The Rufus Spy by Alys Clare

Author:Alys Clare [Alys Clare]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2017-08-29T04:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

Late in the day after his lengthy discussions with Gurdyman, Jack met his loyal lawmen at the tavern on the quay. As he had anticipated, the murder of Elwytha Picot was the sole topic of conversation. Sheriff Picot, Jack learned, was incandescent with rage and searching desperately for someone to blame for his late nephew’s wife’s savage death.

‘I’m not sure it matters if they’re guilty or not,’ Fat Gerald observed. ‘He wants a hanging, and if he can come up with a slower and more painful method of execution, he probably will.’

His remark silenced the group for a moment. It was, Jack thought, looking round at the men’s faces, as if every one of them – himself included – recognized the truth of it.

‘I’m not pointing the finger at you, chief,’ Walter said quietly, ‘but the sheriff’s sore as a whipped hound that he can’t hang anybody for the death of his nephew. I reckon Gerald’s right, and whoever he picks on for the lady’s death will be made to pay twice over.’

‘Has the body been removed?’ Jack asked, more for the sake of moving the talk away from Walter’s remark than because he really wanted to know.

‘Yes,’ said Ned. ‘They brought it up to the castle early this morning and put it in the sheriff’s private quarters. It’s being prepared for burial.’

‘And that will be no small affair,’ Lard offered. He grinned briefly. ‘They say the sheriff was none too fond of his niece by marriage, and had little to do with her when she was alive, yet all the same it seems he’s intent on making a lavish spectacle of her death.’

Who will there be to mourn her? Jack wondered.

He remembered the gaggle of servants dancing attendance on her, the morning he’d watched her walk out.

‘What of the household?’ he asked.

He’d spoken too abruptly, and one or two of the men were exchanging glances. ‘Not too sure, chief,’ Walter said. ‘I don’t suppose they’ll stay, though, with nobody to serve and nobody to pay them.’

‘If I were sheriff I’d have a team of men standing by to search them as they go,’ young Henry said, eyes bright with fascinated speculation. ‘I’d wager that they’ll have helped themselves to one or two easily portable and very valuable little treasures.’

‘Aye, and who would blame them for that?’ Ranald replied roughly. It was him, Jack recalled, who was vaguely related to one of the serving maids. ‘The master and mistress of the house were hard on those beneath them,’ Ranald went on. ‘From what I hear, they did nothing to earn the loyalty, respect and devotion of those who served them.’

‘Go on,’ Jack said.

Ranald turned to him, a faint smile twisting his mouth. ‘I guessed you’d want to know the latest, chief, and I’ve just come from a lengthy chat with my cousin’s wife’s sister.’ He paused, gathering his thoughts. ‘Nobody who worked in the household was happy there. Many of the lowest servants were little better than slaves, since their only payment was their lodging and their food, and there was never enough of that.

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