The Hand of Justice

Pulham rubbed his hands over his face, smearing it with soot. ‘Very well. Deschalers sent messages offering Bottisham a truce, but Bottisham had fallen foul of that trick once, and was not about to let it happen again. You see, Deschalers had once offered to help pay for our chapel, claiming it would mark an end to the enmity between them, but then he withdrew with devastating effect.’

‘We know that,’ said Michael. ‘It is common gossip in the town.’

Pulham nodded. ‘Deschalers made no secret of the fact that he had made a fool of Bottisham. But about a month ago, he tried it again — he kept sending messages, begging Bottisham to parley with him. He even followed him to matins and lauds one night, and encouraged him to slip away from his devotions and speak to him in St Michael’s graveyard! Bottisham refused his “hand of friendship”, but Deschalers was persistent. In fact, Bottisham received a letter from him the morning before they died. He wanted to meet that very day, to discuss the terms of a truce.’

‘We know this, too,’ said Bartholomew. ‘But why would Bottisham entertain meeting such a bitter enemy in a place like the King’s Mill — and in the dark?’

Pulham frowned. ‘But that is the odd thing. The letter did not suggest the King’s Mill at night. It recommended the Brazen George at noon — in one of those private chambers at the back that the landlord keeps for sinister assignations.’

‘Did Bottisham go?’ asked Michael, not mentioning the fact that he used one of those chambers himself on a regular basis.

‘I advised against it. But when he showed me Deschalers’s letters, I felt they had a note of genuine contrition, and we knew he was mortally ill. It seemed churlish not to see what he wanted, so I offered to go in Bottisham’s place.’

‘So you went to the Brazen George at noon on the day they died,’ surmised Michael, trying to keep his temper under control about the fact that Pulham had not been more honest earlier. ‘Then what? Was Deschalers peeved that you arrived instead of Bottisham? Did he refuse to speak to you?’

‘He understood why Bottisham declined to meet him. He was disappointed, but not surprised. Then he said he was thinking of changing his will in a way that would see a princely sum come Bottisham’s way — for our chapel.’

‘I see,’ said Michael flatly. ‘And did you believe him?’

‘Yes. I think he was sincere this time.’

Michael could contain himself no longer. ‘Then why did you not tell me all this sooner?’ he exploded. ‘Surely you must see it has a bearing on the case?’

Pulham was defensive. ‘But I really do not believe Deschalers’s will had anything to do with Bottisham’s death — and that is why I did not mention my meeting to you. I did not want to lead you astray with information that was irrelevant and confusing.’

Michael was angry. ‘That is for me to decide. Do you think me a fool, unable to distinguish between what is important and what is not?’

Bartholomew could see Pulham regretted having spoken to Michael, and that the monk’s ire was likely to make him wary of confiding anything else. He laid a warning hand on Michael’s shoulder. ‘What else can you tell us, Master Pulham?’ he asked gently.

Pulham took a deep breath. ‘When we were at the Brazen George, Deschalers showed me his new will. This had been signed, but not sealed. It was quite simple. Bottisham was to have a house on Bridge Street, and Julianna was to have the rest. Two beneficiaries. He said it was to atone for years of bitterness and anger that should have been avoided. But he said he would not seal it — so it would not be legal — unless Bottisham came to him in person.’

‘The will was made out?’ asked Bartholomew, angry in his turn. ‘Here is something Quenhyth neglected to mention.’

‘I doubt Quenhyth wrote this,’ said Pulham. ‘That boy has neat, rather lovely writing. This one was scribbled, as though it was jotted down in great haste. Deschalers told me it was his third will. The first made a bequest to his apprentices, but he had decided against doing that a month ago. The second left everything, except a chest, to Julianna. And the third was to have benefited Bottisham.’

‘I see,’ asked Michael tightly. ‘And then what happened?’

‘I do not know. I returned to Gonville, and told Bottisham what had transpired, but it was the last conversation we ever had. I do not know whether he believed Deschalers’s sincerity, and I do not know whether he contacted Deschalers and asked to meet.’

‘This is all very intriguing,’ said Michael icily. ‘But Deschalers’s will was not changed. Julianna inherited everything except Quenhyth’s box — and Bottisham died before he could acquire this Bridge Street house anyway.’

Pulham nodded. ‘So you see why I said nothing about this earlier. And yet …’ He trailed off.

Michael regarded him with beady eyes. ‘And yet what?’