The Merchant’s Partner aktm-2

by Michael Jecks

  “Well what?”

  “Aren’t you going to tell me not to jump to conclusions? Tell me I’m being fanciful?”

  “Would you listen to me if I did?”

  The knight considered. “No.”

  “Good!” said Simon and chuckled. Then, with a small frown, he said, “What did you think of the boy de la Forte?”

  “Think of him?” Baldwin shot him a glance. “I don’t know. I don’t trust him. I think he is telling the truth about the woman, though.”

  “That Greencliff was having an affair with one?”

  “Yes.”

  “I thought so too,” said Simon, nodding. “So what do we do now?”

  “I suppose we must release him. There can be no doubt that after Stephen de la Forte’s evidence the boy could not have been close to the woman when she was killed.”

  “No, unless de la Forte was lying. I felt he was this morning, and again just now. It wasn’t just a case of holding things back. I got the definite impression he was deliberately lying.”

  “Yes. I thought so too.” Baldwin glanced up at the clouds overhead. “There’s at least another hour and a half to dark. Do you think Margaret would grudge us a warming drink on our way home?”

  If it had not been for the innocent expression on his face, Simon might have thought he had no ulterior motive. As it was, the bailiff knew well that the knight had a reason to want to visit the inn and his grin broadened as they increased their pace to a canter.

  ***

  The innkeeper was sitting at a trestle in his hall when they arrived, both flushed from the sudden warmth after their ride. He was not alone.

  This late in the afternoon, the inn was filled with people after their day’s work. Farmers and labourers, local villeins and others lounged on the benches or stood near the fire. Round and portly, slight and thin, no matter what the drinker’s figure, all became silent at the sight of the knight and his friend. The black and brown dog followed, slinking quietly as if he realised the impact of their entry.

  “I think we’ve been noticed,” said Baldwin quietly, almost laughing.

  Simon could not find their situation amusing. His eyes were darting over the men in the room, trying to find a friendly face. There was none.

  “Sirs! Please, come in and sit,” said the keeper, evidently trying to put them and the others present at their ease. Walking to them, he quickly led the way to a table in a dark corner, at the back wall, near the curtain to the screen, and pulled over a pair of chairs.

  “Wine,” said Baldwin shortly, and the landlord nodded as he walked away. Pulling off his gloves, the knight looked around the room, and as he met the eyes of others there, they looked away. Gradually they began talking again under the firm gaze of the knight. The dog curled up under the table.

  “Here, gentlemen, your wine. Warmed and spiced.” The innkeeper set the tray down and poured them each a large measure.

  “Good,” said Baldwin, smacking his lips as he drew the mug from his mouth. “Ah, yes. Very good, innkeeper. Will you join us? Will you take a drink?”

  The expression of harassed nervousness disappeared.

  “Yes, sir, I’d like one. Here, let me…” He waved to a woman at the far end of the bar, a short and stout woman of a few years less than the landlord himself, whom Simon took to be his wife, and soon another tankard arrived.

  “It seems to be a busy inn you have here, keeper,” said Baldwin appreciatively.

  “Yes, sir,” said the publican, smiling as he looked around his empire. “Yes, we have some good customers here.”

  “Are they all locals?”

  “Yes, all of them. We don’t have many travellers at this time of year, not with the snow. That trade begins again later, when the spring begins.”

  “I see.”

  Simon leaned forward and set his pot down, resting his arms on the table, while Baldwin leaned back and gazed at the man sitting with them. The bailiff stared thoughtfully at his hot wine, then said, “We’ve been to see the de la Forte family. Do you know much about them?”

  The innkeeper took a long pull of his drink and glanced from one to the other. “Not very much, no.”

  “So you do not know about their business?”

  He shrugged. “Merchants. They import wine. Well…”

  “What?”

  “Oh, I was going to say, they used to, that’s all. I think they’ve suffered more than most over the last few years. I used to buy my own stocks from them.” He waved an airy hand vaguely towards the far side of the room, where he kept his barrels. “But then, when they began to lose their ships, I had to go elsewhere. Now I buy it from…”

  “So you know the father, then?”

  “Old Walter? Yes,” he chuckled. “He still comes here every now and again, but not too regularly.”

  “What is he like?”

  “How do you mean, what’s he like?”

  Before Simon could answer, Baldwin leaned forward conspiratorially, beckoning the landlord closer and peering round as if to make sure no one could overhear their talk. “You see, my friend,” he said quietly, “Walter has suggested, in a way, that perhaps I might like to invest in some of his ideas.”

  “Oh yes?” The landlord’s eyes were large moons, bewitched by the confidence.

  “Yes.” Baldwin peered over his shoulder, then beckoned again, settling farther forward on his elbows. “But… You will understand I’m a little suspicious, eh? I hardly know the man. What can you tell me of him?”

  “Ah well.” He settled, convinced of his audience by the knight’s firm and steady gaze, and Simon could not help a small smile at the similarity between the innkeeper and a bird preening itself. He suddenly realized that this man spent the whole of his life having to listen to other people, and he was rarely asked to give his own opinion or express his feelings. He was enjoying the experience.

  “I think he’s a steady sort of businessman, in truth. He’s been a merchant now for many years, and knows all the ways of the sea, and of Bordeaux in Gascony. Yes, if you want someone who knows his trade, he is good. He learned it while aboard ship as a boy, and soon managed to make enough to start to hire his own.”

  Frowning, Baldwin said, “But surely he would have had to make a fortune to be able to charter his own ships? How could a man who began as a crewman make that much?”

  “Well, sir, I’ve heard tell…” His eyes darted nervously towards Simon and back, then his voice dropped. “I’ve heard tell that he was in Acre. I think he helped bring people out of the city when the Saracens took it, and he could charge as much as he wanted for that.”

  “Ah!”

  In the dark, Simon found it difficult to read the knight’s expression, but he was sure that he caught an angry glint. He recalled the knight’s stories of how Acre had fallen, of how the seamen of all nations had appeared, like carrion crows to a corpse, demanding gold and jewels for taking people away to safety. After centuries of life in the Holy Land, families were ruined over a few short days, while the mariners became fabulously wealthy in hours.

  “I think it was after that he managed to earn enough to hire his first ships. And build his house. But recently it seems he has suffered from the French pirates. I think he has lost several boats, and cargoes. That’s probably why he wants a new partner.”

  “Yes, because he already does business with… Er… He told us his partner’s name. Who was it?” The knight snapped his fingers as if frustratedly trying to remember.

  “Alan Trevellyn, over towards Crediton. Yes, they have both been badly hurt by the troubles. You know, there have even been rumours that Trevellyn has somehow been responsible for the failures. I’ve heard that he was in debt to the French and told them when his ships were leaving, so he could pay back his debts with his partner’s half of the shipment as well as his own.” He sat back, his head nodding knowingly.

  “Where would you have heard that from?”

  Winking confidentially, the innkeeper said, “Wal
ter de la Forte’s son, sir. Stephen.”

  “So you think I should be careful, then?”

  “Oh, yes, sir. Yes, very careful.” His eyes flickered to the hilt of the sword at the knight’s waist. “It’s said he was quite a warrior in his youth, you know. That he was in many sea battles, not just at Acre, and that’s how he got all those scars. Yes, I hear he’s a bad enemy to have.”

  “Thank you, my friend, I am very grateful to you. You have given me a great deal to consider.”

  “Sir, I’m sure it’s an honour to help,” said the innkeeper, recognising the dismissal and rising slowly to clear the table. When he had finished and left them, Simon glanced over at the knight. “If he was in so many battles, that explains his scars.”

  Baldwin nodded. “Yes,” he mused. “But there seems to be little to connect him to Agatha Kyteler apart from both of them being in Acre when the city fell – and that was over twenty years ago.”

  “Well surely that itself is enough of a coincidence.”

  “By the same token you might as well suspect me, Simon,” said the knight drily. “No, I don’t see it. But who did kill the old woman?”

  “I don’t know. If Stephen de la Forte is telling the truth, it wasn’t Harold Greencliff, though.“

  “No. No, his evidence shows that, doesn’t it?”

  Simon nodded. “Yes, we will have to let him go. Although I would like to know why he tried to run away.”

  “But if he refuses to tell us, we shouldn’t keep him imprisoned,” said Baldwin, “I will try to talk to him again tomorrow. Perhaps I can get him to tell us why he ran off.“

  Simon looked up sharply at the sad tone in his friend’s voice, and then realised what it meant. Baldwin was sure that Greencliff was innocent, and that left him with only one suspect: his friend’s son, the Bourc de Beaumont.

  ***

  The next day was overcast and dreary, with a grey-black sky and a bitter wind that blew continually from the south. Gazing out from the front door, Simon and Baldwin exchanged a glance.

  “We do need to speak to Greencliff,” the knight reminded his friend, and then barked with laughter at the expression of doubtful misery his words brought to Simon‘ face. “Come on, the sooner we’re moving in this, the better!”

  “Simon!”

  They turned to see Margaret in the doorway, her face anxious. “Take Edgar or Hugh with you. You may need to send a messenger if the weather gets worse, or if you get stuck somewhere overnight.”

  The bailiff glanced back at the sky, then nodded. “All right, tell Hugh to get ready.”

  She did better than merely sending the servant. While the two men meandered casually towards the stables and called for their horses and that of Simon’s servant, Margaret went to work. When Hugh appeared, he was sulkily struggling under the weight of three packs carefully bound for protection. As he took one, Simon looked at his servant with an inquiring eye.

  “She said you’d need it. There’s bread and meat, and wineskins for you.”

  Tying the sack to his saddlebow, Simon said wonderingly, “Doesn’t she know we intend being home by evening? What does she think we’ll be doing today? Riding to the Scottish marches?”

  Baldwin grinned, but kept silent. He was thinking how good it would be to have a wife like Margaret. He sighed, half jealous.

  Meanwhile Simon was staring at his servant with exasperation. “Where’s your cloak and jacket?”

  “Why? Am I coming too?” His face showed his surprise.

  “Of course! Come on, you’ll have to do as you are. We can’t wait for you to get changed.”

  “But I’ll freeze!”

  “Don’t whine. You’ll be fine if we ride fast. Now mount! We want to get to town as early as possible.”

  Smiling, Baldwin watched as Simon lifted his hands in a show of despair, only to let them drop with frustration. When Hugh was ready at last, they left the mews and stables, winding round to the front of the house where Margaret stood waiting to wave them off. The brown and black dog was there, and was about to follow, but Margaret pulled him inside, “If you’re going to be travelling all over the shire, I think I’d better keep him here for now!” she said.

  They waved farewell as Baldwin led the way down the narrow lane and out to the road, and once there, he spurred his mount to an easy canter.

  It was soon clear that Simon’s man had no great desire to be with them. Somehow he had never quite become used to the idea that a creature as tall and muscular as a horse could be trusted as a slave to his whim, and as a result he objected to trying to force it to his will. The inevitable consequence of bringing him was that the speed of the three was slowed to a more leisurely pace. Although Baldwin would occasionally urge them to move faster, he would soon discover that he and the bailiff were far in the lead and Hugh was moving along at his accustomed speed – somewhat quicker than a snail, but not a great deal.

  In the end it took them a little over two hours to get to Crediton. The small market town was bustling, with wagons trailing through the slush on the roads, riders on horses trotting happily, and pedestrians groaning and complaining at the chilly mess thrown over them at the passing of each vehicle or animal. As they came closer to the church, a small herd of cattle stopped all the traffic, and the three had to pause and wait for the huge creatures to pass. They got to the church, and walked through the courtyard to the house beyond where the priest had his living quarters. “Simon, old friend, it’s good to see you again!” The thin, older man grasped his hand enthusiastically, then stood back and studied him critically. “You’re working too hard,” he said at last, “and I think you aren’t eating enough, but apart from that I am pleased to see you looking so well, thank God!”

  “Peter, it has been a very long journey to get here, old friend. Do you not have any wine?”

  Laughing, the priest led them indoors and seated them, Hugh grumpily taking a seat as close as he could to the fire. When all had a drink to hand, the priest leaned forward and peered at the knight with a serious expression on his face. “Sir Baldwin, do you have any suspect other than this miserable creature Greencliff yet?”

  “I fear not, Peter, no. But why do you ask?”

  Peter sat back in his chair and meditatively sipped at his wine while staring past Hugh at the flames. ”It’s very difficult. Sometimes a man admits to a brutal crime in the confessional, and the confessor is bound to keep his secret. Sometimes it likewise comes to pass that a man is sent to the executioner when his father in God is certain of his innocence.“ His eyes shot up to stare at the knight. ”I am as sure as I can be that this boy is innocent of the woman’s murder.“

  “But, Peter,” said Simon, “does that mean he has denied it to you in confessional?”

  “No! Of course not!” Peter was shocked. “If he had, I would have to keep my peace. No, he is as yet unshriven, I could not have said anything otherwise.”

  “But you are sure?” asked Baldwin, his eyes glittering as he leaned forward.

  “Yes. I am as sure as I can be that the boy is innocent of this murder. He just isn’t capable.”

  “We think so too,” said Simon.

  “Why? Do you have another suspect? I thought you said…”

  “No, we were telling you the truth. We have no other idea who could have done it. Do you?”

  “Me?” The expression of amazement that spread across his face was so comical that both Baldwin and Simon began to laugh, making the priest gaze at them reproachfully. “How could I know who had done it? I…”

  “Sorry, Peter,” Simon managed at last. “No, you’re right. We didn’t expect you to have any better idea than we ourselves.”

  Standing, Baldwin yawned and stretched. “Since we all agree that it was not Greencliff, I should get to the gaol!” Sighing, he glanced at the priest and explained about the evidence from Stephen de la Forte. “So you see,” he finished, “we are here to release him. It’s not fair to keep the boy imprisoned for no reason, and n
ow Stephen de la Forte says he was with Greencliff all afternoon and evening, there’s little reason to keep him locked up. No, Simon. You might as well wait. I shan’t be long.”

  “Bring him back here. I’ll not see him go without being fed – not in this weather,” said Peter.

  ***

  The town gaol stood at the entrance to the market beside the toll-booth, a small square block used mainly for those traders found to have given short measures of grain or bread, and only occasionally for holding vagabonds found in the town. Strolling along the street and trying to avoid the slush, it took the knight only a few minutes to cover the short distance, and soon he was at the entrance, wrinkling his nose at the smell from the market, which had not yet been cleaned from the last market day, and consequently was bathed in an all-encompassing stench of animal and human ordure. He glanced at the area, wincing, and then rapped his knuckles on the heavy door.

  Tanner had apparently been sleeping, for when he opened the door, his hair was tousled and his eyes bleared. At the sight of the knight, he seemed to wake rapidly, and hauled the stiff door wide on its hinges.

  “Good morning, sir.”

  Stepping into the murky gloom of the gaol, the knight sniffed with distaste. The men who were usually held here tainted the very atmosphere with the pervasive, metallic scent of fear. Convicts knew what would happen to them once they were judged in court. There were not many sentences available for a judge, and justice usually followed swiftly after pronouncement of sentence, most often involving a brief meeting with the executioner. There was good reason to be fearful of the result of the legal process.

  He shrugged. After all, that was the whole idea of justice.

  “So, Tanner. How is the prisoner today?”

  “Greencliff, sir? He seems well enough in body, but I wish he’d say something.”

  “Why? Has he stayed silent?”

  “Yes, sir. Since the hour we brought him here.”

  Baldwin sighed. “Take me to him.”

  The cell was an unpleasant, square chamber dug under the floor of the main room. To get to it, Tanner had to lead the knight through the curtain at the back. Here, in the wooden floor, was a trap door with a simple latch secured by a thick wooden peg. Lifting this, the knight could peer into the dank and murky interior. “Greencliff?” he called doubtfully.