Michael JECKS - The Traitor of St Giles

‘This afternoon, yes, sir – but I refused to take part tonight and warned your man.’

‘You knew that they were going to ambush me?’

‘Yes, sir.’

Edgar entered with Perkin as Owen spoke.

‘Shut up, you bastard!’ Perkin snarled. ‘Don’t tell ’em anything.’

‘What of the servant William?’ Baldwin continued.

Owen told of the encounter in London between the group and William. ‘When we saw William in the courtyard here, Toker said we had to get rid of him. Otherwise he could expose Toker and Perkin for their felonies in London.’

‘Did you take part in killing William?’ Baldwin said.

‘No, sir. Toker had Perkin with him…’

Perkin strained to leap forward but Edgar held him firmly. Instead he snarled, ‘Shut up, or I’ll feed your liver to the crows!’

‘…It was them two who killed the servant. If they’d found the money, Toker and Perkin would have taken it and gone. They killed the sailor when he wouldn’t say where the money was, and because Toker wanted to punish him for defeating us in London.’

‘You did not help in killing William in any way?’

‘No sir. Toker wanted the money for himself, I reckon.’

‘Why were the Bailiff and I attacked?’

‘You kept asking questions. Toker was worried you’d guess he’d killed the servant. Then he realised you’d found the money and he wanted to punish you for taking what he thought should be his . Bloody prat!’

‘You can’t keep us. Where’s the Coroner? He can speak for us,’ Perkin suddenly roared.

‘Why should he speak for you?’ Sir Peregrine demanded harshly. ‘You deserve no protection.’

‘We’ve done nothing wrong. Ask the Coroner. He’ll tell you.’

Baldwin stood before him and considered him for a long moment before saying, ‘I think your friend the Coroner would not be keen to help you now. You are arrested.’

‘Toker might have done wrong, but I’ve done nothing, whatever that maggot says. Get the Coroner.’

‘Do you work for him?’ Baldwin asked.

‘Sometimes.’

‘The Coroner is in gaol, awaiting trial for the murder of Sir Gilbert.’

‘What? Le Poter? The stupid, fat bastard!’

‘He hired Toker to ambush you,’ Owen explained.

‘Shut up, you little shit!’

‘I rather thought so,’ Baldwin said. ‘Sir Peregrine, I would ask that this Welshman be kept in decent lodgings away from the others. He warned my man and saved my life and that of the Bailiff.’

‘Certainly. Take them both away! The sight of them hurts my eyes,’ Sir Peregrine said.

After they had been manhandled away, Perkin shouting his defiance and cursing all in the room, there was silence for a short while which was gradually overtaken by an excited chattering as people started to discuss the dramatic developments. Sir Peregrine was grinning quizzically, head slightly tilted, but Lord Hugh still frowned with incomprehension.

‘Tell me one thing, Sir Baldwin, he said. ‘This man Dyne… He must have been there. He must have seen Sir Gilbert’s body, for how else could he have taken the purse and the knife?’

‘I should think he did,’ Baldwin agreed sadly. His mood was growing dark again. He was pleased to have solved the murders, but a black depression was clouding his mind and he longed for the forgetfulness of inebriation. ‘Who can tell when he found the knight? I think that while he tried to escape from the posse on horseback he stumbled over the man and his dog. He saw that the knight was dead and arranged his body neatly, only taking the knife and money because they were of no further use to the dead man.’

Lord Hugh was quiet for a moment, sadly considering the story. ‘He is the only man who comes out of this whole sorry tale with any credit, isn’t he? Dyne was innocent of any crime, and when he found a dead man he treated the corpse with respect; whereas the priest tried to steal the knight’s horse, Sherman hid from the facts because he was a cuckold, Carter was a murderer and incest, and God knows what the others were.’

‘You have come out of the matter with honour, my Lord,’ Baldwin reminded him gently. ‘When Despenser made an attempt to bribe you with a vast sum you didn’t accept it.’

‘No. And I was glad to have done so.’

‘Why, my Lord?’

Sir Hugh grinned crookedly. ‘As I said before, Sir Gilbert was not so convinced of the Despensers himself. He thought that they had left the Kingdom for good, so he planned to travel north to Carlisle where he came from.’

‘And join Earl Thomas’s ranks?’ Baldwin said.

‘Yes – with the jewels.’

Baldwin whistled. ‘So he proved a traitor to his master,’ he said disappointedly.

‘Don’t judge him too harshly, Sir Baldwin,’ Lord Hugh murmured. ‘You may find yourself in a similarly difficult position before long. If the Despensers have returned we will all have many tough choices to make.’

‘True,’ Baldwin said. Then he frowned briefly. ‘Why, then, did Sir Gilbert wait around? Why didn’t he just head off north as soon as he had seen you?’

Lord Hugh cleared his throat and spoke in an undertone, with every appearance of embarrassment. ‘He was waiting for me to prepare a message for Earl Thomas,’ he said quietly. ‘You see, even if you think I have come out of this well, I am not so clean as I appear. When the Kingdom is this close to war, a lord must seek the most advantageous alliances he may. And at present the Earl Thomas seems strongest. So you could say that I, too, am a traitor.’

He walked away shortly afterwards. Baldwin thought he was ashamed of his confession, but it didn’t affect the knight. He was exhausted mentally and physically, and now that the murders were solved he felt himself sinking into a torpor.

John Sherman had stalked out while Baldwin talked to Lord Hugh, and Baldwin wondered where he might have gone. He could feel some sympathy for the man. Sherman now had proof of his wife’s infidelity: the knowledge must be devastating. Of course it was mitigated by learning that Sir Gilbert’s death was not a failed attempt by his wife to murder him , but Baldwin was not sure that was enough of a consolation. Sherman’s wife had still betrayed him. Looking at his own wife, Baldwin wondered how he would react to learning that Jeanne had committed petty treason of that kind. Not well, he was sure.

Seeing his dejected look she smiled and joined him, linking her fingers in his. ‘Are you truly all right?’ she asked.

‘I am fine.’

‘I was terrified when I heard you had been attacked,’ she whispered. ‘I was convinced I was to be widowed again.’

There was a break in her tone, proof of her renewed fear that she might lose her man so soon after finding him. Baldwin squeezed her hand. ‘Do not fear for me, Lady.’

No, he told himself. No one need fear for his personal safety while he could still wield a sword – but Baldwin recalled vividly that rending, tearing of flesh and bone as he hauled his sword up into his opponent’s chest and the memory made him wonder for a moment what sort of man he was. He had always looked upon himself as a model of rational, humane behaviour, seeking to protect those who were weaker than he, and to prevent persecution and violence towards those who were unable to protect themselves – and yet he had exulted in the killing of that man. It had been a delight to end that life.

Jeanne’s touch drew him back to the present. ‘I hope we have a child soon,’ he said.

Simon’s head was not too seriously bruised. He was shaken and feeble for two days but then he began to recover swiftly. On the fourth day after the attack he went to see Lord Hugh in his great hall. The castle was almost deserted; the larger part of the guests had left and Simon found Lord Hugh sitting on his favourite carved chair on the dais with Sir Peregrine alone for company. ‘You asked for me?’