The Hand of Justice

‘Well, there you are, then. You are the town’s best physician, and if you would not act the way Rougham did, then your University logic leads me to conclude that he made a mistake.’

‘Perhaps he did,’ said Bartholomew. ‘But this business will blow over soon, and I do not want to make a worse enemy of Rougham. We may have to work here together for a very long time, and we do not like each other as it is.’

‘If Rougham’s negligence killed Warde, then you should tell people,’ insisted Matilde. ‘It would be unethical not to. Folk will not want a physician who is careless, and they will use you instead.’

‘That is precisely why I cannot say anything. Rougham would claim I was making accusations to poach his patients.’

‘But he has been doing that to you,’ objected Matilde. ‘He regularly tells people that he considers your methods anathema. You must act to protect your reputation.’

‘People can decide for themselves who they employ. I do not want to engage in verbal battles with him to see who is the more popular. I have neither the time nor the energy for that sort of thing.’

Her chin jutted out defiantly. ‘He had better not say anything horrible about you in my hearing, or I shall tell him a few truths.’

Fortunately for Rougham, Bartholomew knew their paths were unlikely to cross, and so was not unduly worried about the possibility of an unseemly row between Gonville’s Master of Medicine and the head of the Guild of Frail Sisters. He sighed, and stretched his legs towards the fire, feeling more relaxed than he had been for some time. A child immediately scrambled into his lap and curled against him like a cat. He hugged it to him, touched by its easy trust.

‘So, how did Warde die?’ pressed Matilde. ‘The cough was minor — both you and Rougham agree on that. But he was a Commissioner. Do you think one of the interested parties killed him? By poison, perhaps?’

‘Michael wondered that, but I do not see how Warde could have been poisoned. He ate and drank the same things as everyone else last night.’

‘What about the Water of Snails?’

Bartholomew regarded her askance. ‘Are you suggesting Rougham killed him? You sound like Quenhyth and Redmeadow, determined to have him indicted of some crime — any crime.’

‘It was Quenhyth who started me thinking. We met on the High Street this morning, and he was beside himself with fury that Rougham should have accused you of killing Warde when he is such a poor physician himself.’

Bartholomew smiled indulgently. ‘Quenhyth is young and sees matters in black and white.’

‘But think about Rougham’s behaviour, Matthew. I heard what happened from Yolande, who had it from Master Thorpe himself. Rougham sent Warde this Water of Snails, but when Master Thorpe confronted him, Rougham denied it. Yet the phial was there with the message — in Rougham’s hand — for all to see.’

‘I suppose he sent it and forgot what he had done.’ He was about to add Rougham’s own solution — that one of his students was responsible — when Matilde gave a sharp, derisive laugh.

‘Do you really believe that? Is he a half-wit, then — dispensing cures, then forgetting about them? I do not think so! He either sent that note and the Water of Snails, and denies that he did so for sinister reasons. Or, he did not, and someone is trying to make him look guilty of murder.’

Bartholomew gazed at her. ‘Now you are jumping to wild conclusions! There is no evidence to allow you to make those sorts of assumptions.’

‘You are overly innocent,’ declared Matilde. ‘You will find that Rougham killed Warde.’

‘Why?’ asked Bartholomew. ‘What reason could Rougham have for killing a wealthy patient? As far as he is concerned, Warde’s death represents a sizeable loss of income.’

‘Because he wanted to strike at the King’s Commission. He is afraid they will find in favour of the King’s Mill — against Mortimer. Since Gonville Hall has interests in Mortimer’s Mill, Rougham cannot allow that to happen.’

Bartholomew was astounded. ‘But Pulham told Michael that Gonville does not have interests in Mortimer’s Mill.’ He reconsidered, even as he spoke. Master Thorpe had mentioned that Gonville had been promised a handsome donation for their chapel if they won the Mortimers’ case. Michael had intended to ask him about it, but most of the Gonville Fellows were in Ely, summoned there by the Bishop in relation to some tedious issue about property rights.

‘Pulham was lying,’ said Matilde. ‘Why do you think the Mortimers hired scholars from Gonville to represent them? It is not just because they are good with the law; it is because Gonville have a vested interest in seeing the Mortimers win, just as Lavenham and Bernarde have a vested interest in seeing the King’s Mill win. It means Gonville will fight all the harder for their client’s victory.’