Michael JECKS - The Leper's Return

“You could have stood up for him,” Baldwin said reasonably.

“Sir Baldwin, I felt horrible-sick, weak, with a massive headache. I was in a terrible state of shock and needed my bed. If I went up, and people came in and found John, he’d be carted off before anyone would bother to speak to me. And while he was gone, anybody could have come in and taken all the plate. No, I felt it best that the more costly items should be hidden until I knew they could be protected.”

“So John bundled up the plate and made his way home?”

“He wasn’t going to originally. I only asked him to put it all into a sack and take it up to my room, but then we heard Coffyn and his men approaching.”

Baldwin closed his eyes. “Let me just get this right,” he said. “Your father shouted, and was struck down, then Putthe ran in, and lastly John arrived. John was never left alone in here?”

“No. I was here all the time. I felt too weak to stand.”

“We know that your father returned home because of the arrival of Coffyn’s men. So in the time it took for Godfrey to come back and be knocked down, in the time it took for John to come in and find you, that was how long Coffyn and his men were running around opening all the cupboards and searching the garden. Once they had finished, they came round here.”

“That’s right. As soon as we heard their steps approaching the door, I told John to go in case he might be hurt. He wasn’t sure about it, and he wasn’t pleased to leave my maid and me alone, but we insisted, and lucidly he went. I asked him to take the silver with him, and he agreed. In the meantime I sent my maid out and told her to listen at the door.”

“But why? You were about to be safe, with Coffyn here.”

She gave him a half-apologetic glance. “That may be so, but at the time all I knew was that a man who was desperate for money, who had borrowed money from my father, was on his way. What would he do when he found all the household’s plate undefended?”

“You thought Coffyn could have tried to steal it?”

“He needs money.”

“But for all you knew, your father was only unconscious, and Putthe could have woken at any moment. Why should Coffyn steal from you?”

“Sir Baldwin, I had noticed that whenever Coffyn came here, he always used to look longingly at the plate. Now, if someone was hard up for money and they were to walk into a room in which the house-owner and his servant were knocked down, wouldn’t you wonder what they might do? As it was, when he came into the room, I saw his gaze fly to the cupboard. It didn’t take him long to see the plate was gone. Only then did he come to me and see how I was. He called my maid in, and ordered his man to help her take me upstairs. Once I was in my chamber, he sent for Tanner.”

Simon was frowning with confusion. “But all we’ve heard suggests that Coffyn is wealthy now. I thought his money problems were over.”

“Over?” Cecily laughed. “No, Matthew Coffyn owed my father a small fortune. Oh, he may have been able to keep up his lifestyle, but only with my father’s assistance. I don’t know what he’ll do now.”

“When did John bring back all the plate?” Baldwin asked.

“The night he was attacked. He was returning from delivering the plate here when he was taken, poor devil!”

Simon nodded. “And the horseshoe? You asked Jack up here that night because you didn’t want such a leper-hater to see Thomas in the street?”

“That’s right – how did you guess? Jack loathed the sight of lepers. The last thing I wanted was for Thomas to be attacked, or for rumors of his visit to be bruited abroad. Either would spell disaster. At the same time it allowed me to ensure that Putthe was out of the way as well.”

“What about Putthe?” asked Baldwin. “He seems to have been confused almost all the time. On the night your father died, he hinted that John must have stolen the plate, then that the smith was involved – was that because you told him to confuse us?”

“Putthe can be a fool on occasion. Don’t forget he knew nothing about the plate being given to John for protection. All he knew was, I was seeing someone, and then he noticed John in the yard just before he saw us in the hall. He knew of John’s reputation – who doesn’t? – and when you told him the plate was gone, he leapt to the wrong conclusion.”

“But the second time he more or less implied that the smith must be guilty.”

“By then he had been told how John had taken the plate and looked after it. He had also been told off by Alison, who left him in no doubt why John was visiting. Putthe was confused. He knew Jack and didn’t trust him. Who else should he think could be guilty?”

“I see,” Baldwin said, and stood. “And now, I think we should leave you alone. You should be resting after so much excitement.”

She smiled wistfully. “Yes, it’s been a mad time. First seeing my husband again, then my father dying by poor Quivil’s hand. My whole life appears to have changed in a matter of days. But I can’t let Thomas disappear again.”

“He may decide to go and leave you to begin a new life,” Simon pointed out.

“I cannot let him. Who else will be willing to take care of him?”

“Quite,” said Baldwin, but he said it with a distracted air, and he avoided her eyes.

In the street, Baldwin turned his mount toward the Dean’s house. There the knight and his friend went through to John’s room. John was happy enough to confirm the true events of the evening of Godfrey’s death, but Simon noticed once more that Baldwin appeared to be listening with only half an ear. His attention was elsewhere.

To Simon this was no surprise. Baldwin was betrothed, and the knight had plenty to consider. All the bailiff knew was that it was a relief Emma wouldn’t be able to poison the marriage. Some women got so attached to their maids that the possibility of discarding them was intolerable. Simon himself felt pretty much the same about his own servant, Hugh. The man was morose, sullen, and gloomy. He was slow, and often ineffectual. Yet he was a part of Simon’s household, and life without him was unthinkable.

But it was also quite clear that a man like Baldwin, who prized his hounds almost above all else, would loathe the sight of someone who had tried to tease his favorite into attacking, purely so that the dog must be destroyed. Simon shook his head. It was hard for him to understand, because he always felt dogs were just like any other animal – he didn’t like seeing them beaten or stoned in the street, even if mangy and flea-ridden mutts had to be killed – but they weren’t something to get particularly fond of; they were just guards, and they earned their food and drink by protecting their master. The bailiff would never have risked the hand of his wife because of a blasted hound!

“Before you accuse me of fornication, Sir Baldwin, I should tell you that Alison has already agreed to marry me.”

“That is good to hear,” Baldwin said. “Especially since I know the hardship you endured in Ireland.”

“It was a long time ago. It’s time I found a life again.”

“One thing I don’t understand yet is why you told us there were two men in Godfrey’s garden, and that they made you turn back to the house,” Baldwin frowned as he and Simon sat on a bench near the Irishman’s bed.

John grinned. “I knew very little at the time. Alison hadn’t told me about her mistress’ husband, so I simply told you the truth. I didn’t realize Mistress Cecily would want to protect the men who had killed her father – why should I? All I knew was, someone had attacked the place and for all I knew the two men out near my wall could have been them.”