They make up for the deficiencies in our other colleague.’
‘I have been trying to forget Philippe Trouville!’
‘He was yelling all night from his dungeon.’
‘He will yell even more when the sheriff returns and puts him on trial for murder. The lord Philippe confessed he lost his temper with Grimketel and beat the fellow to death. His wife is lucky that he never showed that kind of violence to her.’
‘What will happen to the lady Marguerite?’
‘When she has got over the shock of losing a husband, I think she will realise what a blessing it really is. My guess is that she will find Heloise, then go back to Normandy with her.’
‘Neither of them was very happy in England.’
‘With good reason. His name was Philippe Trouville.’
Milder weather brought more citizens out into the streets and encouraged more visitors from the outlying area. Warwick had something akin to its usual noise and bustle. Gervase looked around with approval.
‘This is a goodly town.’
‘Make the most of it while we are here, Gervase.’
‘Why?’
‘I do not think we will be invited back.’
‘No, Ralph. We have already outstayed our welcome as far as the lord Henry is concerned. We caused him a lot of trouble.’
Ralph grinned. ‘I like to make my presence felt.’
‘He will never forgive us for trying to help Boio,’ said Gervase.
‘I think he still believes that we arranged for the blacksmith to slip out of the abbey and flee the county.’
‘Yes, Gervase. And in one sense, he is right.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘You were the one who brought Thorkell into action.’
‘He was the only person who could have found a new life for his blacksmith. Boio could never have stayed in Warwickshire.’
‘The lord Henry had too many scores to settle with him.’
‘It was ironic really,’ observed Gervase.
‘What was?’
‘Boio was arrested on false evidence for something in which he was actually involved. When Grimketel claimed he had seen Boio in the forest that morning he had no idea that the man had been there the previous night, lugging the body of Martin Reynard to that ditch. So Grimketel’s lie did have a grain of truth in it.’
Ralph grew thoughtful. ‘We have to admit it, Gervase,’ he said.
‘Boio fooled us. I believed that he was completely innocent. So did you. So did Benedict.’
‘He was innocent of murder. He fought Martin Reynard in self-defence, and killed him because he was unaware of his own strength.’
‘If what Asmoth told you is true.’
‘It was, Ralph. No question about it. Ask Golde.’
‘I can see why Boio could not confess what really happened.
Who would have believed him? He could hardly accuse the lord Henry of planting the reeve on Thorkell as a spy. And what kind of a witness would Asmoth have been on his behalf?’
‘A poor one.’
‘He did the right thing in pleading his innocence.’
‘Boio only claimed to be innocent of murder,’ noted Gervase.
‘Which he was. That is why he could swear to Benedict that he was not guilty of the crime for which they arrested him. But you are correct, Ralph. He fooled all of us. He is far more astute than we gave him credit for.’
‘The biggest fools are the lord Henry and the Bishop of Lichfield.
They are still seething because Boio got out of the abbey under their very noses. Thanks to Huna. That old man was a wily fellow.’
‘He was the one who recognised Thorkell and sought his help for Boio. If he had not done that, we would never have learned how they managed to smuggle someone as big as Boio out of the abbey.’ Gervase smiled at the memory. ‘Thorkell could hardly stop laughing when he explained it to me afterwards.’
‘The dwarf led him out as if he were a performing bear!’
‘Right past the lord Henry’s guards.’
‘He should have turned a few somersaults for them.’
‘It is the greatest irony of all, Ralph.’
‘What is?’
‘They could not catch Boio,’ said Gervase. ‘Warwickshire is full of cunning foxes and that shambling bear of a blacksmith outwitted the whole lot of them!’