Read Online To Kill or Cure by Susanna Gregory - Free Book Online

William venomously. ‘He would bring the ways of Satan to our—’
    ‘There are not many men in a position to drop all and join us immediately,’ interrupted Michael. ‘And we do need someone as
     quickly as possible.’
    ‘It will have to be Honynge or Tyrington, then,’ said Wynewyk unenthusiastically. ‘Both have their own hostels, but, like
     all Principals, they are worried about the outcome of this rent war – not all hostels will survive it. Thus they are currently
     looking for College appointments. I suppose I would opt for Honynge over Tyrington, because Tyrington spits.’
    ‘You mean he has an excess of phlegm?’ asked Bartholomew. ‘I could devise a remedy—’
    ‘No, I mean he
sprays
,’ elaborated Wynewyk with a fastidious shudder. ‘If you stand too close to him when he is speaking, you come away drenched.
     And he leers, too.’
    ‘I have never noticed leering – the slobbering is hard to miss,’ said Langelee. ‘What do you think about Honynge?’
    ‘
He
does not leer,’ acknowledged Wynewyk. ‘He talks to himself, though.’
    ‘He certainly does,’ agreed William, picking at a stain on his habit. ‘I asked him about it once – I thought he might be communing
     with the Devil, and was going tooffer him a free exorcism. But he told me he was conversing with the only man in Cambridge capable of matching his intellect.’
    Bartholomew was taken aback by the immodest claim. ‘His scholarly reputation is formidable, but there are others who more
     than match it – Prestone and Hamelyn, to name but two.’
    ‘It is not Honynge’s vanity that disturbs me,’ said Michael. ‘It is his other gamut of unpleasant traits. I had occasion to
     deal with him over the death of Wenden – you will recall that Wenden was walking home from visiting Honynge when he was murdered
     by the tinker. I was obliged to interview Honynge, and I found him arrogant, rude and sly.’
    ‘He is a condescending ass,’ declared William. ‘However, I do not like the notion of leering, either, as we shall have if
     we elect Tyrington. It might frighten the students.’
    ‘We should consider Carton for the post,’ said Bartholomew, thinking of the shy Franciscan who was Falmeresham’s friend. ‘He
     has been a commoner for a whole term now, and we all know him.’
    ‘We all
like
him, too,’ mused Michael. ‘He is not overly argumentative, does not hold too many peculiar religious beliefs, and his keen
     intelligence will improve our academic standing in the University.’
    ‘I agree,’ said Langelee. ‘But, unfortunately, now is not a good time to appoint him – he is too upset about Falmeresham.
     He might skimp his academic duties to go hunting for shadows.’
    ‘Falmeresham is not a shadow,’ said Bartholomew, more sharply than he had intended. ‘He will return soon – I am sure of it.’
    ‘Yes, but he might return dead,’ said William baldly. ‘It is obvious that Blankpayn has hidden the body in orderto avoid a charge of murder. I am sorry, Matthew, but we must be realistic.’
    ‘We can still hope for his safe return, though,’ said Wynewyk, seeing the stricken expression on the physician’s face. ‘I
     have a friend who drinks in Blankpayn’s tavern. I shall visit him this morning, and see if he has noticed signs of recent
     digging in the garden.’
    ‘Thank you,’ said Bartholomew, aware that if Wynewyk really expected Falmeresham to come home, he would not be offering to
     look for shallow graves. Like William, he believed the worst.
    ‘Unfortunately, we are not in a position to be choosy, not if we want the post filled quickly,’ said Langelee, going to a
     window and peering into the yard below. ‘The students are waiting for us to lead them to church, so we had better take a vote.
     Who wants Carton, a man distracted by grief?’
    Bartholomew raised his hand, but was the only one who did.
    ‘And Honynge?’ asked Langelee. ‘Said to be sly, with a preference for his own