Unhallowed Ground by Mel Starr

Author:Mel Starr [Starr, Mel]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: General Fiction
ISBN: 9780857210586
Publisher: Monarch Books
Published: 2011-12-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

At the third hour I left Galen House, right arm supported in Kate’s sling, and sought John Prudhomme. The beadle lived on Rosemary Lane, near to Peter Carpenter, and it was his custom to rise late from his bed as his duties enforcing curfew kept him from slumber when other men lay snoring upon their pillows.

The beadle was not at home. I found him tending to a field of dredge between St Andrew’s Chapel and Shill Brook, where he had a yardland of Lord Gilbert. Weeds in John’s furrows were few, but even few were too many for the fellow. He looked up from his labor as I approached, and I saw his eyes dart to my wounded arm.

Had the beadle seen any man upon the town streets after curfew he would have told me of it, as was his obligation. So I did not expect to learn from him a name, but I hoped he might recall some event or sight out of the ordinary.

“You have injured your arm,” he said by way of greeting.

“Aye. Well, I did not… some other did so.”

A puzzled expression furrowed John’s brow. I did not leave him in confusion, but explained my wound and asked if he saw or heard anything uncommon to a May evening.

John scratched his head and considered the question. “’Twas quiet, as always,” he replied. “Only man I was likely to find on the streets after curfew was Thomas atte Bridge, as you know, for I reported ’im to you often enough. Now ’e’s in ’is grave the town is more peaceful, like, of a summer’s eve.”

I had held little hope that the beadle could provide the name of someone prowling the streets after curfew, so was not much disappointed with his reply.

“I’m obliged to watch an’ warn ’til midnight,” he continued. “Was some fellow on the streets after that, who’d know of it?”

“I assign you no blame, John,” I assured the beadle. “’Tis as you say… the attack came in the dark of night, midnight or past. If you hear of any man speak of prowlers in the night, tell me straight away.”

Prudhomme assured me he would do so, and I left the fellow to his crop and weeds. He seemed agitated that some miscreant had been prowling the streets he was to see cleared, as if the man had done injury to him rather than to me. John would be alert for any odd events for the next weeks, I knew, and for this I might sleep more securely. So I thought, until I returned to Galen House.

Kate stood at the open door, awaiting my return. I assumed her worried expression had to do with concern for my injury. Not so.

“Come to the toft,” she whispered when I was near the open door. “See what I have found there.”

I followed Kate through the house and out the door to the toft. She turned to her left, walked a few paces, then halted and pointed to the soft ground near a shaded corner of the house.

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