Hypatia sat on the side of the bed rubbing a pungent ointment into the abrasions on her ankles. The sharp odor made Peter’s eyes water, but then, in his old age everything made his eyes water-cold, heat, wind, memories of his youth. The cats, one on each side of their mistress, blinked in annoyance but maintained their vigil.
Peter found a place on the bed for himself as far from the black cat as possible. “Those beasts hover about when you don’t feel well, like furry vultures.”
“Oh, Peter! Cats sense when we’re sick and want to comfort us.”
“Are you healing well? What else did the City Defender do to you?”
Hypatia replaced the lid on the ointment jar. The cats eyed it warily. “I have told you more than once. I was treated well enough, except for the shackles. Please stop fretting.”
“I can’t stop worrying when the City Defender’s men could arrive to arrest you again at any time. You know he’s certain you killed Diocles. You don’t think he’ll bother to investigate local residents like Petrus or Lucian, do you? Not when there was a foreigner on the scene, and a mere servant at that.”
Hypatia looked tense. “I am certain everything will be as it should be. Why wouldn’t it be? I didn’t kill Diocles. Why would I?”
“I gather from what I’ve overheard that he threatened the master.”
“Don’t be foolish!” Hypatia began to nervously pet the black cat.
Peter could hear the cat purring in contentment, a monstrous reaction to the dire situation. “Personally, I think Philip killed the overseer.”
Hypatia stiffened. “Yes, you would, wouldn’t you?”
Her obvious anger distressed him. “But Diocles was staying with Philip’s father when he should not have even been on the estate. It may be there was a quarrel and Philip was settling the score for his father. But the City Defender won’t look into the possibility, not when he can accuse-”
“Peter, please stop. You’re making me afraid. I’ve been trying not to think about it.”
“Don’t worry, Hypatia. I have the solution. I intend to confess to the City Defender that I killed Diocles.”
Hypatia stopped petting the cat. She stared at Peter in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I had the same reason the City Defender will suppose you had. To defend the master.”
“But you were nowhere near the blacksmith’s forge that night.”
“Are you certain? Does it make any difference? I’m an old man. How many years, or months, do I have left? The Lord might take me at any time. Why, I might not outlive those mangy animals you’ve adopted. You’re still young with your life ahead of you. And besides, you will not be burdened with me.”
Hypatia leapt from the bed in a fury, sending the cats flying. One of them knocked the ointment jar over and it rolled to the wall. “Don’t say such things! I dread the day I am not burdened with you, Peter. I hope it never comes. I won’t stand by and let you lie for me. You didn’t kill Diocles any more than I did.”
Feeling the weight of her wrathful gaze, Peter rose with difficulty until they were both standing. “But it doesn’t matter, you see, whether I confess to killing Diocles because I did, indeed, murder Theophilus.”
“Sit down, Peter. You’re ill. You’ve been injured, suffered shocks. Your humors are deranged.”
“No, that isn’t so. The day after Theophilus was found at the temple-after I’d fallen into the pit-well, you see, I couldn’t remember anything except approaching the temple, and then waking from a nightmare at the monastery. But it has been coming back to me. First I recalled my dream about the angel standing guard as I lay in the pit. Then more memories returned. I fell into the pit while fleeing from what I’d done.”
“I don’t believe a word of it!”
“But I do recall walking along and then, suddenly, nothing but air under my feet. I woke with a terrible feeling that I had done something wrong.”
“Why would you have killed the master’s stepfather?”
“To protect the master, of course. He hated his stepfather. And what was his stepfather doing on this estate at night? Obviously he was up to no good.”
“You must have taken a knife with you. Where is this knife? I haven’t seen you carrying one.”
“I…I haven’t remembered that yet. I must have had a knife, certainly. It isn’t all clear yet.”
“It’s clear to me that you want to sacrifice yourself for me and for the master. I won’t let you do it. It wouldn’t be right.”
“The Lord will have to judge whether it is right or not. Tomorrow I am going to confess to the City Defender.”
Hypatia took a step forward and grasped his shoulders. Her dark eyes were bright with tears. “I do love you, Peter. I had hoped to escape prosecution so we could enjoy our time together, but if you insist on going to the City Defender I will have to admit the truth. I did kill Diocles.”