Read Online The Elephants of Norwich by Edward Marston - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Edward Marston
Ads: Link
chapel.
Daniel spoke in a whisper. ‘When one of the holy brothers passed away at the abbey it was always a peaceful event. Sadness was tinged with relief that the departed would be going to a far happier station than they had enjoyed on earth. But not in this case, my lord.’
‘I know. Gervase Bret gave me the details.’
‘It was a ghastly sight. I’ll never forget it.’
‘Yes, you will,’ said Coureton soothingly. ‘Time is considerate towards us. It suppresses darker memories. I knew that you’d be shaken by the ordeal and repair to the chapel. That’s why I came to find you.’
‘I’m grateful for your kindness, my lord.’
‘You shouldn’t be left alone. Come and join us, Brother Daniel.’
‘Where?’
‘In the hall.’
The monk was amazed. ‘The banquet is still being held?’
‘It begins very soon.’
‘How can anyone enjoy a feast when a foul murder hangs over us?’
‘In the circumstances, I don’t think there’ll be much enjoyment, but the banquet had to go forth. It was too late to abandon it. Besides,’ he said, philosophically, ‘we have to keep body and soul together. Even a monk must eat and drink.’
‘I lack any appetite.’
‘Then at least sit with us in the hall. Company will distract you.’
‘It’s more likely to sadden me, my lord,’ said Daniel. ‘Don’t worry about me. You go to the banquet with the other guests. I’m only a humble scribe. I don’t really belong there. The chaplain has invited me to share more homely fare with him, so I’ll have someone to comfort me.’
‘What will you do after that?’
‘Come back here to pray once more.’
Coureton gave a tired smile. ‘Who knows? I may even join you.’
‘You’ll be too busy sleeping off the effects of too much wine,’ said Daniel with a flash of his old spirit. ‘I don’t begrudge you that. Drink a cup for me – but raise another for Hermer the Steward.’
‘We’ll all do that, Brother Daniel.’
‘Do the ladies know of the murder?’
‘It would be impossible to keep it from them.’
‘I hope that they’re not too distressed. The lady Golde is robust enough to cope with such grim tidings but Master Bret’s wife is a more delicate creature.’
‘I fancy that she may be tougher than she appears.’
‘You probably thought the same about me, my lord,’ said the monk with a self-deprecating shrug. ‘Yet look at me now. Cowering in the chapel because I stumbled upon a corpse.’
‘There’s rather more to it than that.’
‘Is there?’
‘Yes, Brother Daniel,’ explained the other. ‘To begin with, what you found was a mutilated body that turned your stomach. You were bound to turn to God for support. Then again, you may have made a critical discovery that will simplify our work here.’
‘In what way, my lord?’
‘Hermer the Steward was set to be a crucial witness in the major dispute we’ve come to witness. Alive, he would have been vital to his master’s chances of success.’
‘And dead?’
‘He becomes a key that may unlock the door to the truth. A grotesque truth at that. It’s small consolation to you, I know,’ Coureton said with a hand on the monk’s shoulder, ‘but your walk outside the castle may have been providential. In finding that dead body, you did us a kind of favour.’
The banquet was a muted affair. Fine wine and delicious food were served but they were consumed without any relish. News of the murder hung over the occasion like a pall and, though few people discussed the details, all of them had the crime very firmly in their minds. The long table in the hall was presided over by Roger Bigot and his wife, Matilda, a handsome woman in rich apparel who did everything with a natural grace, but not even her smiling
Daniel spoke in a whisper. ‘When one of the holy brothers passed away at the abbey it was always a peaceful event. Sadness was tinged with relief that the departed would be going to a far happier station than they had enjoyed on earth. But not in this case, my lord.’
‘I know. Gervase Bret gave me the details.’
‘It was a ghastly sight. I’ll never forget it.’
‘Yes, you will,’ said Coureton soothingly. ‘Time is considerate towards us. It suppresses darker memories. I knew that you’d be shaken by the ordeal and repair to the chapel. That’s why I came to find you.’
‘I’m grateful for your kindness, my lord.’
‘You shouldn’t be left alone. Come and join us, Brother Daniel.’
‘Where?’
‘In the hall.’
The monk was amazed. ‘The banquet is still being held?’
‘It begins very soon.’
‘How can anyone enjoy a feast when a foul murder hangs over us?’
‘In the circumstances, I don’t think there’ll be much enjoyment, but the banquet had to go forth. It was too late to abandon it. Besides,’ he said, philosophically, ‘we have to keep body and soul together. Even a monk must eat and drink.’
‘I lack any appetite.’
‘Then at least sit with us in the hall. Company will distract you.’
‘It’s more likely to sadden me, my lord,’ said Daniel. ‘Don’t worry about me. You go to the banquet with the other guests. I’m only a humble scribe. I don’t really belong there. The chaplain has invited me to share more homely fare with him, so I’ll have someone to comfort me.’
‘What will you do after that?’
‘Come back here to pray once more.’
Coureton gave a tired smile. ‘Who knows? I may even join you.’
‘You’ll be too busy sleeping off the effects of too much wine,’ said Daniel with a flash of his old spirit. ‘I don’t begrudge you that. Drink a cup for me – but raise another for Hermer the Steward.’
‘We’ll all do that, Brother Daniel.’
‘Do the ladies know of the murder?’
‘It would be impossible to keep it from them.’
‘I hope that they’re not too distressed. The lady Golde is robust enough to cope with such grim tidings but Master Bret’s wife is a more delicate creature.’
‘I fancy that she may be tougher than she appears.’
‘You probably thought the same about me, my lord,’ said the monk with a self-deprecating shrug. ‘Yet look at me now. Cowering in the chapel because I stumbled upon a corpse.’
‘There’s rather more to it than that.’
‘Is there?’
‘Yes, Brother Daniel,’ explained the other. ‘To begin with, what you found was a mutilated body that turned your stomach. You were bound to turn to God for support. Then again, you may have made a critical discovery that will simplify our work here.’
‘In what way, my lord?’
‘Hermer the Steward was set to be a crucial witness in the major dispute we’ve come to witness. Alive, he would have been vital to his master’s chances of success.’
‘And dead?’
‘He becomes a key that may unlock the door to the truth. A grotesque truth at that. It’s small consolation to you, I know,’ Coureton said with a hand on the monk’s shoulder, ‘but your walk outside the castle may have been providential. In finding that dead body, you did us a kind of favour.’
The banquet was a muted affair. Fine wine and delicious food were served but they were consumed without any relish. News of the murder hung over the occasion like a pall and, though few people discussed the details, all of them had the crime very firmly in their minds. The long table in the hall was presided over by Roger Bigot and his wife, Matilda, a handsome woman in rich apparel who did everything with a natural grace, but not even her smiling
Similar Books
