Tearing the oar from the man’s hands, Ralph flung it overboard then hurled Balki after it into the water. Gervase did not hesitate.
Ralph’s men would fight shy of the river in their heavy hauberks, but he was not handicapped by armour. Diving into the water, he swam towards the steward and grappled with him.
Ralph, meanwhile, confronted a more formidable opponent.
Strang the Dane had a dagger in his hand and was circling him menacingly.
‘The game is up,’ said Ralph, one eye on the blade. ‘I’m arresting you for the murder of Brother Nicholas and the abduction of several boys. Put up your weapon. You have no chance.’
‘Nor do you, my lord,’ said Strang, advancing slowly.
Ralph backed away. The advantage lay with Strang. In the seconds it would take Ralph to pull his sword from its scabbard, his adversary’s dagger would be thrust into him. The boat was now drifting helplessly towards the other bank, too far away for his men to reach it without risking the deep water. Ralph decided that his wisest response was to keep both hands free in the hope of catching Strang’s wrist when the weapon flashed. Even then, he knew that his chances were slim.
Two things came to his aid. Hearing the sounds of the rescue attempt, Owen began to buck and twitch violently under the tarpaulin in order to attract attention. Strang was momentarily diverted. At exactly the same time, the prow of the boat thudded into the bank and caused both men to stumble forward. Ralph was the first to recover, throwing himself at Strang and seizing the hand which held the dagger. There was a violent struggle and both fell to the deck, rolling over, kicking and punching, using all their strength to subdue the other. Strang was a powerful man but Ralph was fired with anger and revulsion. It put extra strength into his arms and enabled him to twist the dagger free.
Pummelling his face, he beat Strang into submission then rose to his feet. Ralph drew his sword and held it at the Dane’s throat but there was no further resistance. The man was exhausted.
His face was covered in blood and his hand had been gashed when Ralph snatched away his weapon. Ralph looked across at the tarpaulin, still moving as if by its own volition. He used the point of his sword to flip it back from its cargo. Owen and the other boy blinked as they saw daylight again.
Ralph grinned warmly. ‘You’re safe now, lads.’
Threshing sounds took his attention back to the river. Gervase had overpowered Balki but was having difficulty dragging him ashore. Help was at hand. Divesting himself of his Benedictine habit, Abraham the Priest jumped naked into the water and swam strongly across to lend his help. Gervase was grateful and Ralph hugely amused.
‘Delivering babies,’ he called, ‘and saving two drowning men.
Is there anything you can’t do, Archdeacon?’
Suddenly Ralph became aware that he was aboard a boat which was starting to drift into midstream again. His fear of the water returned at once. ‘What do I do now?’ he roared. ‘Help!’
Hamelin of Lisieux was talking to his wife when the visitor arrived.
They were staying not far from Gloucester in the manor house of a friend. Nigel the Reeve knew exactly where to find them. After a token exchange of civilities, he broke the news about the arrest and imprisonment of Strang the Dane. The lady Emma was horrified to learn that the man had been involved in the slave trade, but her husband immediately saw how it advantaged him.
‘This will speed things up at the shire hall,’ he said cheerily.
‘To be honest, Strang was the only person who might have ousted me from those holdings. I did, after all, take them from him in the first place.’
Nigel curled a lip. ‘He will have no need of land now.’
‘I will spare him enough for a burial plot.’
‘Does this mean that the commissioners will resume their work?’ asked the lady Emma. ‘Has any time been set?’
‘Yes, my lady,’ said Nigel. ‘Tomorrow morning. Soon after Prime.’
‘We will be there.’
‘Both of us,’ added Hamelin. ‘Unless there is a further delay.
No chance, I suppose, of Ralph Delchard being invited to the castle to take part in the King’s council?’
‘None, my lord.’
‘Good.’
‘From what I hear, their business is all but complete.’
‘That was the impression I got from Bishop Wulfstan when I spoke to him at the abbey. They are to confer again this evening then the King will away at dawn. A pity. I would have valued time with him myself. Well, thank you, Nigel,’ he said, indicating that the conversation was over. ‘It was good of you to bring the tidings, especially as they make my claim to that land irresistible now.
Be off about your business. I am sure that you have to inform Querengar and Abraham the Priest of the new developments.’
‘Only the Breton, my lord.’
‘Oh?’
‘The archdeacon was involved in the rescue of the boys.’
‘Something good has come out of Wales at last!’ sneered Hamelin. ‘That leaves Querengar. Is it really worth his while to turn up at the shire hall tomorrow? Advise him to ride home, Nigel. He will be spared a deal of humiliation that way.’
After bidding them farewell, the reeve withdrew. Hamelin looked across at his wife. ‘If he were not so useful to me, I could enjoy hating that man. He is an objectionable fellow.’
‘That’s too kind a judgement.’
‘Yet he brought excellent news, I’ll grant him that. It seems that our visit to Gloucester has been very worthwhile.’
She smiled gently. ‘So far.’
Abbot Serlo was glowing with pleasure and throbbing with gratitude. He looked around the assembled faces and spoke with deep feeling.
‘This is one of the most satisfying days of my life,’ he said. ‘A murder has been solved, a novice has been rescued from slavery and a second kidnap victim has been restored to his parents.’ He beamed at Ralph Delchard. ‘It is all thanks to you and Master Bret.’
‘And the Archdeacon of Gwent,’ noted Gervase. ‘He not only dived into the river to help me, he swam after the boat and clambered abroad to steer it back to the shore. Abraham the Priest is a born sailor.’
Canon Hubert snorted. ‘And all this when he was stark naked?
Hardly fit behaviour for a monk. I suppose that we may be glad that he did not feel obliged to deliver another baby at the same time.’
‘A baby, Canon Hubert?’ queried the abbot.
‘A private jest, Abbot Serlo.’
‘We are sorry that you were not there with us, Hubert,’ teased Ralph. ‘Our efforts really needed the controlling hand of the leader of the murder investigation.’
There were five visitors in the abbot’s lodging. Ralph, Gervase and Hubert had been joined by Bishop Wulfstan and Brother Frewine. The two older men heaped their own congratulations on the commissioners.
‘No mercy will be shown to them,’ promised Wulfstan. ‘Strang the Dane and his henchman will be tried, convicted and hanged.
A lot of parents will sleep more soundly after this day’s work.’
‘So will the monks of this abbey,’ said Frewine softly. ‘With your permission, Father Abbot, I would like to put a question of my own to these three heroes.’ Hubert basked in his inclusion.
‘We now know that it was Strang who was seen arguing with Brother Nicholas and that he killed our holy brother. But why?
The motive is unclear.’
‘It was to us,’ admitted Gervase. ‘At first.’
‘But I got the truth out of him,’ boasted Ralph. ‘It is amazing how willing some people are to talk when they have a swordpoint at their throat. Strang was furious with Brother Nicholas. He had waited patiently until it was safe to abduct another novice from the abbey, knowing that your rent collector would have won the confidence of his next victim. But Nicholas betrayed him.