Murder by Another Name by Clare Jayne

Author:Clare Jayne [Jayne, Clare]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-07-10T23:00:00+00:00

16. Marriage Plans

WHEN MORVOREN and Brennus returned to the castle, she immediately sought Comux out. She had to wait while he listened to a dispute between two farm owners and decided the fairest outcome. He then had to make judgement upon a thief, the sort of matter Conomor often left to her to deal with. She watched from the side of the hall while he dealt with both these issues and, after hearing how he had helped Drustan, she saw anew how patient and fair Comux was with others, no matter what their rank was. It wasn’t surprising how well-liked he was as a king.

When he was finally finished with this work and paused to eat a midday meal, Morvoren told him what she had learnt. “I think the lack of any extra money – that Eudaf would have had if he were being paid by the Saxons – gives us enough certainty to call Kenosaglas a murderer.”

Comux kept eating as he considered it, his lack of an immediate response telling her that he wasn’t convinced. “They could have hidden the money.”

“Then send out Galchobar with more warriors to check again, my lord.”

“They could have given the money to someone else to hide for them.”

“Why would someone else possibly risk being executed as a spy too? Besides, who else could be involved, other than his family? Kenosaglas was his closest friend.”

Comux put down his drinking horn, his lips turned down at the edges. “I have to be absolutely certain.”

Frustrated, her new-found liking of him wavered. Enna and Trethowan had been so excited at the thought of proving Eudaf innocent and Trethowan’s idea had been a good one. “If Kenosaglas knew he was facing execution for murder I think he might confess to the real reason he killed Eudaf.”

“But then everyone would know I had made that accusation against him and there is still a chance you are wrong.”

“Kenosaglas himself said that only two people knew what happened in that room – him and Eudaf. He’s using this lie to go free after cold-bloodedly killing a man and Eudaf’s family will be destroyed by it.”

He hesitated before shaking his head. “You haven’t proved Kenosaglas’s guilt.”

“Isn’t proving Eudaf’s innocence the same thing?” There was something strange about Comux’s reactions, something she had experienced before whilst here, but hadn’t understood until now. “There’s something that you haven’t told me about all this.”

He looked away, avoiding her eyes and she knew she was right. “You’ve spoken to everyone involved in the death.”

“That’s not what I mean. Comux, you brought me all the way here, yet it doesn’t seem as if you trust me at all. What is it that you haven’t said about this matter?”

“Can I trust you?” He looked searchingly at her. “My mother would say otherwise.”

She made a dismissive sound. “Nothing I could ever do would change the queen’s opinion of me. Rhia still believes I have shared her husband’s bed, no matter what everyone including Conomor has said to the contrary.”

“That isn’t true? But my mother.

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