‘Did you think then that romance might be in the air?’
‘It was the last thought to cross my mind. She was twenty-four years old and plain. She had nothing to recommend her to a man like Gideon.’
‘Except her money and the fact that her father was a goldsmith in West Cheap,’ Philip said, unable to resist the temptation to say his piece yet again.
‘Philip! Hold your tongue!’ Jeanne was before me with her admonition. ‘Nevertheless,’ she went on, smiling apologetically at Master Ford, ‘you must admit that there is some truth in what my husband says.’
‘Well. .’ Won over by her charm, the apothecary wavered. ‘Maybe Gideon was a little flattered at being singled out by a woman of standing and fortune. But I’d be willing to swear to his sincerity when he told me that he was extremely fond of her. He said she had a sweet and pious nature, and that in his estimation that was of far greater importance than her lack of physical beauty.’
I could see that Philip was about to make some jibe or other, but Jeanne forestalled him.
‘Indeed, I must confess to feeling precisely the same way when I married my husband,’ she said, causing Philip’s jaw to drop open in astonishment at such an unexpected broadside. But her remark, cruel as it may have been, had the desired effect of ensuring his silence.
I carefully avoided looking at Adela, who was shaking with suppressed laughter, and kept my eyes fixed firmly upon the apothecary, who had obviously seen nothing amusing in Jeanne Lamprey’s remark.
‘Did you remain friendly with Master Bonifant after his marriage?’ I asked.
‘We were always on speaking terms,’ the apothcary answered slowly. ‘If we met one another in the street, we exchanged more than the time of day. Gideon would enquire after my health, and I after his and that of Mistress Bonifant. And in the first year or so succeeding the wedding, he would occasionally visit my shop, rather than the one in Gudrun Lane, if he or his wife needed any medicaments. But, understandably, as the years went by, those visits grew less and less until they ceased altogether. Latterly, I saw nothing of him unless, by chance, we met out of doors.’
‘Why do you say “understandably”?’ I wanted to know.
Master Ford shrugged and once again regarded me as though I were slightly simple.
‘Because,’ he explained slowly and clearly, ‘Gideon became a part of the Babcary household. He was learning the goldsmith’s craft from his father-in-law and had no more interest in the apothecary’s trade. I didn’t blame him. He didn’t wish to be constantly reminded of his lowlier past.’
‘Did it surprise you that he and Isolda had no children?’
‘No, it didn’t!’ Master Ford exploded angrily. ‘I never thought upon the subject. It’s God’s will that many couples remain childless. It was His will that my dear wife and I should have no progeny. Really, Master Chapman, your curiosity gets the better of you and I think, if you and your friends will excuse me, that I shall be going.’ He rose from the bench and made courteous bows to both Adela and to Jeanne. ‘Thank you for a very fine dinner, but now I must be on my way.’
He was gone before I could do anything to stop him. I heard his voice upraised in the passageway as he took his leave of Reynold Makepeace.
‘Well,’ remarked Philip with great satisfaction, ‘you can’t pretend that it was my fault Master Ford went away. That was entirely your doing, Roger! You asked one question too many as you always do. That long nose of yours is still getting you into trouble.’
I nodded in vexation. ‘I should have guessed that he and Mistress Ford were childless when there was no mention of a son or daughter.’
‘You weren’t to know,’ Adela soothed, patting my arm. ‘So! Did your questions yield anything apart from the fact that Master Bonifant had been married before?’
I considered her question. ‘Oh, I think so. I know now that Gideon was a pious, God-fearing man-’
‘Or passed as one,’ Philip sneered, his experience of life before he met and married Jeanne not having made him think very highly of his fellow creatures in general.
‘Or passed as one, as you say,’ I agreed. ‘And he certainly showed very little gratitude to the man who had given him both shelter and employment when he was destitute in London. Master Ford should surely have been treated as a friend after the marriage put Gideon on an equal footing with him.’ I sighed. ‘But apart from his accusation against his wife and her cousin, I know as yet of no other reason why anyone should wish to murder Gideon Bonifant.’
Ten
We spent the rest of the day in the company of the Lampreys, sitting for a while longer, after Master Ford’s departure, over our ale at the Voyager, and then, when the weather improved still further and the afternoon became dry and bright, we went for a walk at Adela’s request.
‘For I shall be nothing but a bladder of wind if I sit here any longer,’ she protested, ‘like one of those footballs that boys kick around in the streets.’ She eyed me with mock severity as she rose to her feet. ‘Here I am, barely three months pregnant, and already this child is causing me more discomfort than Nicholas did in nine. He’s going to take after his father, a restless soul.’
‘As long as he isn’t as nosy,’ Philip said, and I forced myself to laugh, although I could feel my hackles rising. My old friend was becoming a regular source of irritation to me.
We walked the length of Walbrook and down Dowgate Hill to the Baltic Wharf, where the great foreign ships from that northerly region of Europe drop anchor near the Steelyard to unload their cargoes of timber and furs and dried fish. There were plenty of people about, some still dressed in their church-going clothes, ready to be pleased by the unexpected and fragile burst of good weather.
A couple standing near to us on the dockside, and talking loudly enough for the woman’s part in the conversation to be easily overheard, had apparently made the journey to Saint Stephen’s church at Westminster that morning in order to see the little Duke and Duchess of York at Mass. It seemed, however, that the newly-wed children had been the two persons of least interest to the lady, whose discourse was all of fashion and of what had been worn by which dame of consequence, with disparaging remarks falling as thick as leaves in autumn — much to the fascination of my wife and Jeanne Lamprey who had edged closer to the couple in order not to miss a word.
The speaker, although she was at present swathed in the concealing folds of a dark woollen cloak, plainly considered herself enough a woman of the beau monde to pass such strictures, and oozed self-satisfaction. Her companion, whose back was towards me, also seemed happy with her company if his over-zealous attentions were anything to judge by. From where I was standing, I could just make out his companion’s features beneath her hood: a handsome, world-weary face, the thin cheeks too pale even for the January cold, and undoubtedly daubed with the white lead used by the more sophisticated women of our society to conceal the effects of sun and wind on their complexions.
Eventually, Philip and I, weary of contemplating the ships, gestured to our still eavesdropping wives that we should move on and, as they reluctantly obeyed our summons, the couple also decided that they had remained stationary long enough. The man swung round, offering the woman his arm, and I came face to face with Christopher Babcary.
‘Master Chapman!’ He greeted me without enthusiasm, but, at the same time, was obviously gratified to be seen with such a companion. He made no effort to introduce the lady, however, and was beginning to walk away when he paused and turned back. ‘We shall meet again tomorrow then, in West Cheap, unless, that is, you’ve changed your mind.’ Abruptly, he released himself from the woman’s clasp and stepped closer to me, lowering his voice so that only I could hear his words. ‘And wouldn’t it be wiser if you did so? All these questions can do no good: they only stir up trouble for Isolda. She’s had enough to bear since Gideon’s death, with all the hints and whispers and rumours circulating amongst our neighbours.’ He suddenly turned aggressive and added violently, ‘Leave us alone, Chapman, or you may live to regret your interference.’