Eleanor could feel the skin on her face grow taut with a rising temper. “What more to know, you ask? Only that Robert would never kill a man in anger.”
“What man would not?”
“My brother. Your son.”
“You know little of men then.”
“An easy assumption, my lord, but an inaccurate one. In case you were not aware of my duties at Tyndal, allow me to remind you that I must direct men as well as women in their daily lives. I must also assume you had not heard of the violent events which occurred at the time of my arrival last year, since my priory is so far from the king’s court.” She, too, was shouting back.
“Your tone is insolent, child.”
“Nor am I a child, father. I have long since arrived at a woman’s estate.” With great effort, Eleanor lowered her voice to a quieter tone.
As red-faced as his daughter, Adam opened his mouth to reply but instead sank down with a tired sigh into his chair. “I have no wish to argue with you, Eleanor. Yes, of course, as a bride of Christ, you are fully grown, but please understand that a father finds it difficult to accept such a thing when it only reminds him that he is not the virile youth he wishes he still were.”
“You are more vigorous than most of those callow youths you claim to envy, father. Indeed, it is they who will look to you as an example of manhood in its prime.” Eleanor relaxed somewhat with his conciliatory tone, then smiled. “Arguing will do neither of us any good. Nor Robert for that matter.”
“Agreed. To further the peace between us, I will also tell you that I have indeed heard of your time at Tyndal. In full detail. Your priory is not so remote that those at court do not speak highly of your competence.” His expression grew strangely sad. “I have heard much to make me proud that I am your father, Eleanor.”
“You are over kind, my lord, but if you feel pride in your daughter’s acts, remember that it was you who sired her.” Then she bowed her head to hide the sparkle of joy and pride she knew he’d see in her eyes.
“It is said by those who claim to know, that strength of character in any child comes from the vitality of a father’s seed. Perhaps I should not argue with those who are more knowledgeable about such things than I, yet I must confess that I see much of your mother in you.”
Adam turned his head away, but not before Eleanor saw tears starting down his cheeks from a grief that had not lessened in the fifteen years since her mother had died. She reached over and took his hand to comfort but chose her words to save his pride. “And Robert? Which parent does he most resemble?”
“Ah, but you have my stubbornness, I see.” Adam squeezed her hand and, quickly wiping away his tears, laughed. “Robert, you ask? I will concede you a point there. Unlike your mother, who would have gone off on crusade and conquered the Holy Land all by herself had the Pope given permission for women to so do, Robert is mild-mannered. Indeed he is much like his sire in that.” His eyes twinkled with a teasing humor.
“My very point, father. Robert would only fight if provoked. He also shares another quality with you, if I may be so bold…”
Adam raised one heavy eyebrow in question.
“You are a man of unquestionable courage who has learned that mediation is most often preferable to war, a cast of mind much like that of our king, I believe. Still, you have never hesitated to tell the truth as you see it, no matter how honeyed the words, if such would be the more effective road. Only when all that utterly fails will you turn to the sword. If I correctly remember the tales I’ve heard told, you warned King Henry many years before the rebellion about the dangers in Simon de Montfort’s actions…”
“De Montfort was not that different from his father and his father before that. He was as clever and devious as Odysseus but ambitious beyond his station. Nonetheless…”
“An observation which the king ignored to his detriment.”
“What has this to do with Robert?”
“You did your best to resolve a dangerous situation with words but then did not hesitate to draw your sword and fight in defense of your king when de Montfort attacked him. In like manner, my brother would rather reconcile than draw blood, but draw it he would if all else failed and he was attacked.”
“Are you suggesting that Henry attacked him first in the corridor that night?”
“He has said he did not murder him and, although I believe in Robert’s innocence, the manner of his telling makes me wonder if my brother is withholding something for a reason deemed sufficient to himself. When Brother Thomas spoke with him, he carefully used the word murder, for instance, rather than kill.”
“Surely he would have admitted to a killing in self-defense. Such is no violation of the law, God’s or man’s.”
“Perhaps I have found too much subtlety in the use of that one word, but I noted that he did take some time in the telling of the events when I first visited him. I wondered if he did so in order to decide what to tell and what to omit. I wish I could honor his decision to keep to this silence, but, if the sheriff will not believe my brother’s story as he chooses to tell it, we have only his character to fall back on.” A thought occurred to her suddenly. “His character is something to which even Sir Geoffrey might bear witness.”
“He might indeed. Sir Geoffrey seems as grieved with the suspicion hanging over my son’s head as I do, despite the agony he must feel with his own son’s death.” Adam scowled. “His generosity to my son is testament to our friendship and his chivalry. To ask him to testify to Robert’s likely innocence, however, is something I would find hard to do under the circumstances.”
“Then we must find who did the deed, or, if Robert did kill him in self-defense, we must find out why my brother refuses to say just that.” Eleanor sat quietly for a moment. “Although Brother Thomas’ suggestion that revenge for Hywel’s death might be involved has merit, I know your reputation for fairness amongst your Welsh retainers. Surely someone would have approached you for justice first in this matter before taking Henry’s life.”
“Indeed, I would hope the same. Nonetheless, I have told those doing the interrogations to be alert for any hint of desire for such retribution.”
“Have you heard nothing to help our cause from the interviewing of those within the castle walls last night?”
“Not yet. I told those in charge of the questioning to report to Sir Geoffrey, your monk, and me when all was done. We are conducting the final interrogations of the soldiers from the last watch in the barracks as you and I speak. I expect to hear nothing until morning. Of course you are right that we must find the truth before this storm ceases and a messenger can get through to bring the sheriff. To deflect justice by simply pointing hither and thither is…”
“False and dishonorable. You speak as your son has done himself. Just before I came here, I took him some clean garments and presented just such an argument to him then. He told me in some anger that he would refuse to be released on such ignoble terms. He wants the real murderer found first.”
“That is the son I know.”
“Of course, Robert would like to assist in the hunt, however guarded he might be…”
Adam smiled grimly. “He will stay in his cell, Eleanor. Do not insult me by assaying such feeble tactics. That one was quite unworthy of your skills.”
She bowed her head to hide her frown. Of course she knew such a weak line of reasoning would not fool her father, but she had promised Robert she would try the plea on his behalf. “Indeed, my lord, you are right and I beg pardon.” She hoped her tone was sufficiently deferential to temper her father’s irritation.
“There is nothing for which to beg pardon. Your devotion to Robert reflects what is in my own heart.” He looked at her in silence for a long moment. “Do not interpret my lack of tears for lack of caring. Ever.”
Eleanor nodded and neither spoke for a while. Then she continued. “I cannot persuade my brother to tell the whole truth of this to me. Could you get Robert to break his silence?”