“I was there all right,” Hugh replied somberly. “I was there from the beginning.”
Once more, Bernard said, “Tell me.”
There was a white line around Hugh’s mouth but his voice was perfectly steady as he related his story.
“I was by myself, fishing along the shore, when I saw Simon and Richard’s boat come around a bend in the river. They didn’t see me, however. I was fishing under those big willows that lean into the water about a quarter mile above the mill.”
Bernard nodded to indicate that he recognized the place.
“The water was deep out in the middle where the boat was. I was holding my line, watching the boat casually, when I saw Richard suddenly lean over, raise his hand, and strike Simon over the head. Simon crumpled and Richard shoved him so that he went over the side of the boat and into the water. Then Richard threw whatever it was that he had hit Simon with into the water after him.”
“My God,” Bernard said. The words were barely a breath of sound.
The white line around Hugh’s mouth became even more pronounced. “I dropped my pole and ran along the shore to an open place where the willows did not hide me, and I shouted to Richard. That was when he began to pretend to look for Simon. He yelled to me to help him, and jumped out of the boat and began to dive. I swam out and dove as well. We both stayed in the water until another boat arrived and made us stop. Richard told everyone that Simon had stood up in the boat, tripped, and hit his head on the edge of the boat as he went into the water.”
“You didn’t tell Richard that you had seen what happened?”
Hugh shook his head. “I wanted to talk to Ralf first.”
“And what did Ralf say?”
Hugh’s gray eyes darkened noticably. “I don’t think he believed me. He told me to keep what I had seen to myself, that I had no proof and it would be just my word against Richard’s. He said…he said that I was an unknown quantity, while everyone knew Richard and his family and that it would probably go ill for me if I accused him.”
“Ralf didn’t say that he didn’t believe you!” Bernard interrupted.
Hugh shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “Not in so many words, but why else would he tell me to hold my tongue? I knew that if Ralf didn’t believe me, no one would, and so I did hold it. But I have always known what Richard is.”
“How old were you when this happened?” Bernard demanded.
“I was eleven and Richard was twelve.”
“Dear God,” Bernard said again.
Hugh’s gray eyes regarded him somberly. “Do you believe me, Bernard?”
“Aye, I believe you,” Bernard replied. “And I’ll tell you something else, Hugh. Ralf believed you as well. If he pretended to doubt you, it was to ensure your silence. He was right. If you had accused Richard of such a thing, you would have been crucified.”
“And if I accuse Richard of this murder, will the same thing happen?”
“You are not a foundling any longer, Hugh, but everyone in Lincoln knows how much you dislike Richard. You certainly never tried to make any secret of it.”
Hugh lifted one straight black brow in a gesture of irony. “Unwise of me, wasn’t it?”
“Well, you must admit, it doesn’t put you in a very good position to accuse him of anything,” Bernard returned. “Especially if you have no proof.”
Hugh said gloomily, “That is what Cristen says.”
Bernard’s chin came up sharply. “I thought the only person you told about this was Ralf.”
Hugh looked at him in genuine bewilderment. “But of course I told Cristen.”
Bernard stared at Hugh’s face, and after a moment his mouth softened. “She is a wonderful girl. You are lucky to have found her.”
Matter-of-factly, Hugh nodded. Then, “I think Richard murdered the earl, Bernard. Who better to deliver a supposed message from Gervase than Gervase’s own son? No one would doubt Richard.”
Bernard coughed a few times. “And you think he did it to protect himself from being found out as an embezzler?”
Hugh began to walk toward the bed. “Aye.”
Bernard sighed and leaned his head back against his pillows. “Perhaps you are right, lad. But you will never convince the chief justiciar unless you have some proof.”
“I have proof of the embezzlement. All I have to do is call one of the merchants to testify about how much rent he pays.”
“But you have no proof that ties Richard to the murder.”
“I know that,” Hugh replied evenly. “That is why I let Alan overhear our conversation. I have a feeling that Alan is the person who has the proof we need, if only he can be brought to understand.”
Bernard did not reply.
“I’ve exhausted you,” Hugh said contritely, looking down into the older man’s pale face. “Cristen would be furious with me if she could see you now.”
“Nonsense,” Bernard said gruffly. “I am perfectly fine. I plan to get out of this bed tomorrow.”
“Well, I’ll leave you now so you can get some sleep.”
As Hugh was turning away, Bernard reached out a hand to catch his sleeve.
“Be careful, lad. If Richard is what you think he is, he won’t blink at ridding himself of you if he feels you are a danger to him.”
“Don’t worry,” Hugh replied grimly. “I don’t underestimate Richard.”
On that note, he walked out of the room, leaving a sleepless Bernard to worry about all that he had heard.
23
After Hugh had dismissed him, Alan bolted down the tower stairs and kept on running until he had reached the armory hall. There he stopped, his heart beating fast, his thoughts in a chaos of humiliation and uncertainty. He was still standing there, alone in the hall, when Richard himself came in.
For the first time in his life, Alan wasn’t overjoyed to see his lord. He didn’t want to have to face Richard now. He wanted some time to sort out in his mind all the distressing information he had so illicitly overheard. Unfortunately, there was little hope of hiding himself in this empty, cavernous hall.
Richard hailed him genially and crossed the room to his side. Alan watched his lord approach, so tall and strong and handsome, the perfect knight in looks as well as performance.
“Did you get the Rye children safely to Lincoln, then?” Richard asked.
“Aye, my lord,” Alan replied. He avoided Richard’s gaze, staring instead at the fine blue wool of his tunic’s shoulder.
“Good.” Richard took a step closer. “Poor little brats. It was extremely kind of Hugh to take them in.” He sounded agreeably surprised at finding such kindness in Hugh.
With great effort, Alan brought himself to look into the blue eyes of his lord. They were regarding him with perfect benevolence.
It isn’t true, he thought. Richard would never do the things that Hugh accused him of.
But someone was overcharging on the stall rents. Hugh couldn’t have made that up. If the culprit wasn’t Richard, then it had to be the sheriff. Alan drew a deep breath and decided that it would only be fair to alert Richard to Hugh’s knowledge.
“My lord,” he said. He could feel his cheeks flaming, but he manfully kept his gaze on Richard’s face. “I am very sorry to tell you this, but Lord Hugh has found out that someone is cheating the king out of taxes on the market stall rents.”
Richard went perfectly still. “How do you know this?” he asked sharply.
Alan’s eyes dropped away. “I overheard Hugh talking to Bernard,” he mumbled.
Richard was silent for so long that Alan finally looked at him again. His face was white with fury and there was something in his eyes that Alan had seen once before, when Richard had tackled him in the camp-ball game.
Alan involuntarily backed up a step.
When Richard finally spoke, his voice was perfectly controlled. “Tell me exactly what you heard.”
In a low monotone Alan repeated the part of Hugh’s conversation that pertained to the sheriff and the market stall rents. He hesitated, looked at Richard’s angry face, then decided to refrain from saying that Hugh also suspected that Richard himself might be the thief.