Edwin intended
no such matter. Yes, there was a quarrel! They were two hasty people, and they
ended with high words. And Edwin flung out, and my husband threw that platter
after him—you see the shards there against the wall. That’s the whole truth of
it, ask my servants. Ask Meurig, he knows. My son ran out of the house and back
into Shrewsbury, I am sure, to where he now feels his home to be, with his
sister and her family.”
“Let
me understand you clearly,” said the sergeant, a thought too smoothly and
reasonably. “Ran out of the house through the kitchen, you say?—where you three
were sitting?” The turn of his head towards Aldith and the youngmen
was sharp and intent, not smooth at all. “So you saw him leave the house,
without pause on the way?”
All
three hesitated a brief instant, each casting uncertain glances aside at the
others, and that was a mistake. Aldith said for them all, resignedly: “When
they began to shout and throw things, we all three ran in there, to try and
calm the master down… or at least to…”
“To
be there with me, and some comfort,” said Richildis.
“And
there you remained after the boy had gone.” He was content with his guess,
their faces confirmed it, however unwilling. “So I thought. It takes time to
placate a very angry man. So none of you saw whether this young fellow paused
in the kitchen, none of you can say he did not stop to take his revenge by
dosing the dish of partridge. He had been in the infirmary that morning, as he
had once before, he may well have known where to find this oil, and what its
powers could be. He may have come to this dinner prepared either for peace or
war, and failed of getting peace.”
Richildis
shook her head vigorously. “You don’t know him! It was my peace he wanted to
secure. And besides, it was no more than a few minutes before Aelfric ran out
after him, to try to bring him back, and though he followed almost to the
bridge, he could not overtake him.”
“It’s
true,” said Aelfric. “He surely had no time to check at all. I ran like a hare
and called after him, but he would not turn back.”
The
sergeant was unconvinced. “How long does it take to empty a small vial into an
open dish? One twirl of the spoon, and who was to know? And when your master
was calm again, no doubt the prior’s gift made a very handy and welcome sop to
his pride, and he ate it gladly.”
“But
did this boy even know,” asked Cadfael, intervening very gingerly, “that the
dish left in the kitchen was meant solely for Master Bonel? He would hardly
risk harm to his mother.”
The
sergeant was by that time too certain of his quarry to be impressed by any such
argument. He eyed Aldith hard, and for all her resolution she paled a little.
“With
such a strange gathering to wait on, was it likely the girl would miss the
chance of a pleasant distraction for her master? When you went in to serve him
his meat, did you not tell him of the prior’s kind attention, and make the most
of the compliment to him, and the treat in store?”
She
cast down her eyes and pleated the corner of her apron. “I thought it might
sweeten him,” she said despairingly.
The
sergeant had all he needed, or so he thought, to lay his hands promptly upon
the murderer. He gave a final look round the shattered household, and said:
“Well, I think you may put things in order here, I’ve seen all there is to be
seen. Brother Infirmarer is prepared to help you take care of your dead. Should
I need to question you further, I must be sure of finding you here.”
“Where
else should we be?” asked Richildis bleakly. “What is it you mean to do? Will
you at least let me know what happens, if you… if you should…” She could not
put it into words. She stiffened her still straight and lissome back, and said
with dignity: “My son has no part in this villainy, and so you will find. He is
not yet fifteen years
no such matter. Yes, there was a quarrel! They were two hasty people, and they
ended with high words. And Edwin flung out, and my husband threw that platter
after him—you see the shards there against the wall. That’s the whole truth of
it, ask my servants. Ask Meurig, he knows. My son ran out of the house and back
into Shrewsbury, I am sure, to where he now feels his home to be, with his
sister and her family.”
“Let
me understand you clearly,” said the sergeant, a thought too smoothly and
reasonably. “Ran out of the house through the kitchen, you say?—where you three
were sitting?” The turn of his head towards Aldith and the youngmen
was sharp and intent, not smooth at all. “So you saw him leave the house,
without pause on the way?”
All
three hesitated a brief instant, each casting uncertain glances aside at the
others, and that was a mistake. Aldith said for them all, resignedly: “When
they began to shout and throw things, we all three ran in there, to try and
calm the master down… or at least to…”
“To
be there with me, and some comfort,” said Richildis.
“And
there you remained after the boy had gone.” He was content with his guess,
their faces confirmed it, however unwilling. “So I thought. It takes time to
placate a very angry man. So none of you saw whether this young fellow paused
in the kitchen, none of you can say he did not stop to take his revenge by
dosing the dish of partridge. He had been in the infirmary that morning, as he
had once before, he may well have known where to find this oil, and what its
powers could be. He may have come to this dinner prepared either for peace or
war, and failed of getting peace.”
Richildis
shook her head vigorously. “You don’t know him! It was my peace he wanted to
secure. And besides, it was no more than a few minutes before Aelfric ran out
after him, to try to bring him back, and though he followed almost to the
bridge, he could not overtake him.”
“It’s
true,” said Aelfric. “He surely had no time to check at all. I ran like a hare
and called after him, but he would not turn back.”
The
sergeant was unconvinced. “How long does it take to empty a small vial into an
open dish? One twirl of the spoon, and who was to know? And when your master
was calm again, no doubt the prior’s gift made a very handy and welcome sop to
his pride, and he ate it gladly.”
“But
did this boy even know,” asked Cadfael, intervening very gingerly, “that the
dish left in the kitchen was meant solely for Master Bonel? He would hardly
risk harm to his mother.”
The
sergeant was by that time too certain of his quarry to be impressed by any such
argument. He eyed Aldith hard, and for all her resolution she paled a little.
“With
such a strange gathering to wait on, was it likely the girl would miss the
chance of a pleasant distraction for her master? When you went in to serve him
his meat, did you not tell him of the prior’s kind attention, and make the most
of the compliment to him, and the treat in store?”
She
cast down her eyes and pleated the corner of her apron. “I thought it might
sweeten him,” she said despairingly.
The
sergeant had all he needed, or so he thought, to lay his hands promptly upon
the murderer. He gave a final look round the shattered household, and said:
“Well, I think you may put things in order here, I’ve seen all there is to be
seen. Brother Infirmarer is prepared to help you take care of your dead. Should
I need to question you further, I must be sure of finding you here.”
“Where
else should we be?” asked Richildis bleakly. “What is it you mean to do? Will
you at least let me know what happens, if you… if you should…” She could not
put it into words. She stiffened her still straight and lissome back, and said
with dignity: “My son has no part in this villainy, and so you will find. He is
not yet fifteen years
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