Dissolution by Christopher Sansom

Author:Christopher Sansom [Sansom, Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical, Mystery, Thriller, Religion
ISBN: 9781405005425
Google: uwjRHAAACAAJ
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 2497210
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2003-06-20T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

All at once Mark was shaking me awake; I must have fallen asleep lying there.

'Sir, Brother Guy is here.'

The infirmarian stood looking down at me; hastily I got to my feet.

'I have a message, Commissioner. The abbot has the land deeds you requested and some correspondence he wishes to send out. He is on his way.'

'Thank you, Brother.' He looked at me intently, fingering the rope at the waist of his habit with long brown fingers.

'I will shortly be going to the night service for Simon Whelplay. Commissioner, I feel I should tell what I suspect about his poisoning to the abbot.'

I shook my head. 'Not yet. His killer does not know murder is suspected and that may give me an advantage.'

'But how am I to say he died? The abbot will ask.'

'Say you are unsure.'

He passed a hand across his tonsure. When he spoke again his voice was agitated.

'But, sir, knowledge of how he died should guide our prayers. We should be asking the Lord to receive the soul of a slain man, not a sick one. He died without shrift or housel, that alone is a danger to his soul.'

'God sees all. The boy will be admitted to heaven or no as He wills.'

The infirmarian looked set to argue further, but just then the abbot entered. His old servant followed behind, carrying a big leather satchel. Abbot Fabian looked grey and worn, peering at us through tired eyes. Brother Guy bowed to his superior and left us.

'Commissioner, I have brought the deeds of the four land sales made this last year. Also some correspondence — business letters and some personal letters from the monks. You asked to see correspondence before it went out.'

'Thank you. Put the satchel on the table.'

He hesitated, rubbing his hands together nervously. 'May I ask how things went in the town today? Did you make progress? The smugglers—'

'Some progress. My lines of enquiry seem to multiply, my lord Abbot. I also saw Jerome this afternoon.'

'I trust he was not — not—'

'Oh, he insulted me again, naturally. I think he should remain in his cell for the present.'

The abbot coughed. 'I have had a letter myself,' he said hesitantly. 'I have put it with those others; it is from an old friend, a monk at Bisham. He has friends at Lewes Priory. They say terms of surrender are being negotiated with the vicar general.'

I smiled wryly. 'The monks of England have their own communication networks, it was ever so. Well, my lord, I think I may say Scarnsea is not the only house with a mischievous history that Lord Cromwell thinks would be better closed.'

'This is not a mischievous house, sir.' There was a slight tremble in his deep voice. 'Things went well and peacefully until Commissioner Singleton came!' I fixed him with an affronted look. He bit his lip and swallowed and I realized I was looking at a frightened man, near the edge of his reason. I felt his sense of humiliation, his confusion as his world shook and trembled about him.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.