that the Bishop of Lincoln owed knight service to the king, and to fulfill this duty, he awarded the use of lands he owned to certain chosen knights. The knights paid for these lands by performing a month of guard service at Lincoln Castle.
Bernard’s breath wheezed audibly and he said, with a trace of excitement in his voice, “John Rye has been with the garrison this month. He has a manor north of Lincoln Fields, which he holds in knight’s fee from the bishop. I believe I heard somewhere that he is a cousin of William of Roumare.”
The two men looked at each other.
“Is this John Rye still at the castle?” Hugh asked.
Bernard frowned. “This is the last day of January. His term of service should be up tomorrow.”
“I will make sure I speak to him before he leaves,” Hugh promised.
Bernard heaved a huge sigh before saying gruffly, “I thank you for coming, lad. It is good to know that you believe in me.”
Moving slowly, Hugh stiffly got to his feet. “Your men in the castle guard believe in you, too, Bernard. It was John Melan who came to fetch me, you know.”
Bernard looked pleased. “Did he, now? I have wondered why John has not been to see me.”
Hugh headed toward the door. “Keep on thinking about this, and if you come up with any other suspects, let me know.”
Bernard stood up as well. “I will do that.”
At the door, Hugh turned around. He seemed to hesitate, then made up his mind. Holding himself very erect, he said, “What about Richard?”
“Richard?” Bernard was clearly startled. “What on earth would Richard have to gain by the death of Gilbert de Beauté?”
“He has a stake in seeing that his father retains his power as sheriff. And it was his squire who found you in the Minster.”
Bernard looked very grave. “I thought that old childhood rivalry between you and Richard would be over, now that you both have grown up.”
Hugh replied in a voice that was carefully contained. “This has nothing to do with any supposed childhood rivalry. The fact of the matter is, it was Richard’s squire who found you. And Richard could easily have given the groom a message for you saying it was from his father.”
Bernard took a few steps forward and held Hugh’s eyes with his own steady gaze. “Do you really think that Richard would kill an earl, not to mention that poor groom, because he was afraid Gervase might lose some of his power as sheriff? Richard has a bright future in front of him, Hugh. All do know that. He is far too intelligent to endanger that future in such a clumsy manner.”
Hugh didn’t reply, but his gray stare was defiant.
Bernard shook his head in bewilderment. “For somereason, you and Richard don’t like each other. You have never liked each other. Or perhaps I should say that you don’t like Richard. It has always seemed to me as if Richard would like to be friends with you.”
“Our personalities do not mesh,” Hugh said abruptly.
“That may be so, but do not let your dislike trick you into seeing things that aren’t there,” Bernard said.
For a moment, Hugh remained perfectly motionless. Then he nodded. “Fair enough.”
He turned away to face the barred window in the door and called for the knight on guard.
“Where are you staying?” Bernard asked while they waited for the guard to open the door.
A half-rueful, half-amused look came over Hugh’s face.
“With the sheriff,” he said.
The key sounded in the lock and the heavy door swung open.
“Ready to leave, my lord?” the guard asked.
“Aye,” Hugh said. He looked back at Bernard. “I will be back.”
“Good hunting, lad,” the prisoner returned. “And thank you.”
6
A lan quietly entered the bedroom where his master’s guest was soaking in the portable wooden bathtub that had been set up under a canopy to help hold the heat.
“Sir Richard sent me to assist you, my lord,” he said.
The wet black head turned toward him.
Alan, like almost every other soul in
Bernard’s breath wheezed audibly and he said, with a trace of excitement in his voice, “John Rye has been with the garrison this month. He has a manor north of Lincoln Fields, which he holds in knight’s fee from the bishop. I believe I heard somewhere that he is a cousin of William of Roumare.”
The two men looked at each other.
“Is this John Rye still at the castle?” Hugh asked.
Bernard frowned. “This is the last day of January. His term of service should be up tomorrow.”
“I will make sure I speak to him before he leaves,” Hugh promised.
Bernard heaved a huge sigh before saying gruffly, “I thank you for coming, lad. It is good to know that you believe in me.”
Moving slowly, Hugh stiffly got to his feet. “Your men in the castle guard believe in you, too, Bernard. It was John Melan who came to fetch me, you know.”
Bernard looked pleased. “Did he, now? I have wondered why John has not been to see me.”
Hugh headed toward the door. “Keep on thinking about this, and if you come up with any other suspects, let me know.”
Bernard stood up as well. “I will do that.”
At the door, Hugh turned around. He seemed to hesitate, then made up his mind. Holding himself very erect, he said, “What about Richard?”
“Richard?” Bernard was clearly startled. “What on earth would Richard have to gain by the death of Gilbert de Beauté?”
“He has a stake in seeing that his father retains his power as sheriff. And it was his squire who found you in the Minster.”
Bernard looked very grave. “I thought that old childhood rivalry between you and Richard would be over, now that you both have grown up.”
Hugh replied in a voice that was carefully contained. “This has nothing to do with any supposed childhood rivalry. The fact of the matter is, it was Richard’s squire who found you. And Richard could easily have given the groom a message for you saying it was from his father.”
Bernard took a few steps forward and held Hugh’s eyes with his own steady gaze. “Do you really think that Richard would kill an earl, not to mention that poor groom, because he was afraid Gervase might lose some of his power as sheriff? Richard has a bright future in front of him, Hugh. All do know that. He is far too intelligent to endanger that future in such a clumsy manner.”
Hugh didn’t reply, but his gray stare was defiant.
Bernard shook his head in bewilderment. “For somereason, you and Richard don’t like each other. You have never liked each other. Or perhaps I should say that you don’t like Richard. It has always seemed to me as if Richard would like to be friends with you.”
“Our personalities do not mesh,” Hugh said abruptly.
“That may be so, but do not let your dislike trick you into seeing things that aren’t there,” Bernard said.
For a moment, Hugh remained perfectly motionless. Then he nodded. “Fair enough.”
He turned away to face the barred window in the door and called for the knight on guard.
“Where are you staying?” Bernard asked while they waited for the guard to open the door.
A half-rueful, half-amused look came over Hugh’s face.
“With the sheriff,” he said.
The key sounded in the lock and the heavy door swung open.
“Ready to leave, my lord?” the guard asked.
“Aye,” Hugh said. He looked back at Bernard. “I will be back.”
“Good hunting, lad,” the prisoner returned. “And thank you.”
6
A lan quietly entered the bedroom where his master’s guest was soaking in the portable wooden bathtub that had been set up under a canopy to help hold the heat.
“Sir Richard sent me to assist you, my lord,” he said.
The wet black head turned toward him.
Alan, like almost every other soul in
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