King's Gold

The castle had returned to its accustomed quietness after the inquest, and the men of the jury had dispersed back to their fields and labours by early afternoon.

Simon and Sir Richard sat with the coroner and his clerk in the hall while the two ate.

Sir Ranulf was an astute man, Simon learned. This was another in the mould of Sir Richard, who appeared to have a genuine interest in discovering who was guilty of a crime.

‘The man Dolwyn was not convincing,’ Sir Ranulf said meditatively. ‘And he is owed a hanging, I hear.’

‘He had the manner of a man determined to remain in gaol,’ Sir Richard commented, pulling the thigh from the chicken on the board before him and taking a gargantuan bite. ‘I think he has a lot of secrets to keep.’

‘But do you think he killed Sir Jevan?’ Sir Ranulf asked.

‘No. And I’m glad that the task of deciding his guilt or innocence is up to a Justice and not me,’ Sir Richard told him.

Simon shook his head. Dolwyn had cut a mean figure. He had the pallor of a gaol-bird already, and his responses to all questions were insolent, as though he was already convinced he would hang for this murder. ‘I think him innocent.’

Sir Richard glanced at him. ‘Perhaps. Not our place to decide.’

The coroner for the county stared at his trencher with a frown. ‘There would appear to be few friends of this Sir Jevan. Soon all the men here who could have committed the crime will be flown. Then justice will be difficult to pursue.’

‘I am sure that Harry and Senchet had nothing to do with the murder,’ Simon said.

‘As am I,’ concurred Sir Richard.

‘Then, my friends, I recommend that you both bend your efforts to discover the true culprit,’ Sir Ranulf said.

Simon looked at the food on his trencher. He had lost his appetite. The local courts would decide upon the guilt or innocence of Dolwyn, and the comfort of passing the responsibility to another was shattered. He knew he must seek the murderer.

Of the men who had cause to wish to see Sir Jevan dead, he felt sure that the Bardi brothers or Alured were the most likely suspects. He knew that they had motives: Benedetto to punish Sir Jevan for attempting to kill Matteo; Matteo in revenge for his injuries. Both would think Sir Jevan guilty, because Alured had shown them that the man was a murderer.

But whoever had killed him had used an axe and left it in the body, just as Ham had been murdered. And Dolwyn was accused of that murder too.

Sir Ranulf continued, ‘I would aid you, but I have two more corpses to view.’ He sighed, pushed his trencher from him and leaned away from the table. ‘The last year has provided me with more corpses than I ever wished to see.’

‘Aye,’ his clerk said. ‘And it will become worse.’

‘How so?’ Sir Richard said. ‘The kingdom is at ease.’

Rodney looked at Sir Ranulf. ‘Do you really believe the land is at peace? While Sir Edward of Caernarfon lives, there is a rallying point for those who would rebel against the new order. If we are not careful, he will be released and the wars will start again.’

‘War!’ Sir Ranulf said. ‘I know little of war, but I do know murder when I see it. And there are plenty of men willing to free Sir Edward. They say that he is still the legitimate King.’

‘We have to keep him safe,’ Sir Richard said.

‘From harm,’ Sir Ranulf added.

Simon nodded too, but as he glanced at Sir Richard, he thought the knight sent a nod and slight wink in his direction. Sir Richard would help him find the murderer of Sir Jevan, he felt sure.

Cirencester

The news that they had been expecting came all too soon. Frere Thomas was already calmly sitting on a bench in the little tavern when his brother walked in.

Stephen was wearing a short tunic, a cowl and hood, like any number of peasants in the area, and the two brothers nodded to each other imperceptibly as their eyes met, but beyond that there was no sign that they had seen each other.

Thomas watched Stephen walk to the bar and lean on it, asking for ale, while all the time, Thomas’s ears were straining outside. There was nothing to indicate that either had been followed in here, and all his anxiety fled as he realised that their plans had worked. They were safe.

He stood, made a smiling bow at the wench at the bar, giving her the sign of the cross, then walked out to the bench at the door outside. A few moments later a shadow fell over him, and he knew it was Stephen.

‘Well?’

‘As we thought, Tom, the King has demanded that all his men leave to join him up in the north. The lands about here are growing empty.’

‘Good. Then we should begin to make their lives more exciting,’ Thomas said.

Stephen said no more. The men in their gang knew what was expected. He walked away from Thomas, and the latter uttered a short prayer for success. He did not plead his case or that of Stephen, he merely asked that their patron, the man who had once been King, should be returned to his throne. As God must require.

And that thought itself was enough to make him content.

Berkeley Castle