother Simon, choking on his food.

‘These are unseemly remarks, my lord,’ chided Canon Hubert.

‘Holy matrimony is a solemn undertaking. Do not soil it with vulgarity.’

‘You are right,’ said Ralph cheerfully, ‘and I apologise. I would not thank anyone for making coarse remarks about my own marriage. It has brought me nothing but joy. It is a delight to ride beside my wife when we visit each new county.’

‘Golde is a charming companion,’ said Gervase, ‘but she is also an asset to us. Something she confided in me proved extremely useful.’

‘What was that, Gervase?’

‘It does not matter now. The whole matter has gone up in smoke.’

‘The real credit must go to you and to the lord Ralph,’ said Hubert. ‘You solved crimes which left the sheriff quite bewildered.

Brother Simon and I congratulate you.’

‘Yes,’ said Simon before gulping down some water.

‘Do not forget your own part in this, Canon Hubert,’ said Gervase. ‘That information about Eldred was critical. If you had not seen him coming to deal, with the bats at the cathedral, we might never have known that he had a gift with animals. My own suspicions had settled on Saewin.’

‘Mine were on that loathsome steward,’ admitted Ralph. ‘I thought that Tetbald might have killed his master in order to enjoy the favours of the widow. He behaved almost like a second husband to her.’ He gave a chuckle. ‘I would love to be there when he reports his failure to the lady Catherine. He will be fortunate to retain his office. It is pleasant to be able to sow a little discord in his life.’

‘Do not blame the steward,’ said Hubert. ‘It was the lord Nicholas who was chiefly responsible for all the chaos. When he was alive, he was a monster of promiscuity. When he died, a wife and two mistresses fought over his remains like animals. They were the true wildcats of Exeter.’

‘And all three of them failed,’ observed Simon.

‘But not before they left a few scratches,’ said Gervase, rubbing his injured arm. ‘I am glad that this dispute is behind us.’

‘So am I,’ said Ralph. ‘Hervey de Marigny’s death has been avenged and his body has been sent back to his widow for burial.

It is time to put the tragedy behind us and work our way through all the other disputes we have come to investigate. Call in Saewin.’

One of the guards at the rear of the hall went out and returned with the reeve. Saewin was relieved that the threat to his own position had now been lifted and there was an even greater willingness about him than before. When Ralph gave him instructions, the man nodded obediently before hurrying off on his errands. Gervase watched him go and decided that Exeter would be served by a chastened town reeve from now on — and one who might no longer be welcome at Asa’s house.