J. Tomlin - The Winter Kill

“Are you all right, Law?” Cormac asked.

Law shuddered. “He knocked me out from behind. Tried to smother me in the snow.”

“That must have been what he did to Jannet,” Cormac said. “There wasn’t enough snow, so he left Kennedy to freeze to death.”

“How did your head get bloodied?” Law asked Cormac.

“I was hiding in the house. We were supposed to meet by the Town Ditch, so I did nae think he would look yon. But he came to the house.”

Law glowered at him. “I told you to wait at the inn.”

“It’s a good thing I ignored you.” Cormac touched the bloody place on his forehead. “He was strong. We fought, and I had nae a chance. He knocked me down, I was out for a bit, must have only been a short time. When I came to, I heard the two of you out here splashing and fighting.”

Law managed to get to his knees and tried to stand. Maister Braidlaw and Cormac helped him up. Another coughing fit hit him. Cormac held him up as he hacked and bent over to spit up more water. When he straightened, he saw Brother Hugh lying on his side on the ground. His hands were tied behind his back, and the tannery watchdog sat beside him, growling softly. His robe was ripped open to his waist. His blond curls were plastered to his head with water and blood.

“How did you get him tied up?” Law asked.

“He was out cold, floating in the water after the lad here clunked him on the head. Thought he was dead at first, but whilst I was dragging him out he came to. He struggled loose and tried to run, but the dog put a stop to that. Had to stop it from tearing his throat out. Gil sat on him, but he kicked Gil in the face afore I had him tied him up with the dog’s rope. By that time, the lad here had you dragged onto dry land and was forcing the water out of you.”

Brother Hugh growled and bared his teeth. “Aye. You should have been dead with the two of them. Both of you.”

“I dinnae understand,” Cormac whispered.

“They were steeped in sin. She tempted him with her harlot’s ways and led him into evil. Then it was too late for him. He was so steeped in evil, he was lost, a whoremonger and a thief.” He sounded sad as he continued. “At first I thought he was just weak, but when he stole from the school and planned to abscond with her, I kent there was no saving him. I was told that the only way to cleanse the school was to punish them.”

Law cleared his raspy throat and asked, “Told…?”

“I have been marked to do the work of God,” he said proudly. “An angel whispered to me what I must do, and I did. But I had to keep it secret.”

“It is nae secret any more.” He turned to Maister Braidlaw. “You’d better send Gil for the lord sheriff. This will be…” Law sighed. “It is a mess.”

“Aye.” Braidlaw motioned to Gil. They walked a bit away as Gil listened to his maister’s instructions.

Law shut his eyes, glad Cormac was still holding him up. “I thought I was going to die this time.”

“So did I,” Cormac said in a low voice.

“I did nae see him at all before he hit me from behind. He knocked me out.”

“I think it was the same rock that I hit him with. It already had blood on it.”

“You jumped right out after him?”

“There wasn’t time to think. I grabbed the rock and leapt on top of him. Slammed it down on his head.”

“He attacked you first. Are you all right?”

“Aye. My head throbs a bit, but I’ll live.”

Law smiled a little. They both would. He looked down at the friar who was staring beyond them as though they weren’t even there. Mayhap he was hearing the voice that told him to murder.

Bishop Cameron was waiting when Law arrived at the same house where they had met before. The bishop looked weary as Law kissed his ring.

He sat next to the hearth where a merry fire crackled and motioned for Law to take a seat. “What a plight. This is a scandal, and somehow I must keep it quiet.” He raised his gaze to Law. “I talked to him.”

“Was he…?”

“Sane? No. He was calm enough but utterly mad. He lured Jannet to the house by telling her that Kennedy wanted to meet her yon. I suppose since she kent that he was part of the song school she never suspected a thing. But when he was waiting, she ran from him into the storm. He chased the poor woman, knocked her down and smothered her in the snow.” Cameron looked thoughtful. “Mayhap you would call it drowning. I’m nae sure. But he was sure he was called to do it to punish her for tempting a priest into sin. He found the money hidden in the house that night. Kennedy could hide nothing from him, though I doubt he realized that. Not until it was too late.”

“Was the money there? Where he said?”

“Aye. It was part of what had tempted Kennedy into sin, so he was taking it away. Poor Kennedy got his neck broken, but he didn’t leave him to freeze. You were wrong there. He was smothered whilst he lay helpless. Hugh did nae want to take a chance on Kennedy being found too soon.” Cameron sighed. “I have to explain all this to the king. It will be easier to hush up if we lock him away in a safe monastery somewhere. I’ll have to decide where.”

Law flushed with anger. “So the murders will be covered up. What will you say about poor Jannet’s death? Will she be denied even a decent burial?”

“There is nae reason for that. It was an accident. She got lost in the storm. Tragic, but such things happen. And Brother Hugh will be kept somewhere that he will be no threat to anyone.”

“How can you be sure? The next time he decides someone is a sinner?”

“He will be sent to a remote monastery and watched.” Cameron sighed. “He is quiet. Peaceful even. He disnae ken what is going to happen and disnae seem even to care.”

“Everyone liked him, thought him almost a saint,” Law said as his anger drained away. What point was there now in being angry? “I dinnae ken what is just. He is a madman.”

“The King will be arriving in Perth shortly.” Noises from outside the house, shouts and cheers and the tramping of horses, made the bishop turn his head. “No. He is here now, I suppose. This scandal, though hushed up, will just determine him more to bring the church in hand.”

Law rose to his feet. “This ends the matter then.”

“I often have business that needs attending by a man who is discreet.”

“I thought you had one of those,” he said in a tone sharper than was wise to use with the king’s chancellor.

“Mayhap there are tasks you would be better suited for. And much of the king’s business is done here in Perth.”

The bishop handed Law a small leather purse, a bit lighter than Law had hoped, but he was escaping with his life-and that was more than he had expected a short time before. In the street where Cormac waited, people were lined up to watch the king ride past. He was waving and smiling beneath snapping banners, tailed by hundreds of his courtiers. Their horses pawed and snorted at the cheers of the crowd. Banners snapped above the finely clad men in a cold breeze. Law spotted both the Earl of Douglas and the Earl of Argyll in the crowd. King James still had his long-nosed Stewart good looks, but he had widened a bit at the waist since last Law had seen him. A young lass ran up to offer him an apple. He drew up his horse to take it, grinning down at her, and the people cheered their approval.

He heard Cormac snort softly. “You’d run off to follow him just like that lassie.”

“I think that here is nae so bad a place to be that someone cares if I live or die, so mayhap not.” He shook his head. “But Bishop Cameron may need a man to do jobs ill-suited to the rat catcher.”

Cormac turned with a horrified look. “You mean to get involved with politics and lords? Tell me you will nae.”