The Malice of Unnatural Death

Chapter Forty-Five

Exeter City

It was only a short walk to Will’s house, and once there, they asked Will to accompany them to where he had found the first bodyagain, away from his wife. She appeared distressed to see Will being taken, but Baldwin was not of a mood to take much noticeof her.

‘I’ve told you all I can, masters,’ Will said when he saw them standing in his doorway.

‘We want a little more.’

With a bad grace the watchman jammed a hat upon his head, took up his staff, and joined them.

‘Do you go the same route every day?’ Baldwin asked.

‘Yes.’

‘It reminds me of a story. A man who had lost his family in a fire. Every day this man walked past his home. Every day herelieved that nightmare. Simon, how would you live with yourself if you had lost Meg’s love and Edith and Perkin in the samenight? It is hard to imagine how any man could cope. But he did. Until one night when he snapped. He was walking past hisruined old house, when what should he see but a man pissing in the ruins. It enraged him. Made him mad with anger, and hedrew his knife and killed the man.’

‘Not pissing. He’d puked. Right there where their bodies had lain.’

He could see that scene again in his mind’s eye as though it was only last night. There was the little line of three bodiesnear the alley itself, all set out neatly, their faces yellow in the glow from the flames as his house burned, and then, asthough there were only moments between the two occasions, he saw Mucheton heaving again, vomiting over them. Except no — theyweren’t there by then. It was some years since they’d died. ‘But I thought he was throwing up over them. I couldn’t bear it. It was right where they’d been. And here he was … Well, he fell back against the wall. I went up there, and peered throughthe slats in the fence, and I could see where he’d done it. So I turned to speak to him and almost fell flat on my face. Hewas right there, passed out. So I … I don’t know why, it was just in my head to do it. I drew my knife and ran it abouthis throat.’

Simon studied the man. He remained still now, his hands gripping the slats of the fence as he stared in at the house wherehe had once been happy. And now all was lost.

‘I have one more question, Will,’ Baldwin said. ‘The man you killed in the undercroft. Why was that?’

‘You think you know so much, don’t you? You know nothing. Michael, his father came from Warwickshire, all right? And Michael is an old friend. When John tried to kill the king, the Sheriff of Warwick was one of the conspirators. So when the whole thing went wrong, he declared that John had died in prison,and freed him. He told John to come here. He thought Exeter should be safe enough for him. And then, of course, he arrivedonly to see the messenger he’d last seen in Coventry. He assumed the man must be here to warn the sheriff and others abouthim.’

‘Which was a concern?’ Simon questioned, thinking about the bishop’s suspicions about Matthew.

‘We didn’t want him to learn about John any more than the bishop.’

‘So you assisted John in killing the king’s messenger?’

‘We saw him with that other man,’ Will said. His voice had grown cold, quieter and more distant, as he stared back at thehouse. ‘I hoped it was his friend. But I didn’t know then … we knocked him out when we took the messenger, and John cutoff his finger to learn what was in the purse and what the man had in his head. We knew that there was something worth knowing- but he wouldn’t admit it. So we had to kill him. John was an expert in that. Throttled him with a little weighted cord,and then hid the body in the garbage heap.’

‘And you found him there,’ Simon said. ‘Why? That must have brought attention to you.’

‘I was sure he was a friend to that assassin. I wanted him to suffer loss as I had. And to make him fear. John said to leavehim concealed, but I would not. Why should I?’

‘This man, the messenger’s friend,’ Baldwin said. ‘How did you know he was the one who had burned your house?’

‘People saw him here about that time.’

‘I see. And who told you?’

‘Michael. He was trying to help me.’

‘Of course he was,’ Baldwin said sarcastically. ‘He was so keen to help you that he destroyed any vestige of peace you couldhave found. So — did John kill the man in the undercroft?’ Baldwin was listening carefully to each word, Simon saw. He didn’tlook at Will’s face or eyes, he was noting every cadence of his voice instead, his eyes picking up on every twitch of Will’shands and feet.

‘Oh, John had nothing to do with that. He left the room for a few moments, and I saw that man going in. I wasn’t planning to killhim, I swear, but as soon as he sidled in, it was obvious he knew what John was attempting. So I followed him in. You knowwhat was ironic? He thought I was only there because I was one of the city watchmen. He opened the door and let me in properlywhen he saw me. So I cut his throat for him.’

‘Just so you could silence him,’ Simon said, but then he understood. ‘No! Because you thought he had set fire to your house!’

‘It was him …’

Baldwin snapped: ‘How do you know that?’

Will waved a hand, but then stated firmly, ‘The messenger — James. He confirmed it. Said the king sent an assassin to Exeterto destroy someone who was creating trouble — me! The king didn’t need that, not when he had just lost battles against the Scots, and had suffered from Bristol’s rebellion. He didn’t want any more trouble from the west. So he sent a man who killedmy children. Well, Keeper, I’ve repaid him.’

Simon and Baldwin exchanged a look. It was Simon who wondered aloud, ‘James the messenger told you that was the man?’

‘No! He denied it, the lying snake! But he couldn’t deny that the man had been here when my children died. I remembered seeinghim just at the time, although then he was wearing the livery of a messenger for the king. It was clear, though. James coulddeny it was him, but who else could it have been? There was no one else in the city at the time. Didn’t matter how much pain John gave him, he wouldn’t change his mind, even though we knew the truth. He could deny that messenger’s part all he wanted but I knew the truth.’

There was no one else in the city at that time who was so plainly a stranger, Baldwin told himself. That was why Newt wasdead. It made him feel a dreadful heaviness of spirit to think that Newt could have been killed for such a reason — becausehe had been remembered in the area at the time of Will’s disaster. And the man who was truly responsible, Walter, had escapedbecause he was unnoticeable. As a spy and assassin should be. His invisibility was his protection — and caused Newt’s murder.

He preferred not to dwell on James’s end. The poor fellow had tried to protect his friend, and his ever more desperate defenceof Newt had only meant his death had been more painful and slower. At least it showed that James was a man of honour.

‘What now, Will?’ Simon asked.

He smiled. ‘You arrest me and I hang. What else is there?’

Baldwin thought of this man’s wife, scarred and maddened. Where was the profit in killing Will too? He shook his head bitterly.‘So you want to die too? What then? No. You go home, Will. There’s been enough death already. But there is one thing I dowant to know. Where are the other models which John made? Do you know?’

‘No. He took them with him when he left the undercroft. I don’t know where he went with them.’

Baldwin nodded, and waved dismissively. ‘Go. There’s nothing to be served by having you punished any further. Go away andtry to have a life again. See if you can’t cease hating, and try to start forgiving.’

‘Forgive?’ Will stared at him. ‘Would you?’

Simon was intrigued when Baldwin stopped in the street, head down towards the cobbles, and then made off westwards beside the Fleshfold.‘Where now?’

‘I want to talk to the man Michael. Let us go and visit him.’

It took little time to walk along the street to Michael’s house. There was a beadle standing outside as they arrived, and Baldwin frowned and walked up to him. ‘We wanted to talk to Michael Tanner — is he here?’

‘No, sir. He’s off at the castle. He was wounded by the madman here. Had his fingers cut off, would you believe? The sheriffhimself ordered that he ought to be brought to safety.’

Exeter Castle

Matthew puffed out his cheeks. The reports he had received seemed to show that the man was dead at last, and thank Christ,the wench was out of his hair as well. Sweet Jesus, but the last week had been dreadful.

‘Husband? Are you well?’

Alice had walked in behind him without his hearing, his mind was so far distracted with other matters. ‘My love, of course!’

She evaded his encircling arms, walked to her chair and sat down, watching him cautiously. ‘You did it, didn’t you?’

‘What?’ His mind was still on the last issue from which he had been rescued, and he smiled openly. ‘The girl? I swear to youon the gospels, dear lady, that I never so much as touched her.’

‘You really swear this?’

‘Of course I do, Alice. I could not look at a woman such as her when I have you, could I?’

Her relief was so palpable, it made his heart warm to see it.

‘Now, my love,’ he said. ‘I think that when I next travel to London, I should like you to come with me.’

‘Will you be going there soon?’

‘There is a new parliament being called, and I think that I shall be asked go to it.’

She pulled a wry face. ‘It is so very far.’

‘And the roads are dreadful in the winter, I know. But it would be good for you to get away from this city for a few weeks,and it would make my journey so much more pleasing.’

‘Very well, my husband. Of course I shall come with you.’

‘I am glad to hear it.’

His pleasure was so entirely natural and unfeigned that she felt herself flushed with a warmth that rose from her belly andflooded every part of her. It was such a relief to see that he did indeed still love her.

It was ridiculous. She ought to have realised from the outset that her man could not have loved that wench. If anything, Aliceshould have instantly guessed the child was insane. Her behaviour was entirely demented, after all. Yes, in the future shewould always trust her man. If Matthew was at all interested in other women, would he have insisted that she went with himto London? Of course not! He would want her far away so that he could go and visit the stews of Southwark alone and not haveto explain why he had been out all night.

He was a lovely man. She adored him. No more nonsense about distrusting him.

There was a clattering of weapons outside, and she saw her man roll his eyes heavenwards. ‘That fool! I swear I shall have him throwninto the gaol to rot for a week if he does that once more!’

‘Sir Matthew?’

They looked at the doorway.

Sir Matthew groaned inwardly to see Sir Baldwin and that bailiff marching in. ‘Yes?’ he asked curtly. ‘I am busy.’

‘Yes. So am I. I would like to speak to you in private for a little,’ Baldwin said tersely.

‘I am listening.’

Baldwin smiled, but then turned to Alice. ‘My lady, if you could leave us a little while.’

She shot a look at her husband. He was fuming, she saw, but there was no point in causing an argument here in the hall. ‘Don’tworry, husband. I have affairs too. Perhaps almost as urgent!’

Her barb had struck, she saw. The keeper and this bailiff both looked a little ashamed to have been so rude. It was all youcould expect from an uncouth rural knight, she reflected as she left the room. Manners and chivalry came from exposure to Court and the fashions that pertained there. Sir Baldwin was too coarse to have spent time with ladies in a court.

With that happy thought, she left the hall and went about her business.

‘Well? You have insulted my wife. I hope you have good reason.’

‘My problem is whether I ought to arrest you myself, or merely tell the bishop about you and leave all to him,’ Baldwin said.

Sir Matthew leaned forward. ‘I could have you arrested for that. It is a gross slander to say that I deserve arrest! I could call my guard now and have you both taken from hereand …’

‘Call him in by all means,’ Baldwin said, baring his teeth. ‘But as soon as you do, this affair becomes publicly aired. Doyou want your guards to know what you have been up to?’

‘I have only ever done my duty. I think you should go now!’

Simon, watching from beside Baldwin, was taken by his demeanour. There was much bluster about him, but it was evident thathe spoke more quietly, and that he did not call his guards into the room.

Baldwin nodded as though he was in accord with Simon. He walked to a stool and sat comfortably. ‘Naturally some of this isconjecture — I do not know all the details — but I think I have put together the bulk of the story.

‘This all began some while ago, didn’t it? I do not know when you first became disillusioned with the government of the Despensersand the king, but you and others felt that you ought to hasten the end of a system that had done so much damage to the nation. Your friends found out about a necromancer of power, and they instructed him in what to do. He had to kill seven people. Theking, the two Despensers, father and son, and several others from the nearby convent.

‘When the attempt failed, because one man grew anxious and blurted the truth to his sheriff, he could hardly have known thatthe sheriff himself was in agreement with the band of conspirators.

‘They were all arrested, and then, soon afterwards, released. Except for two. One of these was the necromancer himself, of course. The other was the man who warned of the attempt. How close am I so far?’

‘Please continue. The story is fascinating.’

‘John of Nottingham somehow managed to escape from the gaol. Yet — and this is the curious part — the gaol at Warwick is allbut impregnable. I know it well enough. Be that as it may, John of Nottingham came here. And as soon as he arrived, he wasable to find a man who could give him rooms. Not only that, but in the same house was a man who had the tools necessary fora necromancer to perform his trade. That was most fortunate. What was more, he was introduced to a man who would be happyto help him kill even a king’s messenger, if ordered.’

‘And I suppose you think all this was my plan?’ the sheriff asked. He had paled, and his hand gripped the armrest of his chair.

‘Not all, no. But much of it. You wanted the assassination to succeed, didn’t you?’

‘I have come to this position because of the goodwill and support of my Lord Despenser. What would I want him harmed for?’

‘There are many who fear him. Any man who can accumulate so much power in so short a space of time is to be feared.’

‘So what exactly are you accusing me of? Trying to kill the king and his adviser? The man who had me placed in post?’

‘Someone had to tell Will that his family had been killed by Walter. Who was it told him that? You don’t want to say? Thenlet me guess. Perhaps it was Michael. I have a feeling that Michael is quite deeply involved in all this.’

‘Why?’

‘We have heard that he is here with you, Sheriff. Where exactly?’

‘He is resting. I would prefer you didn’t disturb him.’

‘Why is he here?’

‘I took pity upon him. Is that a surprise? He had his fingers cut off by that lunatic!’

‘You mean the king’s man? The man who was trying to catch the necromancer who was determined to kill your king?’

The sheriff nodded. ‘So you condone torturing the innocent? Interesting.’

Simon reached forward and placed a hand upon Baldwin’s shoulder. He could feel his friend’s muscles writhing with eagernessto strike the sheriff, but then they became rigid. After witnessing the destruction of his order, Baldwin had a deep hatredof any forms of torture or injustice.

‘How well do you know the Sheriff of Warwick?’ Baldwin asked.

‘This is all most interesting, Keeper, but I have matters of real importance to occupy me. I think our meeting is at an end.’

Baldwin stood. ‘Then I shall leave you, Sheriff. But be aware that I will investigate any fresh murders with vigour. Especiallyif I hear of any harm coming to Will Skinner or to … Robinet. I feel sure I have an interesting story to tell my Lord Despenser. And the king, of course.’