Falconer and the Great Beast by Ian Morson

Author:Ian Morson [Morson, Ian]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, pdf
Publisher: Ostara Publishing
Published: 2012-05-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

You will expect to come plundering, spoiling, and stripping bare the ruins where men now live again, a people gathered out of the nations, a people acquiring cattle and goods, and making their home at the very centre of the world.

Ezekiel 38: 12–13

The unexpected coolness of the evening air – the first time it had been so for days – halted Falconer's intemperate rush down Great Bailey. And by the time he reached the High Street, lit by the flaming torches of the tavern fronts, he had reduced his progress to a stroll. There was, after all, no point in confronting Guillaume de Beaujeu with an accusation of murder. The Templar was both devious and imperturbable. He could either deny the murder, whether he had committed it or not, or even admit it, and defy Falconer's efforts to prove it. No – by far the best course of action would be for Falconer to do with de Beaujeu what he had requested Bullock to do with Guchuluk. Merely observe, and hope for some betrayal through either party's actions.

Resolved on a long, sleepless night, Falconer made a detour to Aristotle's Hall to scavenge for some provisions that might sustain him through the long hours to dawn. In the kitchen he found a scrap of cold, fatty pork, and folded it inside a hunk of dark, gritty manchet bread, thrusting the resulting package into the purse at his waist. Striding back through the hall, he was halted by a call from the gallery above. It was Richard Youlden, the lad who had seen Yeh-Lu on his foolish visit to the hall, and he seemed anxious to speak to his master.

‘Yes, Richard, what is it? I am in a hurry.’

Richard looked abashed, but carried on: ‘Thomas said you want to know of a good archer amongst the students. Well, there are several I know of – Philip Metcalf, Walter Colnet, John Stone and Benedict Tunstede are amongst the best.’

Falconer, intent on more important matters now, went to cut the youth off. But Richard was determined to speak his mind.

‘But there is one who is as accurate with a longbow as all of those I have mentioned, and he has been talking recently of, as he put it, showing those Tartars a thing or two. I just thought you might like to know.’

Falconer realized that Richard Youlden had a mind sharper than his stolid, farm-boy appearance led everyone to believe. He had obviously put together Falconer's interest in archery, and the death of Chimbai, and provided a suspect. Falconer would not, however, confirm the lad's suspicions yet as to what he was pursuing. Still, he marvelled how one day he could be despairing of finding anyone with cause and opportunity to kill Chimbai, and the next day he had an embarrassment of riches. He might as well add this name to his growing list. ‘And who is this paragon of the archer's skill?’

‘Miles Bikerdyke.’

As night fell, and the stench of stale beer drifted up from the tavern below, Guillaume de Beaujeu prepared himself for the next act in his strategem.

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