Baldwin was speaking to David again. ‘So who else could have been out there that night?’
‘Isok, I suppose. He walked to Mariota’s house once his wife rejected him again.’
‘What did he do then?’
‘He stayed there, I suppose.’
Baldwin looked at Tedia, then Mariota. ‘Did he remain in your house all the night?’
‘I expect so.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘I went straight to Tedia, to comfort her.’
Baldwin gave a quick frown. ‘So it is possible that he too was out and about.’
Tedia shook her head. Her man wouldn’t have done something like this. What was Baldwin doing, trying to remove him? There was no need now, her marriage was over. Anyway, Isok had denied killing Robert.
‘So we have this: a man or woman found me, left me to die but stole my sword, and took it down to Ennor. There they left it by the body of Robert as though to put the blame for the murder on me.’
‘Unless it was you,’ David said smoothly with a cynical lift of his brow. ‘Perhaps you did kill him, and only came to this island to throw all of us off your path.’
‘Half-dead, I doubt any man would have considered trying to find a treacherous path in the darkness,’ Baldwin said shortly. ‘No stranger could manage it. It would have to be local man, one who had time.’
He couldn’t help himself. His gaze went back to William, to the man whose feet had unerringly led them both here only the day before.
It was late in the afternoon when all the people had left the hall. Many were singing drunkenly, so great was the relief at the dual saving, both from the pirates, and from the men of Ennor.
Baldwin stood at the priory’s gate and stared out. Far in the distance he could see the island of Ennor, a strangely calm scene now, apparently. With the fighting over, the place wore a suspiciously quiet aspect, like an enemy concealing its strength in woods. There should have been a lowering appearance to such a dangerous location.
‘Sir Baldwin?’
It was the voice he wanted to hear; the one he most feared. She stood as though nervous, a rug thrown over her shoulders, hiding the bright green tunic beneath. ‘Are you staying here in the priory tonight?’
He gave her a gentle smile. ‘I think I should. How would the Prior treat you in future if he were to guess that you and I committed adultery? You are married, and so am I.’
‘But he couldn’t be concerned on my account,’ she said, going to his side and leaning against him. ‘I am divorced.’
‘Has your husband returned from his fishing yet?’
‘You fear talking? Can we not even talk like lovers?’ she asked sadly.
‘We are not lovers, Tedia. We enjoyed a moment in time, but it was because of your sadness and vulnerability, and my weakness and vulnerability. Both of us needed companionship, and we were lucky enough to find some comfort in each other.’
‘I thought you loved me.’
‘I did. For a moment. But I am still married. I cannot change that.’
‘He won’t return.’
‘Who?’
‘My husband. He sailed away to die. He guessed the truth about you and me. He thought I’d been unfaithful with Robert, too. Well, that’s not his fault. I would have been, had I the chance.’
‘But he died.’
‘And in his stead I thought I’d won you.’
‘Who could have killed him?’
‘Many could have’ Tedia said. In her mind’s eye she saw Mariota walking in, laughing at the wind and sea, drenched after travelling through the storm. At the time she had thought that the water was a proof of how bad the storm was, but now she wondered.
‘What are you thinking?’
‘Nothing.’
‘I believe you told me a story once,’ Baldwin said, ‘of an old woman from Bechiek who found a man’s body and cut the fingers from his hand to take his rings.’
‘What of it?’
‘Perhaps Mariota is formed from the same mould.’
‘No! She is a good woman.’
‘Perhaps she is, after her own lights. I merely wonder about her treatment of a corpse. Would she despoil it? Me?’
Tedia could not answer. There was only one response. Mariota was a true island woman. The sea took her husband, but provided her with all she owned. Mariota spent hours each week studying the shorelines, seeking whatever the sea might have brought her. A man with a sword on his hip would be a perfect prize.
They said no more, but Baldwin walked through the gate and glanced back at her enquiringly. Wordlessly, she followed after him.
Mariota was indoors at her fireside, kneading a heavy-looking dough. At her side was an ancient quern, and Baldwin looked at it pointedly.
‘You want to say something?’
‘The quern.’
‘Yes, old knight. It’s illegal. So what? So is almost anything an old woman tries to do,’ she cackled. ‘I ought to take my flour to the priory’s mill, but they charge so much. The miller is nothing more than a thief. Nothing more than that, the devil take him.’
‘Perhaps the devil would prefer a woman’s soul. Especially that of a woman who robs the dead and sometimes leaves a man for dead, just to take his belongings. I wondered why, when we were here before, you said that you had mended my clothes because you “owed” it to me, or something like that.’
‘You did have a goodly purse and a sword like that one could be worth a few pounds,’ she said amiably. She finished her kneading and set the loaf at the fireside on a prepared, hot stone.
Watching her, Baldwin found it hard to hate her. He should, he knew. This woman had willingly left him to die, but she was not ashamed. That alone surprised him. ‘I had anticipated some form of words to indicate regret,’ he said stiffly.
‘Ah well, I am truly contrite, Sir Knight. In fact, I went straight to the church to apologise, as soon as I learned you were alive. It was a bit of a shock, that. I hadn’t realised beforehand.’
‘You took my sword and were carrying it over to Ennor, then?’
‘Yes. Hamadus often takes little trinkets from me, things I find on the beaches. He sells them to people at the castle, sometimes to the ship that comes from the mainland once a week. He earns enough from that to pay me a goodly sum.’
‘Tell me what you saw.’
She met his gaze sadly. ‘I suppose I have to. I crossed the water after finding you and the sword. The purse, I fear, I took too. The way isn’t that hard when you’ve grown up with it all your life.
‘It was not until I got to Penn Trathen that I realised I was in trouble. That damned fool Robert was there, and he laughed to see my startled face. I said, “What are you doing hiding here?” and he said, “Preparing to deflower that wench of Isok’s.” I’m sorry, Tedia,’ she added. ‘But he wasn’t worth your time, that one. He was just after the inside of your thighs …’
‘What then?’ Baldwin rumbled as Tedia bent her head. He was frowning intently as she spoke. ‘Did you stab him to stop him?’
‘Rot his soul, no! I’m no murderer. I gave him a sharp word, but he didn’t care. He just carried on pulling off his boots. Someone,’ she said, with a sidelong glance at Tedia, ‘had told him about the path between the islands. Anyway, while he was going on, I heard shouting. I went back into the grasses to hide, and soon I saw Thomas, that Sergeant, coming. He was bellowing, calling out for someone, like he’d been arguing with someone, and they’d fought, and he was chasing after the fellow in rage. His sword was out, and he stood at the water’s edge. Robert asked him what he was doing, and “Who in God’s name is that?” Thomas yells, spinning round. I thought he would kill Robert, but no, he just curses him some and storms off.
‘I was all for hurrying to Hamadus’s house, but before I could, Luke appeared. He was fearful, and well he might have been. Robert saw him. “Hello, Luke,” he says. “Don’t worry, Tom’s gone now.” “Which way did he go?” Luke says, and Robert says, all cheery, “Back to the castle. Whatever did you say to upset him?”