‘In short,’ I said, just so that there could be no misunderstanding, ‘you think that these apparent robbers were really hired assassins?’
Oswald Godslove hesitated for a second, then, reluctantly, nodded.
‘Well, thank the sweet Lord you’ve confessed as much at last,’ breathed Clemency. ‘You see, Roger, we need you,’ she added, turning to me. ‘Already you’ve persuaded my brother to declare openly that he agrees with us, which, up until now, he has refused to do.’
‘Nonsense!’ Oswald retorted, nettled. ‘I’ve always said that there was something odd about Martin’s death. But that doesn’t mean I believe it’s connected to the other mishaps that have befallen us.’
Clemency and Celia threw up their hands in disgust. ‘Of course they are connected,’ the former declared almost angrily. ‘We have never discovered who it was who left that basket of mushrooms outside the kitchen door a year ago.’
I had temporarily forgotten the death of Charity Godslove. An unsolicited gift from an unknown person did sound suspicious, I had to admit.
‘Did you all eat the mushrooms?’ I asked.
‘All except Oswald,’ Celia answered, smiling faintly at her half-brother on the opposite side of the table.
That made sense. Picking, selling, buying and eating mushrooms was legally forbidden, although it was a law that many people ignored and whose flouting the authorities were inclined to wink at. But it was for this very reason — that the average man or woman was unable to tell the difference between a poisonous and a benign mushroom — that the ban had first been imposed. It was all too easy to make a murder look like an accident where mushrooms were concerned.
‘So,’ I said, ‘if, as seems most probable, a highly poisonous variety of mushroom had been concealed amongst the others, any one of you, including Master Godslove, here, could have been the intended victim. In other words, there was no particular target, just whoever was unfortunate enough to eat it.’
Celia shivered suddenly. ‘Yes,’ she agreed with a nod. ‘That’s what makes us think that someone has a grudge against the whole family.’
‘And also someone who is extraordinarily callous,’ Clemency put in. ‘Someone who doesn’t care who gets harmed as long as he achieves his ends. The victim in that particular instance could just as well have been Arbella or one of the kitchen maids.’
‘Why do you assume this unknown enemy is a man? It could as easily be a woman,’ I pointed out. ‘Poison, they say, is a woman’s weapon. And a woman is as capable of hiring assassins to do her work for her as a man. In fact she would be more likely to do so.’
‘And Sybilla’s “accident”?’ the housekeeper asked, speaking for the first time since the discussion began.
I shrugged. ‘Again, money may have changed hands. One of the workmen repairing the city wall could have been bribed. I imagine you are all in and out of the Bishop’s Gate fairly frequently. There would be no difficulty in recognizing any one of you, I should think.’
There was a sudden silence around the table, broken only by the subdued muttering and giggling of Elizabeth and Nicholas, totally oblivious to the rest of the world and its problems now that they were together again. Adam sat round-eyed and quiet, listening to everything that was said.
‘Well, we know at least two things about this would-be murderer,’ I suggested finally, when the silence became too uncomfortable to maintain any longer.
‘And what are those?’ Celia asked eagerly.
‘That he or she has enormous patience. It’s two years or more since Reynold Makepeace was killed. Nearly as long since your illness.’ I nodded towards Clemency. ‘Another year since your sister, Charity, died and six months since your half-brother was murdered. Also, he or she is persistent. Out of five attempts, two have failed, but that hasn’t stopped further attacks nor, I imagine, will it. As far as our unknown killer is concerned, there is no urgency. Indeed, I suspect that the slow unravelling of events is a part of the enjoyment.’
‘Are you saying that Sybilla and I can expect further attempts on our lives?’ Clemency asked unsteadily
‘I’m afraid so,’ I answered. ‘You are all in danger.’
SIX
There was an uncomfortable silence before Oswald gave an uncertain laugh. ‘You paint a bleak picture, Master Chapman,’ he said. ‘I’m not sure that I believe it.’
I smiled. ‘I’m not sure that I believe it, myself,’ I admitted.
‘Well, I believe it,’ Celia declared roundly. ‘I think Roger is in the right of it.’ She dimpled slightly as she called me by my Christian name, but sobered again almost immediately. ‘Three of our number are dead, two have nearly died. The only question in my mind is who is doing this dreadful thing, and why.’
‘That’s two questions,’ her half-brother pointed out pedantically, and I was surprised to note that this was no jocular correction, but seriously meant. I was reminded that Oswald was a lawyer and used to standing on points of order, but I guessed that, in any case, he was a man who valued precision. He went on, ‘But as you so rightly say, my dear Celia, who would instigate such a vendetta against our family, and for what reason?’
‘I should think the answer is obvious,’ Clemency put in. ‘It’s someone who has a grudge against Oswald because of one of his cases. We’ve said this before and I see no good reason to alter our opinion. And I should imagine that that is where anyone investigating on our behalf would start.’ Here, she looked directly at me. ‘Are we to understand, Roger, that you are willing to remain at the Arbour for the time being and help us with these enquiries?’
‘Of course he is!’ my wife interposed swiftly, at the same time kicking me smartly on the ankle.
‘Let your husband answer for himself, Adela,’ Clemency reproved her sternly. ‘If he is at all reluctant, if his heart is not in it, then it would be far better if he took you and the children home tomorrow and left us to our fate.’
All eyes were turned in my direction including the children’s, although they could have had no real idea of what was going on. But that didn’t prevent their gaze being as reproachful as their mother’s. As usual, my nearest and dearest were expecting the worst of me.
And I don’t say they were wrong in that respect: every instinct urged me to get out of London while the going was good. But the relationship of Reynold Makepeace to the Godsloves, and the possibility that his death had not been accident, but murder, made a difference. Reynold had been a friend. If I could bring the villain who had arranged for him to be killed to book, then it was my duty to do so.
‘Adela is right,’ I said, smiling at Clemency. ‘Of course I’ll stay for a while and do what I can to help.’
I did not add that there would be a self-imposed time limit on this offer of assistance. Indeed, I doubted if that would be necessary. The constant presence of three vigorous children would eventually take its toll on a normally childless household; and whereas Nicholas had probably been on his best behaviour until now, Elizabeth’s presence would inevitably alter that. Apart, they might be quiet and docile; together, they could put a cavalry charge to shame.
At my words, there were smiles from the women and even Oswald was unable to hide a satisfied twitch of the lips.
‘Good,’ said Clemency. ‘So let’s talk about something else for a while. Oswald, what’s the news in the city this morning? Is there any word yet as to when the duke will arrive?’
Her brother shook his head. ‘But there is a very strong rumour,’ he hastened on, forestalling his womenfolk’s groans of disappointment, ‘that the king and Earl Rivers will leave Ludlow tomorrow and rendezvous with His Grace of Gloucester some time next week, at Northampton.’