Tanchelm feigned surprise. “Did I do so?”
“More than once. My knowledge of Saxon is fragmentary but I did recognise that name. You used it four times, yet it was not included in your translation.”
“That is because it was not germane to the dispute in hand,” explained Tanchelm. “When I mentioned Olaf Evil Child, I did so out of idle curiosity. The man is a fascinating blend of outlaw and benefactor.
What other robber would steal our sumpter-horses and then return part of their cargo to us? He interests me.”
“What did the witness say of him?”
“He had to guard his words for fear of giving offence. Everyone in York knows that we were set on by Olaf and his band. The witness could hardly praise an outlaw in front of his victims.”
“Did you sense a hidden approval of the rogue?”
“It was more of a reverence, Canon Hubert. The man to whom we have just restored four carucates of land was unfairly deprived of them.
Olaf Evil Child, he told me, was likewise dispossessed when his land was annexed. While most people tried to regain their property by legal process, Olaf had the courage to take up arms and fight back. That has made him something of a hero.”
“Only to ignorant fools. Crime is never heroic.”
“I would agree with you there.”
“Olaf is a coward and a thief.”
“He could be defended against the charge of cowardice but he is certainly guilty of theft. But then,” said Tanchelm, indicating the papers before him, “so, it seems, are a number of outwardly respectable mag-nates. Who is the more reprehensible thief, Canon Hubert? A man who steals five horses or one who seizes upon five hundred acres of someone else’s land?”
Gervase Bret pored for a long time over the documents relating to the property of Nigel Arbarbonel. A clear pattern emerged. By a series of annexations, the Norman lord had slowly connected his scattered holdings into a solid unit. Militarily, it might have some purpose but it must also have left much hardship in its wake as tenants found themselves paying increased rent for land they had once owned. Yet everything seemed to have been done legally and to the satisfaction of the first commissioners, who had effectively ratified his multiple acquisi-tions. It was only over the transfer of Thorbrand’s holdings that a question still hovered.
A tap on the door went unheard. It was only when a louder rap was delivered that Gervase raised his head.
“Come in!” he called.
Inga let herself into the room. He sat up with a jolt, surprised at how pleased he was to see her again. It was a few moments before he even noticed that she was not alone. Brunn the Priest had followed her in.
Gervase felt a resentment at his presence but he could see why it was necessary. With the priest beside her, Inga was absolved of all charges of trying to exert undue influence on a royal commissioner.
Gervase stood up and walked across to them. Inga was watchful but Brunn volunteered a weary smile. The priest spoke in Saxon.
“We have not come to importune you,” he said.
“I appreciate that.”
“Something of a personal nature is vexing Inga.”
Gervase looked into her face and saw the anguish. She was deeply troubled. Turning for help to someone whom she regarded as a natural enemy was an added source of pain. In her eyes, Gervase was a figure of authority from whom she could expect no sympathy, yet he might hold information that was crucial to her peace of mind.
“When we spoke earlier,” she said, “I mentioned a friend.”
Gervase nodded. “His name was Toki.”
“You behaved strangely when I talked of him.”
“Did I?”
“Toki is not only an important figure in this dispute, he is very dear to me.”
“That became obvious. He was a fortunate man.”
“Was?”
One word gave a glimpse of the truth. Gervase braced himself to impart the bad news. Inga tensed and Brunn reached out a hand to support her. They feared the worst. Gervase ran his tongue across his lips before speaking.
“You came back because you had the feeling that I might know what had happened to your friend.”
“Yes,” she said. “There was something about the way you looked at me when I described Toki to you. Have you seen him?”
“I think so.”
“When? Where?”
“It might be wiser if you sat down,” he advised.
“Tell me!” she demanded. “I must know the truth.”
“I am not certain that I know it myself, Inga. For your sake, I hope that I am mistaken. But I fear that I may have met Toki. Your description tallied with … what I saw.”
“Go on.”
“I believe that your friend may be dead.”
Inga reeled and Brunn had to steady her. When she recovered, she gave a faint nod to show that she wanted the details. Gervase felt uneasy at having to pass on such dreadful tidings but they could not be kept from her.
“Earlier this week,” he said, “someone climbed into the castle belonging to Aubrey Maminot. The soldiers on duty that night were lax but the intruder could not evade the other guards who lay in wait.”
“Other guards?” she whispered.
“My lord, Aubrey keeps two lions at the castle.”
Inga was rocked. As the full horror was borne in upon her, she emitted a cry of despair and began to sway to and fro. To lose her beloved was tragedy enough. The thought that he had been savagely torn to pieces was unendurable.
“No!” she howled, flinging herself at Gervase and trying to beat him with her fists. “It’s not true, it’s not true!”
Her rage was short-lived and she collapsed into his arms. With Brunn’s help, Gervase carried her to the bench and sat her down. It was minutes before she recovered enough to realise where she was.
When she saw that Gervase was supporting her, she pushed him away with contempt. There was a note of profound betrayal in her voice.
“You knew, ” she accused him. “You knew all the time.”
“I did not, Inga. I swear it.”
“You led me on to describe Toki so that you could be sure that it was him.”
“No,” said Gervase. “On the night when he climbed into the castle, we were many miles away from here. Nobody in York had any idea who the intruder was. How could a stranger like myself guess his identity?” He knelt beside her. “It was only when you talked about the disappearance of Toki that I began to wonder if he might be the unfortunate victim.”
“Master Bret speaks honestly,” decided Brunn. “Do not blame him.
This was none of his doing.”
“He is involved now,” she said angrily, “and he will use this against us to bring us down.”
“Why should I do that?” asked Gervase.
“Because you are a friend of my lord Aubrey. When you tell him that it was Toki who broke into his castle, he will come searching for us to exact punishment.”
“Full punishment has already been exacted by Romulus and Remus,”
said Gervase ruefully. “Besides, I do not intend to reveal Toki’s identity to anyone as yet, so there is no question of retaliation against you.
I will do everything in my power to save you from being pursued.”
“Will you?” she said in wonderment.
“I give you my word.”
“Why should you protect us?”
“Because I choose to, Inga. I am involved in another way here. I saw Toki’s remains laid out in the morgue. No man should go to his grave in such a hideous condition without someone to grieve at his passing.”
“Toki will have grief enough now,” she murmured.
“Why did he climb into the castle that night?”
“I do not know.”
“What could he possibly be after?”
“I cannot tell you,” she said with a hopeless shrug. “Toki and I were very close but there were things that he did not even tell me. Now I see why.”
Gervase did not press her further. Inga patently had no notion of the motives that had led a man to risk his life by scaling a castle wall in York. She was still trying to cope with the enormity of his loss. Toki had not just been beloved. He was instrumental in gathering the evidence with which to confute Nigel Arbarbonel. Without that, Inga and her mother would have little chance.