She Died Unshriven by David Field

Author:David Field [Field, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sharpe Books
Published: 2019-06-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

The smile disappeared from Tom’s face only when he was guiding the horse down Bridlesmithgate on his way back into the cluster of houses around St Mary’s that was ‘home’. But before he could put his feet up ahead of supper being served, there was a call of duty he really ought to attend to if he was to avoid Ben Hoskins causing trouble for him, just at the time when Tom was planning even worse trouble for Ben Hoskins.

It was too much to believe that a ghost had conveniently told Ben where to find Amy’s body; that had been obvious from the beginning. Add to that the fact that Ben owned a spade, that he was known to be violent when drunk, and prone to violence towards women, throw in the fact that Amy had, shortly before her death, been immorally associating with a ‘Benjamin’ who claimed to be a wealthy dealer in leather, and a very clear picture was forming in Tom’s mind.

But a picture in his mind would not be good enough. He needed facts, and although he had a good deal more than had been revealed to the inquest jury during the first day, he only had until next Monday to gather together the necessary strands of proof that would at least ensure that Anthony Featherstone was cleared of suspicion. What would be even more satisfying would be proof that the poor girl had been murdered by Ben Hoskins. She may have been a whore, but who was Tom to judge? And hadn’t he been set a fine example by Anthony himself, with his Christian obedience to the example set by Our Lord when confronted with a woman being stoned for adultery? Poor young Amy had no-one to ensure that her brutal and pitiful death was avenged unless Tom did what he perceived to be his duty.

His reflections on his duty wrestled with his eagerness to get home and have his supper, but conscience won the day, and halfway down Bridlesmithgate he nudged his horse left towards Pilcher Gate, where Ben Hoskins conducted his tannery business from a squalid yard at the side of his imposing jettied three-storied residence.

‘About bloody time,’ Hoskins growled as Tom tied his horse to the post and held his breath against the foul smells that came with the man’s trade. ‘But you’re too late, of course, as always. The little bastard ran off when I caught him at it, and fuck knows where he’s got to by now – halfway to Leicester, I shouldn’t wonder!’

‘Does he come from Leicester?’ Tom enquired, but Hoskins shook his head.

‘Not now – he come from there originally, or so he used to tell me, but he were lodging with an aunt of his in Beeston somewhere before he come to live with us. You might find him there, but I doubt it. Anyway, stay right where you are, while I get the stuff I caught him with.’

Hoskins bustled inside, and Tom took the opportunity,

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