Hermitage, Wat and Some Nuns by Howard of Warwick

Author:Howard of Warwick
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: crime, comedy, historical, humour, medieval, mystery and detective, funny book, historical detective
Publisher: Howard of Warwick

Caput XIII

A Gaggle of Suspects

‘It was Hendig,’ Hermitage said.

‘It was the abbess,’ Cwen said.

‘Definitely the moot,’ Wat said.

Back in their room at the tavern, as late afternoon wandered nonchalantly into evening, the investigative triumvirate shared their findings. Cwen sat on one end of the rough cot and Wat was on the other. Hermitage was pacing up and down, which always helped his thoughts.

‘Oh dear,’ said Hermitage looking at them. He’d hoped they’d be overjoyed with his discovery of the killer, not have found their own.

‘Hendig discovered the body, so he says. He also says he doesn’t know what Gilder’s last message was, but that could be a lie as well.’

‘But he was paid for work by Gilder?’ Cwen pointed out. ‘Who’d want to kill the person who pays them?’

‘I can think of several,’ said Wat, dryly.

‘He did say he hated the things he was told to do,’ said Hermitage, ‘and he’s friends with Balor. He’ll continue to work and be paid, and might even be promoted. Balor is bound to give his friend some position of importance.’

‘Not necessarily,’ said Cwen. ‘He didn’t seem to know Hendig was helping Gilder at all. And he wasn’t happy about it.’

‘I’m sure they could sort that out.’

‘Even when Balor finds out that his friend killed his father - even if he was a hated father? It’s a bit of a drastic step I’d have thought, almost knocking someone’s head off on the expectation that their son will give you a job.’

Hermitage stopped for thought. It did seem a bit extreme when it was put like that.

‘But the abbess?’ Hermitage asked, shocked that a woman of holy orders could even be considered. ‘She leads a religious community for goodness sake. I met Father Cuthbert and he is the most charming and good natured individual. I couldn’t for a moment imagine him doing anything like this.’

‘Ha,’ Cwen exclaimed, ‘then all the charm and good nature for the two of them has ended up with him. She turned out repulsive and evil-minded.’

‘Cwen, really,’ Hermitage complained.

‘You want to spend some more time with her,’ Cwen suggested. ‘Her performance at the moot hall was positively restrained. Her and a woman called Hild, who just sat there scowling at the daylight, I wouldn’t put it past the two of them to take someone’s head off just by looking at it.’

Hermitage recalled his discussion with Cuthbert. ‘But did they have the motive and the opportunity?’

‘The what?’ Cwen and Wat asked simultaneously.

Hermitage smiled at his new concept. ‘I picked it up from Father Cuthbert. For someone to be a killer they have to have the motive and the opportunity.’

‘Do they?’

‘Of course. You can’t kill someone unless you have the chance to do so, and you wouldn’t do it unless you had reason.’

‘Or you were mad,’ said Wat.

‘Well, yes, I suppose so,’ said Hermitage, admitting that was another possibility. ‘But Hendig had both. He wanted rid of Gilder so he could stop doing the horrible jobs, and then work for Balor. And he was the last person to see the victim on his own.

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