Murder on Bealtaine Eve (Dumnonia Mysteries 1) by Clare Jayne

Author:Clare Jayne [Jayne, Clare]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Meroda Publishing
Published: 2021-11-10T16:00:00+00:00

20. What Alys Knew

“SHE WAS murdered,” Uxio said, standing in the same spot Morvoren had earlier. “Why?”

She shook her head, unable to lift her eyes from the body. Alys should be brought inside, but Morvoren had waited to let Uxio see where the death took place, in case it told him more than it had told her about what had occurred here.

He glanced behind them at the people sitting quietly nearby. “Did anyone see how it happened or who was responsible?”

“I don’t know.” She looked up at him then and took some strength from his calm expression. “I haven’t spoken to anyone yet. My thoughts aren’t clear enough. I helped with the birthing of her daughter; she was someone I regularly saw and frequently spoke to. She had a kind nature... What I’m saying is that, in my sadness over this, I might not ask what needs to be asked or be able to piece together information the way we did for Mundi. I need your help.”

He nodded, his expressionless face a comfort for once. “I will do whatever I can. Shall we speak to her family first?”

“Yes. She has a husband: Aed. Her parents are still alive too, but Aed is likely to be the person who last saw her.” They turned away and she paused in front of the watchers. “Alys can be taken home now to be got ready for burial.”

“Should we take her to her parents’ house, in case the sight is too much for her little girl?” Jago asked.

“Aye. That would be best.”

Two of the men carried her and the rest of the people rose to follow, still unnaturally silent, as if they too had become spirits. At Carn Euny, Alys was taken off in one direction and Morvoren led Uxio to the house Aed and Alys had shared with their daughter, Taega, and his mother, Melwyn.

Aed was rocking his daughter on his lap as Melwyn invited them in and whispered, “Where is she?”

“We had her body taken to her parents’ home,” Morvoren said.

“I should go and help them.”

“Could we speak to you and Aed briefly first? It would help us find out who did such a cruel thing.”

She nodded. “Aye. Come and sit down, Blessed One. You too...” She gestured to Uxio, who introduced himself to her and to her son. Aed shook himself out of his daze, his hollow gaze focusing upon them. Melwyn gave the child a spindle to play with and she sat on the earth floor on the other side of the hearth, braiding a length of wool with her tiny fingers.

“I’m so sorry that Alys has been taken from you like this,” Morvoren said to Aed. “Let me know when you want the burial to be and I’ll see to everything.”

He looked from her to his mother as if this was more than he was able to decide.

She left the subject for them to consider. “Why did Alys go to the river?”

“She went to fetch a pail of water, as she does every morning,” Aed said.

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