Faithful Unto Death by Sarah Hawkswood

Author:Sarah Hawkswood [Sarah Hawkswood]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780749024192
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Published: 2019-01-16T16:00:00+00:00

When his superiors saw the look upon Walkelin’s face they knew, knew as clearly as if he had told them in words. It was rare to see him look other than an essentially kindly soul, and at this moment he looked like a man who had killing on his mind.

‘So he did. We had to think it likely.’ Catchpoll hawked, and spat into the grass.

‘If he were not dead already, I would see him swing, Serjeant, but only after I had had my time with him, and he would want the rope by then.’ Unthinkingly, Walkelin echoed Bradecote’s words to Rhys ap Iorwerth. He proceeded to tell them Winfraeth’s tale. ‘I swore we would not make it known in Doddenham, not see her shamed.’

‘Why should she suffer more? You did right, Walkelin. We can only be thankful that he let her live, and that her man is sensible and understanding. But it gives us more to think upon.’ Bradecote was grim.

‘Not least where the bastard got the stamina,’ grumbled Catchpoll. ‘He seems to have needed women like most men need bread.’

‘He cannot have gone about like this in Mathrafal, my lord, else there would not be a woman untouched.’ Walkelin was still seething.

‘I think he saw this time in England as his chance to do what he wanted as often as he wanted, without fear of consequences, since he had no intention of returning. I, like you both, think the knife was too swift a death, but that is what he got.’

‘Pity it is that a knife in the back cannot be self-defence, for even if it went before the Justices for the killing, if the man − or woman − did for him to keep his own life, the penalty would be light. That is if any at all, especially if we gave it that Hywel ap Rhodri had raped and murdered his way through our shires.’ Catchpoll shook his head.

‘Which helps us not at all now,’ remarked Bradecote, stretching. ‘Winfraeth saw him with the lady Avelina, but told nobody. What we need to know is whether any other saw their indiscretion, and whether husband or ailing lover, in thought or deed, saw them. Might Durand have followed her, seen her with Hywel, and feigned illness to cover his plans for later that day?’

‘The ladies nursing him would have known, at the least,’ Catchpoll reminded him.

‘But the lady Matilda only said he fell ill the second day, not when upon that day, and … could he have left the solar in the night, murdered Hywel ap Rhodri and his servant and … He could not have got the bodies away, though, not without people knowing.’

‘But they did know, within the manor walls and in the village. Winfraeth said she told her swain Ketel when it was known the Welshman was dead, and we did not say to them he was dead. Besides, everyone in the manor would be happy if he were dead and gone after the things he did.

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