05 Vale of Tears by Sarah Hawkswood

Author:Sarah Hawkswood [Sarah Hawkswood]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780749024093
Publisher: Allison and Busby
Published: 2019-11-14T22:00:00+00:00

The mill that Judhael de Nouailles had built from the abandoned construction planned by Evesham Abbey was well made and neatly kept. Bradecote and Catchpoll did not enter, but stopped short to sit themselves upon the warmed verdure, which gave off the smell of new-sprung grass and lifted their spirits. The Avon flowed past them, ignoring the troubles of men, and Catchpoll had to fight off the urge to think with his eyes shut.

The two men set out the facts that were known, the things that were probably true, and the things they just felt were true.

‘Trouble is, when you throw them together, they falls naturally into the shape we made of them, my lord.’

‘Which means we are either missing vital parts, which turn it into something else, like the lip that makes a jug, or we—’ Bradecote stopped as a horse came towards them at some speed. He recognised de Nouailles, and the man’s expression was not the usual disagreeable, but positively thunderous. He vaulted from his horse even before it had been hauled to a halt, and confronted Bradecote, chest heaving.

‘So this is the benefit of law is it?’ he yelled. ‘You come to a peaceful manor, accuse me of killing my beloved wife, and presumably also her brother, since you are so interested in his demise, and while you are here one of my servants is brutally murdered. Fine protection the law is, Bradecote.’

‘Murdered?’ Bradecote looked stunned. ‘Who? How?’

‘A wench from my kitchens. I do not recall the name, and how is easy. She was raped and strangled in a field not five hundred paces from the manor gates. She has been carried back on a hurdle.’ He sneered at the undersheriff. ‘But do not be concerned, for we have the killer.’

‘You have?’ Bradecote was still trying to get to grips with the news.

‘Yes indeed, for it was your man that did it!’

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