‘So he sailed?’
‘If he came by boat, he would have been seen, most likely,’ Baldwin argued. ‘And denounced since no one likes him.’
‘So you think it was someone who was able to make that walk, but who took your sword rather than carrying you?’ Cryspyn said.
‘Yes. Somebody killed Robert, I think, and then found me a little while later, and thought that the sword would be an ideal weapon to point to guilt. Perhaps the First Finder would think me guilty of murder, and then I should perish. Which means someone must have found me and left me to die, took my sword, placed it by the dead Robert, and then went home. The way between Ennor and here is only a half-mile. Unless …’
‘What?’
‘I just thought: suppose someone found me, and left me there, thinking I was near to death, and simply sought to steal my sword, and then was accosted by someone, so threw away my sword, and couldn’t find it again in the dark? That too is a possibility.’
‘Who would leave a man to drown like that?’ Cryspyn said. There was an edge to his voice, and Baldwin noticed that he was staring at his plate as though deep in unpleasant thoughts. When he glanced at William, he saw that the priest’s face had reddened, and he too avoided Baldwin’s eyes. Baldwin found all this very interesting.
Chapter Thirty-One
Tedia heard the men calling for David and Isok, and when she saw the two men marching towards the priory with David, she ran to Mariota and explained what had happened.
‘Best be going to the priory, maid. See what they’re saying about your man,’ Mariota said grimly. She stood, heaving up her massive bust and shaking her shoulders to settle her breasts. ‘Come on. I’ll support you.’
‘Thank you,’ Tedia said thankfully. ‘I don’t dare on my own.’
‘Since you rattled that knight, you mean?’ the older woman asked, and cackled at the sight of Tedia’s confusion. ‘Thought you’d kept it secret? I think we all know. He’s a good catch, if you can net him. Mind yourself, though. He looks like one who could bite back.’
Her words made Tedia smile to herself as they hurried after David. They reached the priory just as the reeve was disappearing into the hall. Although the larger abbeys and priories on the mainland would refuse to admit women beyond the visitor’s chambers at the gatehouse, on a small island such rules were not considered necessary. The new gatekeeper waved them through, and Tedia went to stand at the back of the hall to watch.
The Prior sat at his table, while on either side of him sat the two knights; her man Baldwin at Cryspyn’s right hand. Nearby was the Bailiff, who looked as though he had partaken too liberally of the Prior’s hospitality. Next to him was William, looking very pale-faced.
Baldwin stood as David came before them. He caught sight of Tedia, and she saw his expression lighten. A short while later, the Sergeant Thomas arrived, angrily snatching his elbow from the hand of the man who had fetched him, a brawny sailor from Ennor, who smiled lazily and crossed his arms at the door as though threatening Thomas to try to escape. He saw Tedia, and winked.
It warmed her, that wink. With the colour rising to her cheeks, she listened to Baldwin questioning the men.
‘We have doubts as to whether Luke was murdered by the pirates or someone else on this island. The good Prior has instructed me to investigate the Brother’s death, just as you, Thomas, instructed the Bailiff here to enquire about the homicide of Robert. That is why you two are here. Where is Isok?’
‘I don’t know,’ David said gruffly. ‘His boat’s gone. Perhaps he’s fishing.’
‘Perhaps he is.’ Baldwin scowled. If the man had run off, there was little they could do to capture him. He shrugged. ‘Thomas — we know that you saw Luke. What actually passed between you?’
‘I told you. He demanded a passage from the islands.’
‘And you refused him?’
‘Of course.’
‘But you said he offered you a bribe?’
‘He offered me some money, yes.’
‘How much?’
‘He held out a purse. I didn’t look. I didn’t need to; I merely refused.’
‘He threatened you, didn’t he?’
Thomas held his gaze angrily. ‘He knew about my ship, yes, and he said that if I didn’t take him, he’d see to it that Ranulph found out.’
‘Where was all this?’
‘On the headland at Penn Trathen. Where, before you point it out, the man’s body was found.’
‘Why should we point it out?’
‘Because that bastard saw me there,’ Thomas said, pointing at William.
‘Is this true?’ Baldwin demanded.
‘I was there and saw him, yes. I had been up at my flock,’ William admitted. ‘When the rain started, I thought I’d get off home, but then I saw the two men. They were exchanging angry words, and I went to see them; I exhorted them to cool their tempers. It worked. Then I left them.’
Thomas nodded, smiling thinly. ‘So you have another suspect,’ he sneered.
Baldwin was closely observing William. ‘Mere proximity doesn’t make a man a suspect.’
‘Why should I have killed Robert?’ William demanded hotly. ‘I had known him for years.’
‘And you always hated him for his arrogance and greed. That was the basis of your complaints to me, was it not?’ Thomas asked nastily. ‘Perhaps you decided that it was high time you paid him back for his treatment of your pet islanders, eh?’
Baldwin was looking at David. ‘What about you? You told us you were at your boat. Who saw you there? You already mentioned that you saw Luke that night. You told me that when you were at the beach with Tedia and me.’
‘I did see him. He was off towards the sea.’
‘Yet Thomas says he saw Luke before the storm, is that right?’ Baldwin asked.
Thomas nodded and William said, ‘It was some little while before the main storm struck, but the wind was building. I think that was why Luke was desperate to get back, before the waters could grow too violent.’
‘Yet you hated the gather-reeve too, didn’t you?’ Baldwin said to David.
‘Who didn’t? He was a murderous bastard.’
‘So the tales say,’ Baldwin agreed.
‘No!’ Simon said. He drank some more wine and narrowed his eyes, staring at Thomas. ‘Ranulph told me you started spreading stories again about him, how he’d killed a man happily. You started the rumours to make the people quiescent when the next demands for money came.’
‘Tell us the story,’ Baldwin commanded.
‘There is little enough to tell.’ Thomas shrugged. ‘He was a runaway from a vill because he’d killed a man, and I found him in a tavern in Dartmouth. That night, I saw him stab a man in the side and the neck, oh, must have been sixteen, seventeen times, and all because this fellow was feeling up some woman Robert found attractive. He was always getting into trouble with women. The point was, he was petrified. I could see it in his face: he was smiling, you know? A big grin of terror on his face. I told everyone he was a berserker to scare them and make him safer, but in truth he was no fighter.’
Baldwin could see a nodding head, and was not surprised to see that it was Sir Charles. Returning to Thomas, he said, ‘This story of his enjoying killing was well enough known on the islands?’
‘Yes. He was a wanted man for the murder of Jack of Carkill.’
Simon frowned. There was something about that name that was familiar … No. The thought was gone.