“He might have aided another in Kenelm’s death.” Ralf looked uncomfortable.
“Even if he did, someone killed him as well. There is at least one killer who remains free, although reason suggests there is only one.” Eleanor looked at both monk and crowner.
They nodded although Thomas’ expression remained troubled.
“I also believe Mistress Gytha’s tale.” Eleanor’s tone remained even, although she watched Ralf carefully. “She could not have slit Kenelm’s throat, nor easily dragged him from the road to the priory millstream. Would you agree, Crowner?”
“She is a most honorable woman.” He glanced away.
Eleanor raised an eyebrow but continued. “According to her, our lay brother found her unconscious in the forest and, when sense returned, he took her back to the priory grounds. She did not see Kenelm lying in the road where she left him. This suggests that the guard had already been taken to the mill pond. Although we might argue that our lay brother committed the crime before he found Gytha, I find other details strongly rebut that conclusion.” She waited for a moment.
Neither man had any comment.
“Master Jacob,” she said, “has confided that his boyhood friend was horrified at the extent of violence perpetrated on the helpless in Outremer. For this reason, he felt remorse over his threats against his old friend after taking the cross, which is why he chanced my wrath and punishment to leave the priory and beg forgiveness for his words and actions.”
“I can confirm that he hated violence, an opinion he expressed in our conversations before Kenelm’s death and the arrival of this Jewish family. Such a man is unlikely to kill another for no reason,” Thomas said.
“Might he have seen the attempted rape, become enraged, and sought to punish Kenelm?” Ralf opened his hand in a gesture that begged forbearance. “I ask only for the sake of discussion.”
Thomas shook his head. “By dragging him into priory land, slitting his throat, and dropping him into the mill pond? Such violation of our land would be blasphemy for a man vowed to God’s service. If he had responded out of anger as you suggest, would it not make more sense to drag the body into the forest?”
“You have argued well,” Ralf replied.
“I confess that I cannot believe he would have killed a man at all, but, considering his fresh vows, I think he would have confessed it and thrown himself on the mercy of our prioress if he had.” Thomas looked hopefully at her.
“I agree, Brother,” Eleanor said. “When he begged to take vows, Prior Andrew and I examined him. Now I see we may have erred in failing to pose the questions we would have asked a man whose survival was not deemed a miracle, but he presented himself as humbled by the mercy God had shown in healing him. And, although he understood the war in Outremer was sanctioned by the Pope, he had seen too much bloodshed. We found his longing for a monk’s life quite credible.”
“I cannot argue with your reasons but that still leaves us with the question of why anyone would pollute God’s earth with a murdered man’s blood?” Ralf hit his palm with a fist in frustration. “I can think of no one.”
“Of course, the Jewish family has been accused,” Eleanor said, “condemned by a false legend in which they poison wells. Even if we were inclined to wonder if this one instance might be true, the facts disprove it. Not only why but how could one woman about to give birth, another with hands so twisted she could not assist in the birth, and a frightened husband slay the sole person who protected them from theft and other forms of persecution? So we must ask: who would profit by casting suspicion upon them, an accusation least likely to be questioned as evidenced by the village riot?”
“We have also not resolved the question of why the silver cross was found by Brother Gwydo’s body. With great zeal, Adelard joined the rioters,” Thomas said. “He might have killed Kenelm because the man protected the very people the youth believed were infidels. Since he thought our lay brother had sinned, he may have strangled him as well, and yet…”
“You believe him to have changed. When you spoke of Pope Gregory’s letter, you said his certainty in the right to kill Jews was shaken.” Ralf shrugged to suggest he found this explanation a thin one.
“He was attacked himself,” Thomas added. “That is a stronger argument against his guilt.”
“You are both reasonable men.” Eleanor smiled, although the knuckles of her folded hands were white from gripping them together. “Might we conclude, for good cause, that Master Jacob is innocent of killing Kenelm and Brother Gwydo as well as the attack on Adelard?”
“To do any of those things would have put his family in danger, and he is not a fool,” Ralf said.
Thomas nodded.
“Adelard may have had reason to kill Kenelm or even Brother Gwydo.” The prioress looked at Brother Thomas.
“But he could not have attacked himself. I think he would have confessed murder to me, my lady. He is deeply troubled by fear of having offended God in light of what both Pope Gregory and St. Bernard have said. He also worries that his father has led him into sin by insisting he help with the thefts. Had he committed murder, his current state of mind would have driven him to cleanse his soul even at the cost of the hangman’s noose.”
“I do not share your belief that he would care more for his soul than his neck, but you have spoken to him. I have not.” Ralf gnawed his finger.
“He has begged admission to the priory, Crowner,” Eleanor said softly.
“You have never allowed a known murderer to take vows, my lady!”
“Nor would I now, but I mention it to suggest that some men do care more for their souls than their necks. Considering his prior interest in a monastic life, this one might.”
He bowed with deference.
Eleanor acknowledged the gesture with grace but also knew that he had not changed his opinion. “Let me suggest another path to follow for a moment,” she said. “Is Oseberne, the baker, our killer?”
“He stole from the Jews,” Thomas said.
“So his son claims and further states that his father required him to spy on the travelers to determine what wealth they carried,” the crowner replied. “Is the son’s word trustworthy?”
“I believe it is,” Thomas said. He had no proof, but Adelard could have accused his father of both stealing and murder earlier if he wanted to save himself. Instead, he had refused to talk to the crowner without first seeking a priest’s advice. The youth’s torment over his filial duty was convincing, and the only crime he said his father had committed was robbery.
“Is there a connection between the thefts and Kenelm’s murder?” Eleanor gestured to the monk. “Can you see an argument in favor of that premise?”
“Kenelm was hired to protect the families after they suffered from thievery. He could have caught the baker stealing. Since the guard was reputed to love coin above honor, perhaps he demanded payment to remain silent.” Thomas looked up at the ceiling.
Eleanor thought for a moment. “If he killed Kenelm, surely he was the one who pushed the body into our mill pond. He is a strong enough man to have done both. But why? He is a man of faith.”
“To suggest that the Jewish family did it to poison our water, thus draping his crime in the robes of common myth. Kenelm was not liked here. Master Jacob and his family are hated for their faith. No one wanted a village man to be condemned.” Thomas’ face colored with anger. “Men are so easily turned away from displeasing truths by more satisfying lies.”
“And Brother Gwydo might have been killed because he saw the baker kill the guard?” Ralf did not sound satisfied with the idea.