Read Online The Midsummer Crown by Kate Sedley - Free Book Online Page B

an otherwise unexceptional, but very pleasant face. Normally, I imagined, it was the mirror of a happy and sunny disposition, but at present its owner appeared careworn and a little frightened.
    â€˜You’re a friend of Master Fitzalan?’
    â€˜Not a friend exactly, sir, but I’m of his household. I’m a sort of valet, sir. I look after his clothes and help him dress and cut his hair and file his nails. But he was – I mean is –’ the voice trembled slightly – ‘a friendly young gentleman, sir, and . . . and we got – get – on together, sir.’
    This was suddenly too much for Timothy, who snapped irritably, ‘For God’s sake, lad, stop calling him “sir”! This is Master Chapman and he’s no more up in the world than you are.’
    But if this was meant to put me in my place, it had exactly the opposite effect. Young Master Daubenay’s eyes grew round as saucers.
    â€˜You’re not the famous chapman, are you? The one who solves mysteries?’ He took my answer for granted and clasped my hand. ‘Oh, sir! Someone said my lord of Gloucester had sent for you. Oh, you will find him, sir, won’t you? Master Gideon, I mean.’
    I dared not glance at Timothy. I could see that even William Blancheflower had shifted his respectful gaze from my companion to myself.
    â€˜I’ll do my best,’ I assured Piers Daubenay and returned the pressure of his hand before gently freeing myself. It was a soft hand which had probably never known hard, manual labour. I added, ‘I’d like to talk to you as soon as I can. I need to know everything you’re able to tell me about the happenings at Baynard’s Castle last Saturday.’
    At that moment, much, I think, to Timothy’s relief, the steward came hurrying towards us, his wand of office tapping the ground as he approached. Again, one glance at the White Boar emblem was sufficient to secure us his immediate and obsequious attention as he ushered us into the house and handed us over to an equally deferential housekeeper.
    â€˜Mistress Blancheflower, these gentlemen are in need of supper and beds for the night. I shall leave them in your capable hands. Masters!’ He gave us a little bow. ‘I shall look forward to your company at the high table in the servants’ hall in an hour’s time.’ He left us, and I almost expected him to shuffle out backwards as if we were royalty.
    Timothy, his self-importance restored, smiled pleasantly at the housekeeper and said, ‘Blancheflower? Are you related to Sir Francis’s kennel man?’
    She chuckled. ‘Oh, you’ve met William, have you, sir? Yes, as you’ve quite likely guessed, he’s my husband, We’ve been married these dozen years or more. And now, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you and the other gentleman to your rooms.’
    She bustled ahead of us, a slender, upright woman of about her husband’s age, which I judged to be somewhere around forty. In contrast to her body, which tended to be angular, her face was softly rounded, its best feature a pair of large brown eyes fringed with sandy lashes beneath delicately arched eyebrows of roughly similar colour. Normally, I suspected she was a jolly soul, but the news brought from London by young Daubenay had cast a gloom over the entire household. She made no further attempt to engage us in conversation until she had seen us safely installed in two adjacent guest-rooms on the ground floor and assured herself that all was in order. Only then did she allow herself the luxury of an anxious question.
    â€˜I suppose you’ve heard no more about poor young Master Gideon, sirs?’
    Timothy shook his head. ‘Master Chapman and I are on our way to London now and hope to reach there sometime Friday morning. We must spend another night on the road after leaving here tomorrow, but it may be that there will be some good