‘That she was beaten recently — perhaps a month ago. How many times I cannot say. It is possible that all the injuries are from the same attack.’
Ravenser was shaking his head. ‘No man enjoys beating a woman. So the question is what Dame Joanna did to spur a man to such violence.’
Now it was Sir Robert shaking his head at Ravenser. ‘The men of the Free Companies are notorious for raping and then brutally murdering women — nuns included.’
Ravenser opened his mouth to protest, but Thoresby put up a hand to silence him. ‘So she has been in the company of someone who exhibits the behaviour of a soldier in the Free Companies,’ Thoresby said.
‘Perhaps Longford,’ Sir Robert suggested.
‘Indeed.’ Thoresby poured more brandywine, sat back, studying the ceiling. ‘Joanna’s family paid a generous sum to St Clement’s so that they might have nothing more to do with her.’
Ravenser sniffed. ‘Simony.’
Thoresby glanced at his secretary, who ducked his head under the archbishop’s regard. ‘It is not sanctioned by the Church to pay a monastery to take someone, but sadly it is not an uncommon practice, a family buying a place for an ill-favoured member.’
Lucie remembered what Owen had told her about Thoresby’s accepting Michaelo as his secretary because of a generous donation by his family to the minster’s Lady Chapel. Thoresby had described Michaelo as his hair shirt.
Thoresby, looking directly at Michaelo, added, ‘Sometimes such arrangements develop into workable relationships.’
Lucie watched Michaelo’s surprise. He did not look up, but she saw the ghost of a smile playing round his mouth. Something had changed between the archbishop and his secretary, that was plain.
‘Still,’ Jehannes said, ‘her family wishing to dispose of her suggests that she has ever been difficult.’
‘Do you think Dame Joanna is mad, Mistress Wilton?’ Thoresby asked.
Lucie shook her head. ‘I think she is burdened by a guilt that gnaws at her and gives her no peace.’
‘They tell me she spoke more clearly to you than she has to anyone else.’ Thoresby sipped his brandywine thoughtfully. ‘If you will agree, Mistress Wilton, I think it wise you speak with Dame Joanna.’
Lucie clutched her cup. ‘I have the shop, Your Grace.’
‘You shall rule when the meetings occur.’
‘I have not agreed.’
‘No. But I beg you to consider it. Two men lie injured at St Mary’s infirmary, one perhaps mortally. A young woman was raped and murdered, Longford’s servant was murdered and buried in the grave dug for Joanna. Something is amiss here, and we must discover what before worse befalls us. The Reverend Mother has tried to gain Joanna’s confidence, but she has not been as successful as you. In truth, I have little faith in Dame Isobel at present.’
‘You are asking my daughter to place herself in danger,’ Sir Robert said. His voice was quiet, but angry.
Thoresby nodded. ‘I would not ask it of most women. But I also know something of Mistress Wilton’s mettle. She will not fail me.’
Lucie felt a confusing assortment of emotions. ‘You hope to convince me with flattery, Your Grace?’
He smiled. ‘You are as blunt as Archer. No. I ask only that you consider it.’
‘Owen asked me to promise not to become more involved in this.’
Thoresby raised an eyebrow. ‘Ah. He anticipated me. He is angry that I sent him off so quickly to Leeds to speak with the Calverleys.’
Lucie shrugged. ‘I did not promise.’
Sir Robert interposed. ‘I do not understand, Your Grace. Why have you pulled Owen away from his work with the archers? Is not Lancaster’s mission to Prince Edward of greater importance than a runaway nun and at worst a band of cutthroats hoping to silence her?’
Lucie was shocked by her father’s boldness.
But Thoresby looked unsurprised. ‘To Lancaster it is certainly more important. But he might change his mind.’
Sir Robert shook his head. ‘You cannot think that your concerns for York are more important than the welfare of all England. You are the King’s Lord Chancellor.’
‘True enough. But I am not at all certain that England is best served by restoring Don Pedro to the throne of Castile.’
‘The King has pledged his support,’ Ravenser said softly.
Lucie wished to hear more, this being the mission Owen was helping prepare. ‘If Don Pedro is the legitimate heir, how can there be a question? And the French helped Enrique take Castile. Are we not at war with France?’
Thoresby studied the dregs of wine in his cup, placed the cup on the table beside him. He clasped his hands and pressed both thumbs on the muscle between his brows, then looked up at Lucie. ‘From time to time we are at war with France, yes. But as to the legitimacy of Pedro, the Pope himself has refuted that. He excommunicated Don Pedro and legitimised Pedro’s half-brother. If one believes the Pope to be infallible, the French are in the right.’
‘Why did the Pope excommunicate him?’
Thoresby shrugged. ‘For no more than that Pedro is on good terms with the Moorish king of Granada. His Holiness might have found far worse with which to charge Pedro. There are rumours that would have him a tyrant of astonishing cruelty. They say he had his wife, a princess of France, murdered the day after he wed her. I find it difficult to believe such blatant evil. It is a fact that he repudiated her, and that she died shortly thereafter, but surely a king has advisers enough to be subtler. And yet he is said to have had many nobles of his country murdered.’
Jehannes crossed himself. ‘Then why do Lancaster and the Prince support him?’
‘Because of a treaty our King signed four years ago. Because the King believes Pedro is King of Castile by Divine Right. Because Pedro promises Prince Edward lordships in Castile. But perhaps most of all because the French support Enrique. You see why I question the wisdom of this dangerous campaign.’
‘This is treasonous speech,’ Ravenser said quietly. ‘Our King is already plagued with one treasonous blackguard in the York chapter.’
‘Heath is the Pope’s man not because he believes in Urban’s infallibility but because he has found the way to Urban’s ear and makes money whispering into it for his countrymen. I am not such a weasel, Richard. Nor am I part of the chapter. Indeed, had the dean and chapter their way I should never venture closer to York than Bishopthorpe.’
Lucie found this digression tedious. What cared she about the dean and chapter? She wondered how to bring this conversation to a close.
Fortunately, Thoresby came to the point. ‘Whether we are in the right or no, surely it should not take long for Archer to speak with the Calverleys. And then he will continue to Pontefract to present the archers to Lancaster. I am confident that Lancaster will be pleased. Besides, Sir Nicholas de Louth is to tell Lancaster of all that has happened, particularly concerning Will Longford and Dame Joanna’s story of soldiers sailing out of Scarborough harbour.’
Jehannes leaned forward. ‘What is this?’
‘The abbess of Nunburton recounted several versions of the nun’s story,’ Ravenser said. ‘But the consistent items were soldiers and archers sailing away with men who spoke a variety of tongues. Luring away our fighting men to weaken us? It has the flavour of du Guesclin.’
‘Do you have proof of this?’ Jehannes asked.
Ravenser shook his head.
‘You see how the events surrounding Dame Joanna’s reappearance concern me both as archbishop and lord chancellor?’ Thoresby said. ‘And they might change Lancaster’s mind as to the importance of Joanna Calverley.’
Sir Robert shrugged. ‘Regardless, our cause in Castile is just. Whether or no Pedro has earned the popular title “the Cruel”, he is king by Divine Right.’
‘As an excommunicate, has he not forfeited that right?’ Thoresby asked.
Sir Robert frowned. ‘You sound more the Pope’s man than the King’s.’
‘As archbishop and lord chancellor, I have three lords, Our Divine Lord, the Pope, and my King.’