Dolwyn licked his lips, and brought out from within his shirt a small purse. He untied the thongs that bound it, and passed Baldwin the parchment within.
Baldwin read it with shock. ‘The Bardis?’
‘Sir, they think that note has been destroyed, but I have guarded it with my life. Now, perhaps, it can help to save me.’
CHAPTER FORTY
Monday after Easter
Berkeley Castle
It had been impossible, in the midst of the Easter feasting, for Baldwin to find a private moment with Sir Edward of Caernarfon. During the early morning, Sir Edward had been permitted to attend chapel with all the household of the castle, and afterwards he had been allowed a place at the table in the hall with Lord Berkeley. Not that he was engaged in conversation, as Baldwin saw. He was kept there as a sop to his past position as King, rather than from a desire to honour him. Nor did he eat much; for the most part, he picked at his food, seldom raising his eyes from his plate.
Today, as early as he could, Baldwin walked to Sir Edward’s chamber in the castle. In his purse he held the parchment which Dolwyn had passed to him, and so, as soon as they were alone, he handed it to the former King, saying, ‘Do you recognise this, sire?’
Sir Edward paled. ‘Where did you find it?’
‘A man in the dungeon,’ Baldwin said, and explained about Dolwyn languishing in the gaol.
‘Dear heaven! You must have him released immediately, Sir Baldwin. That man should be attempting my freedom.’
‘He is held guilty of murder. The Lord Berkeley will want him kept here until the coroner can come and witness his execution. If he had his way, Dolwyn would be dead already. It is only Sir Richard’s strong sense of demarcation that has prevented its happening.’
‘Can we not arrange for his pardon?’
Baldwin said nothing. Sir Edward was unable to provide pardons now.
He realised his impotence even as he looked at Baldwin for support. ‘Good Sir Baldwin, if that man speaks out, he could save his life by threatening mine. My gaolers would be happy to free him, if he were to speak of an attempt to save me. You must have him freed, Sir Baldwin — please! There must be some way in which the fellow can be brought from his cell.’
‘Any influence I have would compromise you,’ Baldwin said heavily. ‘If I demand his release, men will immediately question why.’
‘Speak with the coroner, Sir Richard, and ask whether there is some pretext on which he can be allowed out. I beg you, Sir Baldwin. Try to have him released.’
Tuesday after Easter
Berkeley Castle
The castle was hideous to her. Agatha was staying in the vill nearby, where she and Father Luke relied upon alms from the church to eat and live, but apart from that, she spent her time at the castle.
It was some relief to know that their horse was being well looked after. She went to check on him regularly, always suspicious that one day she would find him gone, but so far there had been no cause for concern.
Today Father Luke was already at the court when she arrived, and she nodded to him as she peered over into the stables.
They were less crowded now, as the majority of the beasts had been passed out to the various farms in the area, and her own was still standing and munching happily on his hay. At least they had not lost him, she told herself. That would have been a terrible price to pay.
She could kick Ham for getting them all into this mess.
‘Agatha, I don’t know how much longer I can stay here,’ Father Luke was saying.
‘You won’t leave me?’ she said, panicked at the thought of being left here all alone.
‘Mistress, I have duties with the souls in Willersey.’ The priest was looking drawn and haggard.
‘Are you all right?’
‘I did not sleep well last night,’ he admitted. He shook his head apologetically. ‘It could be weeks before they hold a court to listen to Dolwyn’s case, and I have the vill at home in Willersey to serve. The man I asked to take my place while I was absent will be wondering what has happened to me.’
‘Why can’t they do it sooner?’ she fretted.
‘There is so much else for them to think of,’ Father Luke said. ‘And I don’t know that the Lord Berkeley wants to have it handled quickly. I expect he hopes to keep the money.’ There was a bitter note in his voice. How foolish, to think he could rescue it for the vill. The money was tainted, but he could have put it to good use in Willersey, rather than leave it here.
‘If you go, there will be no one to speak for it and to claim it,’ Agatha pointed out.
‘If he wants, he can keep us here waiting for a year,’ the priest said bleakly. He looked about the court like a man seeing it for the first time. ‘What a horrible place. Nothing is what it seems here. It is full of savagery — greed and violence. Agatha, you should come home with me — home to Jen. She will be missing her mother.’
‘I cannot,’ Agatha said. ‘How will we live without that money?’ She was about to plead with him that he should remain at least one more week when she was cut short by the sound of hooves.
A man cantered in through the gates. ‘My Lord Berkeley — urgent message for Lord Berkeley,’ he panted as he threw himself from his horse.
The shouts and rattling of hooves in the court drew Baldwin to his feet. Wolf lay by the door, and opened an eye.
On hearing the noise, Sir Edward looked over at the window, remarking peevishly, ‘There is to be never any peace in this place. What is it now?’
Baldwin was in Sir Edward’s chamber, carrying out his increasingly irksome protective duty. While Sir Edward sat quietly and read his books, occasionally staring out through his window, fingers tapping on the desk before him and sighing fretfully, Baldwin was forced to remain quiet and attentive. It was not a task to which he was suited.
‘Please be seated, Sir Baldwin,’ Sir Edward said irritably. ‘You distract me. Can you not see that I am reading?’
‘My apologies, my lord,’ Baldwin said, striding to the doorway and peering out. Here, there were always two guards on duty, and beyond them, a small guardroom. There was movement in there, and he soon saw three men coming out, all gripping weapons. They ran along the corridor, and then out to the main court. But from this chamber there was no means by which Baldwin could see or hear what was happening.
Edgar was not permitted to join him in here during his enforced incarceration with the prisoner, because apparently Lord Berkeley did not trust Baldwin’s servant any more than he trusted Baldwin himself. Instead, Baldwin had told Edgar to remain in the court and listen and watch for danger.
There was no need. Soon after the urgent hoofbeats came hurrying in, there came the tramp of booted feet, and bellowed orders. Baldwin stood back from the door and felt for his sword as Wolf stiffened. He knew where those feet were coming: here, to Sir Edward’s room.
The sound had stirred Simon, who had been dozing in the court while Sir Richard de Welles waxed lyrical about the pleasures of such a fine castle.
All had enjoyed the fruits of the additional money supplied for Sir Edward’s confinement, but few had done so well as Sir Richard. He had the roseate glow of a well-fed fellow, for his little maid was as infatuated with her rotund knight as any maiden with a noble squire.
‘I don’t know how he does it,’ Hugh grumbled more than once, much to Simon’s amusement.
It was ridiculous that such a heavy, hoary old man should have won the heart of such an attractive little wench, but that he had was not in doubt. Whenever she came into the yard, she would look for him, and when she saw him, her face would light up like a child’s seeing her father. Perhaps that was it, Simon reflected. It was just that she saw something of her own father in Sir Richard. Not that any father would behave with his daughter in such a manner, he added to himself censoriously.