‘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.