The Colour of Cold Blood: The Third Sebastian Foxley Medieval Murder Mystery (Sebastian Foxley Medieval Mystery Series Book 3) by Toni Mount

Author:Toni Mount [Mount, Toni]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: MadeGlobal Publishing
Published: 2017-03-21T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Thursday, the fourteenth day of November

The Foxley workshop

With Jude returned, all seemed well in Seb’s world, even though Em was not yet in the best of moods with him. Still, the new rose-coloured gown should put that to rights when he collected it in a day or two. He looked up from the image of the Magdalene he was completing for the psalter – it was progressing well – and smiled to himself, seeing the lads, both industrious for once, Jude collating and stitching the commentary on Leviticus that Gabriel had finished yesterday and the journeyman in question was gone to Lombard Street to deliver a finished piece to a client.

Besides that, two customers had come in to place orders earlier and a third – a priest from St Margaret’s, Lothbury – had purchased five cheap little Latin primers for the pupils at his school with money bequeathed for the purpose. A successful morn, indeed.

The shutters were down, to let in the light on this first bright day for what seemed weeks and Seb noticed Father Hugh Wessell and Under-Sheriff Nox – a strange pairing for certain – approaching the shop door, shouldering their way through the crowds off to market in Cheapside.

Having washed out his brush of terra verde pigment, Seb left his desk to welcome them but there was no need. Father Wessell had come in and stood before him. The only word Seb could think of to describe the man’s expression was smug.

‘Good morrow –,’ Seb began.

‘I didn’t come here for pleasantries,’ Wessell announced, ignoring Seb’s out-stretched hand of welcome. ‘Nox. Get on with it.’

‘What is it? How may I help you, sirs?’

In reply, Wessell waved a paper at Seb.

‘Know what this is?’

‘No. How would I? Hey! Leave that be,’ Seb cried, rushing to protect his work as Nox began sorting through the finished pages of the psalter that represented so many hours of painstaking work.

Jude came from behind the collating table and gripped Nox’s shoulder hard.

‘My brother said “Leave that be”, or are you deaf?’

‘This is a warrant, signed by the Lord Bishop, giving us the authority to search this place,’ said Wessell, showing his pin-like teeth in a serpent’s smile. ‘Now stand aside... all of you whilst we execute the warrant!’

‘But what is it you seek? What do you think you’ll find?’ Seb tried to shield his work desk on the one hand and Tom and Jack on the other. ‘Go to the kitchen,’ he told the lads, ‘Tell mistress to remain there also. I’ll deal with this.’

‘We both will,’ Jude said. ‘What in hell’s name do you pair of jackanapes think you’re doing? The mayor will hear of this, rest assured. I take it, this is church business, in which case you, Nox, have no right to be here.’

‘I am assisting the bishop.’ Nox pushed past Jude, towards the storeroom but the tall scrivener grabbed him by his jerkin.

‘No, you’re not. Now get out afore I fling you out!’

‘Look in the paper store,’

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