Kate and I had wordlessly watched the flames consume Galen House. What was there to say? When the sun lighted the scene she finally spoke: “Will you now continue your search for a murderer?”
I did not answer straight away. This question was in my mind since the hour I realized our home was ablaze. Was there a man in Bampton or the Weald who did not know we had abandoned our home and resorted to the castle for safety? Many had seen the cart transfer our goods to the castle, and I made clear to many why we had changed our abode. Was town gossip so weak that some, after near a week had passed, did not yet know of it?
This was not creditable. If the murderer wished to burn Galen House even if I no longer resided there, he must desire some vengeance beyond preventing his discovery. Destroying my empty house would not destroy me or cause a halt in my search for a felon.
Perhaps the man who set fire to Galen House was not of Bampton, so could not know I had changed my dwelling-place. Did Geoffrey Homersly do this thing? I could think of no other who might wish harm to both Thomas atte Bridge and me, and who might be from some distant place where my move from Galen House was not known.
“I must,” I finally replied to Kate. “Else we may never rebuild this house. As soon as we do the felon will burn it again.”
“Even if we reside in the castle?”
“Even so. Unless Thomas atte Bridge’s murderer is from some far place he will know Galen House was empty this night. Setting it ablaze could do me no injury, yet he burned it.”
“You believe this is so?” she asked. I saw tears once again leak from the corners of her eyes.
“Nay. I think our home was burned by some man who thought we slept this night under its roof.”
Kate turned to inspect the charred beams and ashes which were once a home and shuddered.
I required of Kate that she return to the castle. This she was loath to do while I remained on Church View Street, but I convinced her that she could do little but stir the ashes. Her most important work this day and for many months to come was to give life to our babe. I would search the rubble, when it cooled, for anything of value we might have left behind when we removed to the castle, or for any clue which might identify who had done this thing. While I stood before what had been our door Hubert Shillside approached.
“’Tis well you had foresight to abandon the place,” he observed.
“Aye. But I thought to save my house by leaving it. A man could not murder me by burning my vacant house.”
“Should’a kept watch a few days longer,” Arthur muttered, joining the conversation. “But who would’ve thought the knave would seek to burn an empty house?”
“Who wishes revenge upon you, Hugh?” Shillside asked.
“A bailiff makes few friends,” I replied, “but I can think of none I have injured so much this would be their response.”
“But it must be so. Else why burn the place if you were not meant to die in the flames?”
“Perhaps I was.”
“You think the felon unaware you were abed in the castle?”
“Aye.”
“Well, whoso the villain may be, he might have destroyed half the town seeking harm to you. Do you discover who has done this, it will go hard for him when he is brought before hallmote.”
Arthur had wandered away while we spoke. He found an unburnt rafter, pulled from the roof when it was hoped the blaze might be checked. With this he began to probe the cooling ashes of Galen House for bits of iron, nails, hinges, and anything of worth which the fire might not have consumed. Shillside and I joined him, poking about the edges of the blackened beams which once supported a fine house. It was yet too hot to enter the center of the pile. How little effort it takes for one man to destroy the hopes of another.
Six grooms joined us in sifting the ashes. I did not wish to spend the day waiting for the pile to cool, so set four to work with buckets, hauling water from the well to toss upon the embers. Each bucket produced an upwelling of smoke, ash, and steam, but after an hour of this work the results of each new bucket of water became less dramatic as the remains became soaked.
Near mid-day I led the grooms to the castle for our dinner. We reeked of smoke, but as it was my intention to return and finish the work of picking through the ashes after the meal I did not demand the men change their apparel. Washing of sooty hands and faces must serve.
Nothing of value remained of what had been Galen House but for scraps of iron and the new chimney. The bricks were well made and the mortar strong and neither suffered great harm from the heat. My face, hands, chauces, and cotehardie were black with ashes and soot when I gave up the search and returned to the castle with Arthur and the others. All were black as me, for none stinted in the work. I was some relieved that nothing was found in the ruins, for that meant that Kate and I had been thorough in removing our possessions. Unless we had overlooked some burnable object, in which circumstance, who would know?
After a light supper I sent to the castle kitchen for a dozen buckets of hot water. I filled my barrel with these and soaked away the soot and stench. Even so, my clothes were so saturated with the odor of burnt wood that our chamber reeked. We could not clear the room of the smell until my clothing was gone. Kate bundled the lot while I soaked, and took the sack to the scullery for washing next day.
I resolved next morn to travel to Oxford and seek Geoffrey Homersly. I would first learn where he stabled his horse, and discover if the beast’s stall had been vacant the night Galen House burned. I found Arthur and told him what I intended, and that he and Uctred would once again accompany me, then sent word to the marshalsea to prepare our mounts after dinner. I told Kate that my intention was to return the next day, or in two days at the latest. She, meanwhile, I asked to remain within the safety of the castle. Kate would be curious about what remained of Galen House.
Perhaps the cook realized that my mood was sour and so attempted to improve my disposition with a meal. For dinner that day he prepared mussels in broth, parsley bread and roasted pork. I was not much hungry when I sat in the hall to begin my meal, but the pleasant fragrance as the dishes were placed before me soon set my stomach to growling. I had eaten nothing that day to break my fast.
Arthur, Uctred, and I went straight from the hall to the marshalsea, where our beasts were ready for travel. Kate blew a kiss as I rode Bruce under the portcullis. I hoped she would heed my direction to remain within the castle precincts. Perhaps Geoffrey Homersly, or whoso sought my life, might yet lurk in some hidden place about Bampton. If the man would burn my home to injure me, he might also strike at my wife. I nearly drew Bruce to a halt at the thought. As it happened I need not have troubled myself with worry. Not with that worry, anyway. Other worries would soon prove trouble enough.
From Aston we traveled the north road through Yelford and Hardwick. We neared Sutton when I saw a figure approaching upon the road. The man strode furiously, his head down, as if he mistrusted the way and thought to keep it under close observation lest he stumble.
I gave the man little more thought until we were nearly upon him. He had heard the fall of horses’ hooves and the squeak of our saddles and so moved to the verge to make room for us to pass. Horses usually mean knights, and such folk dislike moving aside to make way for the commons. Their dislike is often translated to action, which the common man who does not step from the path will rue.
I was nearly upon the traveler when he looked up, to see, I suppose, was he far enough aside to clear the way. I thus looked into the face of my father-in-law, Robert Caxton. I yanked upon the reins to halt Bruce, and Caxton was so startled at my appearance that he stumbled and nearly fell headlong. I soon discovered why this was so.