The Day of the Serpent by Cassandra Clark

Author:Cassandra Clark [Cassandra Clark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House
Published: 2021-07-02T00:00:00+00:00

7

It was beginning to rain when he walked up from the quay into Palace Yard. Crowds were already jostling at the doors to the hall. There was no sign of Underwood. Guards from another unit were on duty with not a bowman among them. At the entrance marshals were manhandling the crowds trying to get in, picking and choosing who they would allow into the council chamber against a barrage of ineffectual protests.

With no sign of Underwood’s detachment Chandler pushed his way through and found a place at the back where he could hear what was going on.

As he strained to see who was speaking he felt a tug on his sleeve and when he glanced down an old fellow in a grubby brown cloak was looking up at him through rheumy eyes in a nest of wrinkles. He crooked one finger at Chandler to bring him closer.

‘It’s this, young fellow,’ he croaked. Under cover of his hood he lifted one hand and, eyes on Chandler, opened it slowly like a trickster to reveal something lying in his palm. It was a badge of some kind.

Chandler bent his head. ‘What’s this?’

‘I thought you might be interested.’ He closed his fingers over it.

‘Maybe I am when I know what it is.’

‘I found it at St Albans.’

‘What were you doing there?’

‘Visiting my grand-daughter. She lives in the town. I thought I’d go and have a look at some old friends of mine in the graveyard while I was there.’

‘And did they tell you much?’

‘No more than usual.’ The old man revealed his gums in mirth. ‘You want this or not?’

‘How much?’

Chandler was already reaching wearily into the pouch on his belt but the man clawed his hand over his to stay him.

‘I don’t need coin at my age. Take it.’

‘Why have you brought it to me?’ He weighed the badge on his palm when the fellow insisted. It was heavier than pewter. Not a common pilgrim badge then.

‘I heard you know about things and wanted to know more.’ He gave him one long considering look then turned, inserted himself in a brief gap in the crowd, and was gone.

Chandler considered following but decided against it. He looked closely at the badge again but it was damaged and he could make nothing of it so he put it in his scrip for later.

After a frustrating hour listening to the discussion in the chamber by a handful of shire knights that didn’t seem to be going anywhere other than to express outrage at the possibility of a clamp-down on freedom of speech, he went outside again.

Underwood was waiting for him. It was still raining. He had his hood pulled down half over his face so that at first Chandler didn’t recognize him and thought it was some other old fellow come to show how mysterious he could be, when the bowman stepped into his path and lifted the edge of his hood to reveal his face.

‘Oh, it’s you. I looked for you earlier. I thought you were on guard duty this morning?’

‘They changed our routine.

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