While the others were nibbling their food, he took Ralph aside.
‘Were you speaking in jest?’ he asked.
‘About whom?’
‘Asa. Is she really … what you said she was?’
‘Yes, Gervase,’ he said with a grin, ‘but she is not a prostitute of the common sort. My guess is that she has very few clients and selects them with great care. Nicholas Picard was one of them.’
‘How do you know?’
‘Because of the terms in which his letter was couched. Some men pay her in money, some in other ways. The lord Nicholas chose to reward her with the gift of some land.’
‘But she only stood to get that in the event of his death.’
Ralph grew serious. ‘That point was not lost on me, Gervase.
She is a charming creature, but I think it would benefit us to take a closer look at Asa. It would be intriguing to learn who else enjoys her favours — and at what cost. Asa was a delight,’ he said, recalling her performance before them. ‘The lord Nicholas was fortunate in his choice. Asa knows how to pleasure a man.’
‘How can you tell?’
‘I only have to look at her.’
‘Why did I not see what you saw?’
Ralph chuckled. ‘Wait until you have been married to Alys for a month,’ he said, digging an elbow into his ribs. ‘Your eyes will be opened to the wonders of the world, Gervase. You will be able to appraise a woman properly.’
Saewin entered to tell them that the next claimant had arrived.
Resuming their seats, they signalled to the reeve and Loretta was soon brought in. The contrast with Asa could not have been more striking. As she sailed towards them, Loretta bore herself with great dignity and settled herself down on the bench before the commissioners with an almost regal air. Eldred followed her in, bearing a leather satchel. Though he sat beside her, he somehow seemed invisible. All attention was concentrated on Loretta.
When the preliminaries were dealt with, Ralph began his examination. ‘Why have you come before us, my lady?’
‘To attest my right to certain holdings in Upton Pyne.’
‘You could have done that when our predecessors visited Exeter,’ he reminded her. ‘Yet no claim was lodged on your behalf.
Why did you not seek redress from the first commissioners?’
‘I was absent from the city during their visit.’
‘Were you not given notice of their arrival?’
‘Yes, my lord,’ she said, ‘but I was already in Normandy when it was sent. By the time I returned, your predecessors had completed their business here and moved on. I was too late.’
‘Could nobody have spoken up on your behalf?’
‘No one was authorised to do so,’ she said with a hint of arrogance. ‘I have learned to manage my own affairs.’
‘That does you credit,’ he said with a smile of admiration.
Loretta ignored it. ‘May I proceed with my claim?’
‘Of course.’
Taking his cue, Eldred extracted some documents from his satchel and handed them over to Ralph before taking his seat once more. Loretta delivered her speech as if it had been carefully rehearsed.
‘When you have had time to peruse the documents,’ she said levelly, ‘you will appreciate the strength of my claim. My husband was Roger de Marmoutier, a name that will not be unknown to you, my lord. He fought at Hastings, as you did yourself, and was rewarded with holdings in three counties, the bulk of his property being here in Devon, held under the honour of Bramford. He retained his estates in Normandy where he used his wealth to build two churches and to endow the abbey at Bec, where,’ she said, turning to Hubert, ‘I believe you were once sub-prior. My husband held the abbey in the highest esteem. But that is not germane to this discussion,’ she continued. ‘AH that I am concerned to establish are the credentials of my late husband who was granted the holdings in Upton Pyne for services rendered to the King. His writ lies before you and you will observe that one of the signatories is Bishop Osbern.’
Ralph glanced at the document before passing it to Gervase.
‘Nobody doubts the legitimacy of this grant,’ he said, ‘apart from the abbot of Tavistock, that is. What concerns us is not how your husband came to acquire that land but how your son came to lose it.’
‘By an act of treachery, my lord.’
‘Treachery?’
‘There is no other word for it,’ she said. ‘William, my late son, was tricked out of that part of his inheritance.’
‘By whom?’
‘Nicholas Picard.’
‘That is a serious allegation,’ warned Hubert.
‘It can be substantiated.’
‘Take care, my lady. It is easy to slander the dead. The lord Nicholas is not here to defend himself.’
‘Nor is my son,’ Loretta said bitterly. She paused briefly to gather her thoughts. ‘Forgive me,’ she continued. ‘The events which I must describe are still vivid in my mind and cause me much distress. It is difficult for me to speak of them before strangers.’
‘We understand, my lady,’ said de Marigny with sympathy. ‘Take your time. There is no hurry.’
‘Thank you, my lord.’
‘We are sorry that you have to dwell on such sad events. The loss of a husband and a son in such a short time must have been a shattering blow to you. But the facts must be heard.’
‘They will be,’ she said, bracing herself. ‘Thus it stands. When my husband died of a fever, he bequeathed the holdings in question, along with other property, to our son, William. The land at Upton Pyne was very dear to my husband, but it had always been coveted by the lord Nicholas.’
‘Why, my lady?’ said Gervase.
‘Because it has rich soil and good grazing. It is also adjacent to the estates held by lord Nicholas. That proximity, alas, was fatal.’
‘In what way?’
Loretta gave a little sigh. ‘I loved my son,’ she said, ‘but I will not hide his defects from you. Where his father was conscientious, William was lazy. He was also impetuous at times, given to drink and to gambling. We tried to correct his faults but he was too wilful to be schooled. Do not get the impression that he was a complete wastrel,’ she added swiftly. ‘My son was kind and considerate at heart. He adored his parents and was always stricken with guilt when he upset us, but he was too easily led astray. The lord Nicholas was quick to see that.’
‘What did he do?’
‘Befriended my son and made much of him. Took him hunting, showed him favour, bestowed gifts upon him. You must remember that William was young and impressionable. He looked up to the lord Nicholas. When the wager was suggested, he took it without a second thought.’
‘Wager?’ said Ralph.
‘That is how the land was forfeited.’
‘What were the terms of the wager?’
‘They were to have a passage of arms. Sword and lance in single combat. When one was forced to submit, the other took the prize.’
‘And what was at stake?’
‘The holdings in Upton Pyne.’
Hubert was shocked. ‘William de Marmoutier risked all that land on a single engagement?’ he said.
‘Earl Harold did the same at Hastings,’ noted de Marigny wryly.
‘I told you that my son could be headstrong,’ said Loretta. ‘And he stood to gain an equivalent number of acres from the lord Nicholas if he vanquished him, as he fully expected to do. But he reckoned without his opponent’s greater experience and guile.
Wine was served before the contest. I am told that William drank too much too fast. It was not a fair fight in any way. My son was duped.’