‘Why?’ demanded Ralph.
‘Because it might not be such a coincidence.’
‘What else can it be?’
‘A warning.’
‘To whom?’
‘To the lord Roger and to us.’
Ralph frowned. ‘How do you reach that conclusion, Gervase?’
‘It’s not a conclusion,’ replied the other. ‘It’s just a possibility that we have to consider. On the very day that we ride into Norwich, a dead body is found in the shadow of the castle. It’s no anonymous corpse left there at random. The murder victim is Hermer the Steward.’
‘So?’
‘You’ve not read the returns for the Taverham hundred as closely as I have, Ralph. Hermer was not only going to support Richard de Fontenel when he appeared before us in the shire hall. He was actually claiming land in his own right, one of the outliers at the heart of the dispute. It was a gift from his master for services rendered.’
‘And the lord Mauger contests that?’
‘Not against the steward any longer,’ said Gervase, sadly. ‘The only place where Hermer will be able to state his claim is before his Maker. I trust that God will be more merciful than the murderer.’
‘And more merciful than I’ll be when I run that killer to ground,’ vowed Bigot. ‘This was a brutal murder and it must be answered. But go on with what you’re saying, Master Bret,’ he continued as they strolled in through the castle gate. ‘You spy a link between this crime and your presence in the city?’
‘A potential link, my lord sheriff.’
‘I have my doubts,’ said Ralph.
‘Suspend them until we learn the truth,’ advised Gervase. ‘It may be that my guess is wide of the mark. What does seem clear is that the murder of the steward and the theft of the gold elephants are somehow connected.’
‘I’d already decided that,’ said Bigot.
Ralph nodded solemnly. ‘So had I. Hermer was probably killed by someone who wanted the keys to the room where the gold elephants were kept. What puzzles me is this. The lord Richard’s manor is several miles away. Why bring his steward all the way here in order to stab him to death?’
‘That’s not what happened, Ralph,’ said Gervase.
‘No?’
‘Hermer was killed elsewhere then brought here. Under cover of darkness, most likely. You didn’t see the man’s back. His tunic was badly torn as if he’d been dragged along the ground and there were wounds in his scalp and neck. I think that his feet were tied together so that he could be pulled along behind a horse.’
‘Who could do such a thing to another human being?’
‘We’ve both seen worse on a battlefield, my lord,’ said Bigot.
‘That’s different,’ said Ralph. ‘We’re not on a battlefield now.’
‘Yes, we are,’ said Gervase as they came to a halt in the bailey. ‘We’re royal commissioners who’re caught in the middle of a battle over land. Instead of fighting with deeds and other legal documents, someone is resorting to more effective methods.’
‘That can only mean the lord Mauger,’ reasoned Bigot.
‘Is he capable of such an act?’ said Ralph.
‘Capable of ordering it, if not committing it.’
‘Then he’s the villain you must arrest.’
‘Not so fast, my lord,’ said the sheriff. ‘I prefer to gather evidence before I make an arrest. Mauger is the first person I’ll question but I’ll do so cautiously. He’s as slippery as an eel. Be warned. You’ll have to deal with him yourself.’ He ran a meditative hand across his jaw. ‘The crimes may seem to have Mauger’s signature on them but that could be an illusion. He and the Lord Richard are at each other’s throats. Mauger will rejoice in anything that upsets his rival but that isn’t evidence enough to convict him.’
‘You think that he may be innocent?’
‘It’s not inconceivable.’
‘But he’s the person who stands most to gain.’
‘Perhaps,’ said Gervase, thoughtfully, ‘but the lord Mauger is also the person who stands least to gain. Here we are, only a short time after we’ve examined a murder victim and we’re already naming him as the chief suspect. He’s too obvious. What if someone is setting out to incriminate the lord Mauger?’
‘Who?’
‘Someone who wants to stir up bad blood between him and the lord Richard.’
‘That’s easily done,’ said Bigot.
‘What advantage would they gain, Gervase?’ asked Ralph.
‘I don’t know,’ confessed the other.
‘Then they’d have no motive. The lord Mauger does.’
‘Motive and means,’ agreed the sheriff, ‘but I was struck by the words that Master Bret just used. He said it was “too obvious”. That’s my feeling. Mauger is cunning and devious. He works in the shadows. Why should he leave a dead body on my doorstep when he knows that it’ll bring me down on his neck?’
They continued to review the situation and speculate on the possible identity of the murderer. Roger Bigot did not try to exclude them from the investigation in any way. Sensing their ability to give practical help, he took pains to invite their comments. Ralph and Gervase were duly touched. It was not the first time that their arrival in a town had been greeted by a violent death, but they usually had to track down the killer against the express wishes of the sheriff. Bigot was less possessive. He would cooperate with anyone who could lend valuable assistance to him in a murder inquiry.
It was only when the body was carried past them that they broke off. Placed on a litter and covered with some rough cloth, Hermer the Steward was taken off towards the chapel. The sheriff was reminded of a priority.
‘The lord Richard must be informed at once,’ he said.
‘Will you go in person?’ asked Ralph.
‘No, this is a task for Olivier.’
‘Olivier?’
‘Yes, my lord. Olivier Romain is my deputy. He won’t relish this particular duty but it has to be discharged. The lord Richard has the right to know of his steward’s fate.’
‘How will he react?’
‘Violently.’
Richard de Fontenel was at first stupefied by the news. He took an involuntary step backwards as he absorbed the shock and took in the implications. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse with anger.
‘Dead?’ he cried. ‘You’re telling me that Hermer is dead?’
‘I fear so, my lord.’
‘Where was he found?’
‘In a deserted house close to the castle.’
‘What on earth was he doing there?’
‘We’ve no idea.’
‘Who found the body?’
‘Brother Daniel, a scribe who travels with the commissioners.’
‘Why should a monk go poking around in an empty house?’
‘I don’t know, my lord,’ said Olivier Romain, ‘but we should be grateful that he did. The corpse might have lain there unseen for even longer. We believe that your steward’s been dead for a couple of days.’
‘What state was he in?’
‘That’s immaterial.’
‘Tell me, Olivier!’ demanded the other, lurching towards him. ‘God’s tits, man! My steward has been murdered. I want to know what condition he was in when he was found. Tell me the truth.’
‘I wasn’t there when the lord sheriff went to investigate.’
‘But he must have told you what he saw.’
Romain nodded sadly. ‘The killer left nothing to chance.’
‘In other words, Hermer was butchered.’
‘That’s what I heard.’
They were standing in the hall of the manor house, a long room with an oaken floor. A table stood at the far end. Swinging on his heel, de Fontenel marched the full length of the room as he tried to subdue the rage that was building inside him. His efforts were in vain. With a loud bellow, he used an arm to dislodge everything that stood on the table, sending goblets and platters clattering to the floor. He turned to face his visitor.
‘Were my gold elephants found on him?’ he asked.
‘No, my lord.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘There was nothing of value on his person. Or so I’m told.’
‘Then where are those miniatures?’
‘The lord sheriff is more interested in finding the murderer first,’ said Romain. ‘In solving that crime, he believes, we will also solve the other.’