A Conspiracy of Wolves

Lucie smiled at the fire. ‘I noticed it as well. I do not know whether to wish them that joy. Olyf Tirwhit will never forgive them.’

‘We know Crispin and Olyf could never be. And for the child about to be born to have a father, that would be a blessing.’

Lucie took his hand. ‘Yes. Crispin is nothing like Hoban, and perhaps that is all for the best. I wish them joy if they choose each other. For another couple, I see stormy seas ahead.’

‘Alisoun and Jasper?’

‘Magda tells me that while I opened the shop, giving Jasper some time with Alisoun this morning, Ned came to call. With flowers from the Fenton garden.’

‘Ned?’

‘I knew nothing of what had happened, but when Jasper stormed into the shop to begin his day, tossing his jacket with such force I rushed to save a jar from crashing to the floor, I ordered him to sit down in the workroom and say ten Hail Marys before coming back into the shop.’

‘Did he confide in you?’

‘He spoke of how he wished to model his life after his beloved Brother Wulfstan.’

After the infirmarian of St Mary’s Abbey sacrificed his life to tend plague victims, Jasper had talked of taking vows. It was a recurring theme, especially when their son questioned his feelings for Alisoun.

‘It will pass,’ said Owen.

‘If Wren has anything to say about it, he will have an alternative.’

‘God protect him.’

‘Olyf Tirwhit has asked her to return to their house.’

‘Will she accept?’

‘Muriel has also expressed interest.’

‘I begin to distrust Muriel’s intent.’

Lucie sighed. ‘As do I.’ She turned to Owen. ‘So? What have you decided about your future?’

16 Diplomacy

In the early morning, Owen called on Hempe at his home, eager to report to the Braithwaites and the Pooles and then move on with his day.

‘It’s been good to partner with you again,’ said Hempe. ‘Will we be working together in future?’

‘You had best say yes, or he will hound you forever,’ his wife Lotta teased.

‘If the prince’s emissary is amenable to my proposal, yes.’

Hempe slapped Owen on the back. ‘You’ve given me hope, my friend.’

‘Bless you, Captain,’ said Lotta.

‘Shall we go?’ said Owen. ‘Get the unpleasantness out of the way?’

As Hempe lived so close to Crispin, they stopped there first to assure him he need no longer worry about a repeat attack.

He was looking haggard. ‘Olyf seems unable to stay away, plying my mother with unwanted remedies. My mother suspects she means to poison her.’

Owen saw an opportunity. ‘Is Dame Olyf here now?’

A curse and a nod.

Excusing himself, Owen went in search of the woman. Finding her seated beside a sleeping Euphemia, he asked her to step out into the garden, where he told her of Paul’s death, and how all the recent violence stemmed from his long-ago crime, the murder of Gerta.

‘Paul – may God be merciful.’ She slumped down onto a bench against the back wall of the house, bowing her head.

‘You were there, I think. You witnessed what he did to her.’

She reared up, such a tall woman she almost looked him in the eye.

He took a step backward.

‘Paul told you, didn’t he? I knew he blamed me. Claimed I’d been the one who insisted he make sure she was dead. That I gave him the stone, helped him drag her to the water. Is that what he said?’

Owen slowly shook his head. ‘No. We never spoke of it.’

A cough. Olyf spun round and beheld George Hempe and Crispin Poole standing in the doorway.

She turned back to Owen. ‘Well, good, then. Because I never did any of that. I begged him to leave her alone.’

‘Get out of my house,’ said Crispin, in a quiet voice. ‘And stay away.’

‘I will oblige you with that,’ said Hempe, stepping forward to take Olyf’s arm. ‘She will come with me to the castle.’

‘I will not,’ Olyf declared.

But Hempe’s grip was strong.

So it was that Owen went alone to report to the Braithwaites, heart heavy. Janet suggested that they not disturb John. She would pass on the news to him when he was stronger. Owen agreed that was best.

She listened with bowed head, occasionally murmuring a prayer, and wept to hear of Olyf’s part in Gerta’s murder. ‘I cannot help but think Hoban was the one made to suffer for her sin. He was such a gentle soul. So unlike Olyf … and my Paul. Muriel always said they were two of a kind. I do not even want to know whether my daughter knew of any of this.’

‘From what she told my wife, I doubt it,’ said Owen.

‘Do you think Cilla witnessed all of it?’

‘Perhaps. It would explain the brutality of their attacks on Hoban and Bartolf.’

‘But why was Olyf spared?’

‘Was she?’

Janet crossed herself. ‘I should send a messenger to Elaine.’

Owen was not home long before Geoffrey appeared with a message from Antony, his fellow emissary. ‘He awaits your pleasure in St Mary’s hospitium. He will expect your decision, you know, whether you will accept the prince’s commission.’

‘That is likely his purpose, I agree,’ said Owen.

‘And? What will you tell him?’

After the activities of the morning Owen prayed he had the presence of mind to argue his case with Antony.

‘I will share my thoughts with you in exchange for a favor.’