advised.
“What say you, Hugh?”
I dislike contradicting my betters, but it seemed to me such a course would not be effective.
“The squires will protest their innocence,” I said, “but after a few days in the dungeon, or perhaps a week, they will confess all.”
“See,” Sir Roger said. “Your bailiff agrees. I’ll send my sergeants to arrest the fellows.”
“They will confess,” I continued, “that the other is guilty. It is unlikely that any man will admit himself a felon when to do so will send him to a noose. Each will deny the crime and try to entangle the other in it.”
“Mayhap they are both guilty,” Sir Roger said. “The King’s Eyre may find it so.”
“It may be, but our only clues are insubstantial.”
“What?” Lord Gilbert said. “A bloody cloth, a murder weapon, and a note which told Sir Roger where these might be found. These are insubstantial?”
“Evidence enough,” the sheriff growled.
“What if this iron pin was used for some other purpose and did not slay any man? And who left the message under your door? One of the squires?”
Sir Roger shrugged.
“If one squire had informed against the other, he would, I think, write of which was the felon and which was not, else he would know that his own life was at risk.”
“Mayhap someone saw them approach Sir Henry’s door in the night,” Lord Gilbert offered.
“Why not say so? Why send this riddle to Sir Roger inthe night? What harm could come to a man who would tell of what he saw?” I said.
“Perhaps he feared that someone might ask what he was doing prowling about the castle so late at night,” Lord Gilbert said.
“The garderobe is not far from Sir Henry’s chamber.”
“Ah,” Sir Roger said, “just so. What then, are we to allow a guilty man to escape a just punishment?”
“Nay. But we must be careful that the punishment is meted out to the guilty and none other.”
“Innocent men often suffer for the deeds of others,” Sir Roger said. “Why so troubled about perhaps one more?”
“If the innocent are afflicted because of the deeds of evil men, or because of God’s choice, then I am free from censure. But no blameless man, nor woman either, should suffer because you, or I or Lord Gilbert, are too slothful to do justice.”
Sir Roger was not pleased, I think, with my words. He frowned at me silently for a time, then spoke. “Very well… we will seek justice. How? We have clues. Three of ’em. What more?”
“A clue is a mistake,” I said. “Most of the time.”
Lord Gilbert’s eyebrow lifted again. “How so?” he asked.
“Felons seek to obscure their guilt,” I said.
“Aye,” Sir Roger agreed. “But those squires, one of ’em, anyway, made a mistake.”
“And someone knew of it and sent the message under your door,” Lord Gilbert said.
“I am not convinced of the mistake,” I said.
“Oh, why so?” the sheriff asked.
“I watched the squires when we entered the hall. You had the lampstand in your hand. There would be no reason for you to have it but that it was evidence of themurder. Neither of the squires seemed troubled, as one, at least, should have, had he hid a murder weapon in the lampstand. He would know he had been found out. This clue is too simple. A man cunning enough to slay Sir Henry in the manner he chose would not be so stupid as to leave evidence of his guilt where it might be readily found.”
“What then of the message?” Lord Gilbert asked.
“Someone, I think, wants to point suspicion at a squire, or both of them.”
“To turn us from his guilt?” Lord Gilbert said.
“Aye. What other reason, if the squires are blameless?”
“Mayhap the squires are guilty but skilled at deception,” the sheriff said.
“’Tis possible,” I agreed. “But everything falls to place too readily for my liking.”
“Bah,” Sir Roger scowled. “Scholars! Want to complicate matters which are simple. We’ve found a felon, or two, and you protest
“What say you, Hugh?”
I dislike contradicting my betters, but it seemed to me such a course would not be effective.
“The squires will protest their innocence,” I said, “but after a few days in the dungeon, or perhaps a week, they will confess all.”
“See,” Sir Roger said. “Your bailiff agrees. I’ll send my sergeants to arrest the fellows.”
“They will confess,” I continued, “that the other is guilty. It is unlikely that any man will admit himself a felon when to do so will send him to a noose. Each will deny the crime and try to entangle the other in it.”
“Mayhap they are both guilty,” Sir Roger said. “The King’s Eyre may find it so.”
“It may be, but our only clues are insubstantial.”
“What?” Lord Gilbert said. “A bloody cloth, a murder weapon, and a note which told Sir Roger where these might be found. These are insubstantial?”
“Evidence enough,” the sheriff growled.
“What if this iron pin was used for some other purpose and did not slay any man? And who left the message under your door? One of the squires?”
Sir Roger shrugged.
“If one squire had informed against the other, he would, I think, write of which was the felon and which was not, else he would know that his own life was at risk.”
“Mayhap someone saw them approach Sir Henry’s door in the night,” Lord Gilbert offered.
“Why not say so? Why send this riddle to Sir Roger inthe night? What harm could come to a man who would tell of what he saw?” I said.
“Perhaps he feared that someone might ask what he was doing prowling about the castle so late at night,” Lord Gilbert said.
“The garderobe is not far from Sir Henry’s chamber.”
“Ah,” Sir Roger said, “just so. What then, are we to allow a guilty man to escape a just punishment?”
“Nay. But we must be careful that the punishment is meted out to the guilty and none other.”
“Innocent men often suffer for the deeds of others,” Sir Roger said. “Why so troubled about perhaps one more?”
“If the innocent are afflicted because of the deeds of evil men, or because of God’s choice, then I am free from censure. But no blameless man, nor woman either, should suffer because you, or I or Lord Gilbert, are too slothful to do justice.”
Sir Roger was not pleased, I think, with my words. He frowned at me silently for a time, then spoke. “Very well… we will seek justice. How? We have clues. Three of ’em. What more?”
“A clue is a mistake,” I said. “Most of the time.”
Lord Gilbert’s eyebrow lifted again. “How so?” he asked.
“Felons seek to obscure their guilt,” I said.
“Aye,” Sir Roger agreed. “But those squires, one of ’em, anyway, made a mistake.”
“And someone knew of it and sent the message under your door,” Lord Gilbert said.
“I am not convinced of the mistake,” I said.
“Oh, why so?” the sheriff asked.
“I watched the squires when we entered the hall. You had the lampstand in your hand. There would be no reason for you to have it but that it was evidence of themurder. Neither of the squires seemed troubled, as one, at least, should have, had he hid a murder weapon in the lampstand. He would know he had been found out. This clue is too simple. A man cunning enough to slay Sir Henry in the manner he chose would not be so stupid as to leave evidence of his guilt where it might be readily found.”
“What then of the message?” Lord Gilbert asked.
“Someone, I think, wants to point suspicion at a squire, or both of them.”
“To turn us from his guilt?” Lord Gilbert said.
“Aye. What other reason, if the squires are blameless?”
“Mayhap the squires are guilty but skilled at deception,” the sheriff said.
“’Tis possible,” I agreed. “But everything falls to place too readily for my liking.”
“Bah,” Sir Roger scowled. “Scholars! Want to complicate matters which are simple. We’ve found a felon, or two, and you protest
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