The Assassination Players: Is someone plotting to kill the queen...? (The Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mysteries Book 2) by David Field

Author:David Field [Field, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2024-03-08T00:00:00+00:00

10

The fields to their left led towards a slowly running river as they trotted their mounts into Quorndon. There was a central green, around which several humble cottages were grouped. In the middle of these was what appeared to be an inn. It was well past midday, and Edward and Elizabeth were tired and dust-covered, so they needed little additional reason to hitch their horses to a convenient pole outside the inn and make their way inside.

As their eyes adjusted to the gloom, a familiar voice hailed them from behind the counter.

Edward grinned as he walked over. ‘Two pots of your best, please, good fellow. And perhaps some bread and cheese, if you have such available.’

Behind the counter, dressed from neck to knees in a white smock, Francis smiled back. ‘By the looks of you, you have travelled far, and must be in need of refreshment and a good rest. If you would care to walk through to the garden at the rear, you will find an arbour. The shade will protect you from the afternoon sun, and you may sit to rest your aching limbs. I will bring your ale and victuals through to you as you take your ease.’

‘You finally found your true vocation,’ Edward teased as Francis joined them in the yard to the rear of the inn, carrying a tray on which their pots of ale and platters of bread and cheese were carefully balanced.

Francis chuckled as he put the tray on the table, looked quickly behind him and lowered his voice. ‘All those years of intervening in alehouse brawls while working as a constable certainly proved advantageous,’ he confided. ‘I was only here for one night — last night, as it transpires — and was seated quietly in the main room there, minding my own business, when the perfect opportunity arose. A loud-mouthed oaf who it seems often causes trouble in here — and who apparently belongs with that crowd of malcontents skulking in Nether Hall — took offence at something said by the landlord when he spat into the sawdust. The next thing I knew, the landlord had been hauled over his counter, there was ale everywhere, and the young woman who works here was screaming like a stuck pig. Without thinking, I got up and solved the problem by sending the ill-mannered donkey back out through the front door on his arse. When he sought to come back in, wielding a sword, I demonstrated my disapproval by disabling his arm and confiscating his weapon. He was back this morning with a suitable apology, a monetary gift in exchange for the return of his sword, and a solemn promise never to behave in that fashion again.’

‘And in consequence you were invited to remain here in order to discourage any similar behaviour in the future?’ Edward asked with a broad smile.

‘It relieved me of any need to invent a false reason for my presence here until such time as you need me to ride hard back into town,’ Francis explained.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.