City of Fiends

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Tuesday after the Nativity of St John the Baptist⁷

Cock Inn

On Sir Richard’s advice, Baldwin had agreed to take a room at the inn. It had been much as he had feared, however. As soon as Simon fled, pleading the lateness of the hour and the need to see his daughter, Sir Richard had begun to bellow for food and drink, and although Baldwin tried to avoid consuming too much, inevitably politeness forced him to imbibe more than he usually would. Edgar remained with them, watching with an amused look in his eyes which Baldwin found intensely irritating, but since they were all sharing a communal bedchamber, there was no earthly point in going to their bed before Sir Richard.

This morning, unrefreshed after a night kept awake by Sir Richard’s snoring, Baldwin went to the inn’s main room and called for a watered wine and some bread to break his fast. Usually he would not eat until later in the day, but this morning the woolliness in his head and a mild ache were demanding attention. He sat by the fire and stared into it as a maid unhurriedly scuffed her way about the place, eventually bringing him what he required. He didn’t even have the energy to complain about her slowness.

Edgar appeared a short while later and sat at Baldwin’s side. He eyed the girl and asked for the same breakfast, and when the wench lazily strolled towards the pantry, he frowned. Edgar was unused to being treated so discourteously, especially by women.

‘What did you think of the boy Algar last night?’ Baldwin asked.

‘Sir? The stable boy? He was honest enough, I think, for a ragamuffin. Why?’

Baldwin kept his attention on the flames at the hearth, considering. True, the lad had seemed to be telling the truth. Algar must have lusted after Alice, it was only natural. She had looks that would tempt the statue of a saint; even in death she was lovely.

‘I think he was, too,’ he said at last. ‘And if that’s the case, and he saw Alice using the front door, I have to wonder how often she did so. For all she knew, her master might hear of it, or even see her himself. Either she was a fool, or she had a special dispensation that other servants didn’t at the Paffard house. Which begs the question “why”?’

‘If she enjoyed the luxury of the front door and pretending she was no ordinary servant, perhaps Gregory lied when he said he wouldn’t have lain with her.’

‘Yes . . . but perhaps there was another reason,’ Baldwin said.

‘If he did lie, could it have a bearing on the girl’s murder?’ Edgar suggested.

Baldwin shook his head slowly. ‘There is no indication that young Paffard had a motive to hurt her. Others could have been jealous, of course – servants, perhaps, if Henry demonstrated favouritism. There is another point that niggles at me: why the girl was in the alley. Why should she go there, if she was used to using the front door? Or did she only use the front door occasionally, and tried to maintain a sham respect for conventions at other times?’

‘Or she died somewhere else and was placed there,’ Edgar said.

‘True.’ Baldwin was thinking of all the people in the house. Suddenly he recalled Claricia Paffard.

There was something about the expression in Claricia Paffard’s eyes that had been oddly familiar. And now he remembered where he had seen it before. It was some years before, when his wife had guessed that he had committed adultery.

With a pang of guilt, he realized that it was the expression he had recognised in Claricia’s face: the despair of the betrayed.

Combe Street

Juliana Marsille left the house early to walk up to Cooks’ Row in the hope of getting a bargain for their meals. A vendor did give her a couple of day-old crusts as she passed, and another traded an egg, for which she was very grateful. She was holding her prizes carefully in her apron as she entered Combe Street, and then she saw Joan, and gave her a wave.

‘Are you all right?’ she asked, when the girl drew closer.

Joan was pale and tear-stained, quite unlike her usual self.

‘Maid, please, I’d offer you some wine, but we have none,’ Juliana said gently. ‘Tell me, what’s the matter?’

‘I can’t tell you,’ Joan said, her lips trembling. And then a tear ran from her eye.

‘Right! Come with me to my house,’ Juliana decided. ‘You will tell me all.’

‘I cannot.’

But her protestations were weak. Soon Juliana had her sitting with her on a step near the alleyway. Joan could not bring herself to talk about what troubled her for a long time. But then, as Juliana kindly chatted on, she felt her barriers tumble.

There was no one near to hear them as Joan gradually began to unburden herself.

‘He came to my chamber. Oh, it was horrible! It didn’t matter what I said, he wouldn’t stop. You do believe me? I couldn’t think what to do, and . . .’

There was more, much more, and Juliana nodded and agreed, and on occasion she wept with Joan, and the two sobbed together and hugged, and then wept some more for the misery that was womanhood.

‘I am so sorry. You should leave that house,’ Juliana said.

‘How can I? Where would I go?’

‘It is no place for you, Joan. You deserve better.’

‘It’s a hateful household. You wouldn’t believe what else I saw . . . But I have to go. It’s late.’ She looked frightened.

‘Come on – you can tell me.’

‘No, no, I can’t!’ Joan cried.

But her protestations were in vain. She had to share it with someone. She couldn’t keep it only to herself and poor little traumatised Tommy.

Precentor’s House, Exeter Cathedral

Adam Murimuth set aside his journal and rubbed at his eyes. That was all the enjoyment he was permitted today, he thought. Now for the ledgers – and work.

Any cathedral was a serious enterprise, with estates to administer, courts of law, business ventures and ecclesiastic interests, both great and trivial. There were farms, and issues to mediate between tenants and peasants; there were marital disputes to be decided, up to and including divorce; and then there were the rebuilding works: the purchase of stone and timber, lead and copper, for the fabric of the Cathedral. Not to mention the responsibility for maintaining cordial relations with the Dominicans, and the Franciscans in their new friary outside the city walls.

That was usually the hardest matter, since Cathedral staff would often come to blows with the friars when they met in the city; professional jealousy inevitably caused friction.

For this reason, he was not overly surprised when he heard that the vicar of Holy Trinity had been beaten up. It was probably a friar who had taken offence at some remark made by the priest, he told himself.

The man who brought the news was one of the secular staff: a lay brother from the Palace Gate, Adam recalled.

‘Bruised and battered and left in the street?’

‘No, he was attacked in his rooms in the church.’

That was different. Adam’s brows furrowed. ‘No one would dare to assault a priest in his church, surely?’

‘It does happen, sir.’

‘Did he say who perpetrated this vile act?’

‘No, sir. He won’t talk of it at all.’ The man was visibly nervous.

‘Spit it out!’ Adam said firmly. ‘Is there something else I should know?’

‘Sir, only that it’s rumoured he had been seeing whores. Perhaps a whore’s bully deprecated his attentions?’

Adam wiped a hand over his face. He didn’t need this kind of additional problem. Not just now.

Marsilles’ House

Juliana had already lighted the fire and set the pot over it. She had a little pottage left from the previous evening, and some oats and barley to bulk it out along with the crusts, but her prize this morning was the egg she had managed to exchange for some old strips of material. The woman who supplied the egg had been happy with the trade, and so was Juliana. It was the first egg she had handled in weeks, and she treated it with reverence, breaking it carefully into the pot, and stirring, watching the orange yolk break into strings of yellow with a hungry devotion, like a priest preparing holy wine for Mass.

‘Morning, Mother,’ William called and descended the ladder from their sleeping chamber. He stood scratching his head, complaining, ‘My head has more life in it than most farms. I’ve been bitten to pieces during the night.’

‘One day when we have some fortune come to us again, we will have a big house with our own bath-tub in the brewery,’ Juliana said. There was a strong wistfulness for those long-passed days. Happiness with her Nicholas, the comfort of their lovely house just behind the High Street, the little garden with all her vegetables set out in the plots. She had been so contented there.

‘Well, if we’re to win it all back, we’ll need me to take charge. You heard Philip wants to leave and join the King in Scotland?’

‘No!’ Juliana cried, and threw a look up at the sleeping chamber.

A tousled head peered over. ‘Why not? I could win a ransom and-’

‘Are you that stupid? How many men are there in the King’s Host, and how many win a prize? Most of the men who find a knight will be killed by him! If not, they’ll have their victim taken by their Sergeant or Lord. No, if you go to Scotland, all you will find is a grave, Philip. You mustn’t even think of such a thing!’ And how could you afford to go up there? You would have to buy food and drink!

‘There is nothing for me here,’ he said bleakly. ‘I’ve managed to save a little.’

‘You didn’t think to share it with us, though?’ William asked, then blurted out, ‘Did you love her?’

Juliana was still. She had never dared to broach the subject with Philip, but she was keen to hear his answer. It even stopped her from beating him about saving money without sharing it.

‘Yes. I loved her. And she felt nothing for me. She told me so,’ Philip said. There was a dull gloom in his voice that tore at his mother’s heart.

William said sympathetically, ‘What did she say?’

‘She said she was happy.’ Philip sighed. He had rolled over, and now lay staring up at the rafters. ‘She had a strong man in her master, and she had no need of a callow youth instead. What would she want with a whelp, when she had a sire already? That was what she said. I adored her, but she threw only scorn at me when I offered to marry her.’

‘You offered her marriage?’ William said, aghast. ‘You know she was only Henry Paffard’s bedwarmer!’

Juliana listened with her mouth falling open, thinking of Joan’s words earlier.

‘She was forced into it,’ Philip argued.

‘No, she wasn’t! She was a willing bedmate or she’d have left!’

‘It’s no matter now. She’s dead, and my life is over. Without her, I don’t know how I can live.’

‘It’s because of her you’re so languorous?’ William said with frustration flooding his voice. ‘Man, you should be glad you were rescued! She wasn’t worth your time and love, if all she could think of was remaining with her master after you offered her an honourable marriage.’

‘You didn’t know her. You can’t understand.’

Juliana broke in. ‘Your brother’s right, Philip. If she turned you down, preferring to whore herself with her master, you are fortunate to be free of her. Think, if she had accepted your hand, would you ever have been able to trust her? She was a tickle-tail, no more. If she was married, she would be waggling her arse at other men all the time. Your life would have been miserable.’

‘I cannot live for thinking about her,’ Philip groaned.

‘You need new reasons for living, then,’ Juliana said gently. ‘Come, have some pottage. There is an egg in it. Eat, and the world will look better.’

She watched him descend the ladder, walking to the bowl and silently ladling a portion into a wooden cup. He sipped, sitting on the stool, while William watched him with kindly amusement, and Juliana felt it best to leave them alone for a while. Perhaps William could persuade his brother to talk some more, and maybe then the two could come to some understanding. Then Philip must try to find work. There was almost nothing left from his savings.

Meanwhile, her mind kept circling about this news of Henry Paffard. What sort of a man would make use of the maids in his house in that manner? Ach, it wasn’t unheard of, and Juliana was no innocent, but for him to move straight from Alice to Joan spoke of a determined lust, without any affection. It spoke of his shame, too.

She had a job with a goldsmith’s today, which a kindly providence had bestowed upon her. A friend had suggested her to the smith, who was keen to have someone help keep his house. Not a maidservant, but a manager of his household. It was a unique position: his wife had died some months before, and he felt the need of a woman’s hand about the house, but not the effort and expense of a wife. Juliana hoped that a second stroke of good fortune could occur. Perhaps he would consider William as an assistant in his business. It was by no means an apprenticeship, but for William it could provide food and a little money. That still left Philip without a means of supporting himself, but Juliana was optimistic.

A knock on the door made all three look up. Juliana was nearest, and she pulled the door wide to find that John, bottler to Henry Paffard, stood with a note in his hand. ‘Yes, John?’

He looked from her to the young men behind her, and nodded at them in greeting. ‘Mistress, I’m sorry to bring this. I have been told to speak to you. My master has heard you’ve caused a disturbance.’

‘He’s heard what?’

‘About your argument. News has come to him that others here are distressed by you.’

‘I don’t know what you mean . . . What, has Emma reported me to Henry?’ Juliana gasped. ‘She couldn’t have! Emma was a friend to us for such a long time, I can’t believe she’d do such a thing!’

‘My master has instructed me to tell you: this breaking of the peace in the neighbourhood, on top of the rents you owe, means you must leave.’

Juliana was still in shock, her mouth gaping. ‘No, you can’t mean that, John! He’s warning us, isn’t he? He won’t throw us from the door. We depend upon him, you know that. Where would we go if he kicks us out?’

‘I don’t know,’ John said. ‘Mistress, if I had a place, I’d offer it to you. I knew your husband, and he was a good man.’

‘Henry knew him, in Christ’s name!’ Juliana said. Tears welled, but refused to be shed. She stared at John, then at the room around her as though she had never seen it before. ‘He was an associate of my husband’s. Nicholas helped him with his business many times. It was for that reason that Nicholas set him to aid us with our affairs. He named Henry in his will. In God’s name, what will I do if we are evicted?’

‘I don’t know, mistress, but-’ John began, but already Juliana’s face had altered. She listened to no more, but instead thrust him from the doorway, and strode into the alley. Emma’s door was only feet away, and Juliana beat her fist on the weak timbers. ‘Emma de Coyntes, come to your door! I must speak to you!’

There was a rattle and the door opened. Emma stood in her doorway, her features harsh, arms folded. ‘Well?’

Juliana’s anger faded. The resolution on Emma’s face was too daunting. ‘Your complaint to Henry Paffard, Emma. You didn’t know, you couldn’t know, but he’s told us we must go. At once! Emma, come with me, tell him you didn’t mean it – that it was just the moment’s anger.’

‘It wasn’t. You upset Sabina, and you upset me. You should have thought of the consequences before you screamed at her. Poor Sabina! She was only singing, that’s all. I don’t know what right you think you have to insult people!’

‘That’s enough,’ William interrupted. He had followed his mother, and now he stood at Juliana’s side. ‘We have rights the same as any. Just because we’ve lost our wealth doesn’t mean we aren’t still people. We’re Exonians, same as you.’

‘But you’re not the same, are you? You have nothing. I’m sorry for you, Juliana. You have had a lot to contend with, but I won’t see my family hurt and upset because of you.’

‘So you’d see us thrown from our home?’ Juliana said, and now the tears did fall. She had trusted Emma: they had been friends. Emma had been the one person she felt she could rely upon when Nicholas had died.

‘I’m sorry,’ Emma said, and turned away so that she wasn’t looking directly at her any longer.

‘You bitch! Whoreson’s daughter! Strumpet!’ Juliana screamed suddenly, and sprang forward, her fingers clawed.

‘Get off me!’ Emma shouted, alarmed. She raised her arms, and Juliana’s nails raked down her forearm, bringing up three long welts in an instant.

William was tempted to leave them to it. He was sure that his mother would soon have the better of the fight, but he knew that it wouldn’t help them, were she to cause an affray. ‘Come, Mother,’ he tried, and threw his arms about her when remonstrations failed.

‘You faithless wastrel! You have seen to our destruction!’ Juliana screeched. ‘See what damage you wreak with your lies! Dishonest wretch! You have seen us evicted!’

With her son’s arms wrapped about her, she convulsed with deep, groaning sobs, and turned to him, hiding her face in her shame. Then she allowed herself to be led back to her room, leaving behind her an ashen-faced Emma clutching her sore forearm.