The Nun's Tale (29 page)

The way from the outer gatehouse of Scarborough Castle to the inner bailey climbed steeply heavenward. Sir William Percy had given orders that the company be shown directly to his parlour when they arrived. He had been expecting them since Lancaster’s messenger had arrived three days past. And this morning he’d had word of a small company putting on a show in an inn outside the city gates; one of that company had sounded like his son John.

Sir William studied Owen with interest. ‘You have been described as a one-eyed giant who held Tom Kemp off the ground while another of your company threw a dagger at John of Whitby, attaching him to a beam and frightening him so thoroughly he agreed to sleep out in the stables with his horse.’

Owen laughed and nodded towards Ned. ‘The two men wished to fight for the room. We merely desired to warm your son after a tumble in the bogs and to get a good night’s sleep. So Ned and I convinced those two to oblige us.’ He shrugged. ‘As you can see, I am no giant.’

Sir William was shorter than Owen, but looked no less a soldier, sturdy and battle-scarred. He nodded at Owen. ‘I’d not call you a giant, ’tis true. But I can tell you keep the strength of an archer.’ He gestured to the travellers with a large, beringed hand. ‘I am pleased to welcome you all, though I admit to being ignorant of your mission. My lord Duke did not enlighten me in his message. Obviously business of a delicate nature. But I shall help you as I may. My lord Duke is a good friend to my cousins Henry and Thomas. First, however, you must break your fast.’ He clapped the servants into action and at once they set up a small table. ‘And John must attend his mother who is most anxious to see how he fares.’

Ned slapped John on the back. ‘He’s a fine lad, Sir William. Led us straight and true and carried on even when soaked and bruised.’

When the company had eaten their full of brown bread, cheese, a hearty broth and cold venison, the servants cleared the table and left the room. A shorter, wirier version of Sir William entered the room.

Sir William motioned for the newcomer to sit. ‘My brother, Ralph.’

Ralph Percy nodded to the company without lifting his eyes to them.

Sir William leaned into the table. ‘Now. Tell us what the stewards of Scarborough can do for you.’

Louth cleared his throat and bowed slightly to the two Percies. ‘We hope to find three men, one of whom – Hugh Calverley of Leeds – is in your service.’

Sir William grunted, frowned over at his brother, shrugged back at Louth. ‘I can show you where we buried him.’

‘Hugh Calverley is dead?’

Sir William nodded.

‘How did he die?’ Louth’s disappointment rang in his voice.

‘Servant found him lying in a puddle of blood in front of his own fire. House had been searched, everything turned over, out of place. Someone looking for booty, no doubt.’ Sir William shook his head.

Louth looked to Owen.

‘When did this happen?’ Owen asked.

Sir William closed his eyes, screwed up his face. ‘I recall something in the service at his grave about St Ambrose.’ Early April.

‘Shortly after Will Longford disappeared,’ Louth muttered.

Ralph turned beady eyes on Louth. ‘Longford?’

‘Aye,’ Owen said. ‘The man Hugh tried to catch for you.’

Sir William nodded. ‘Was a time he came often to Scarborough, disappeared into the town with uncanny ease. We set Hugh to catch Longford in his game. Too slippery. Knew Hugh was up to something before the boy learned a thing.’ He downed some ale. ‘You think he came after Hugh? After so much time?’

Owen shrugged. ‘Perhaps.’

‘What else do you know about Longford?’ Sir William asked Owen.

‘Little more than that. We are here to discover what we can about him.’

Sir William sat back, arms folded, one of his pointy eyebrows cocked. ‘Perhaps you should just tell us all of your business.’

Owen nodded to Nicholas de Louth, who did not look pleased with the request. But he complied, giving a brief, clear account of the peculiar events of the past year.

Sir William shook his head over the tale of Joanna Calverley. He nodded enthusiastically at Lancaster’s connecting Captain Sebastian with the soldiers Joanna had seen. ‘I would fain know where she saw them. We had word of Sebastian and his company crossing the Channel to recruit men. We have looked for their gathering place. Hugh searched for it. How is it his sister knew of it and he did not tell us?’

‘How well did you know Hugh?’ Owen asked.

‘He was not a boon companion, if that is what you ask. I never looked into his heart. But he dug a few Frenchmen and Scots out from under the rocks hereabouts. Did well for me.’

Owen had not thought they would know Hugh well. He’d been a lackey, expendable. They were Percies, above everyone else in the town. ‘Your son had some trouble with him.’

Sir William frowned, displeased. ‘John whined about it?’

‘No. I had asked what he knew of Hugh Calverley. He told me of the incident.’

‘It was a lesson John needed to learn. Hugh was not openly connected with the castle.’

Owen nodded. ‘We have told you of Hugh’s sister. Did Joanna come looking for Hugh in late winter-early spring? A red-haired woman? Green eyes. Pretty.’

Sir William looked to his brother.

‘Hugh said nothing about a sister, but he was a quiet one.’ Ralph frowned, drew his brows together. He had no right earlobe and a scar on that side of his neck told the tale of a near fatal sword blow. ‘But Hugh was away round that time. Perhaps he met her somewhere else.’

‘Away?’

At last Ralph looked Owen in the eye. ‘He was gone for ten days or so not long before his murder. Said he was hunting down a man who might lead him to Captain Sebastian. He was always looking for folk he thought would lead him to the captain. Got a bit single-minded about Sebastian.’ Ralph shook his head. ‘Good luck to you in finding the man.’ Ralph Percy gave an ill-humoured grin, looked down at the floor. It was obvious he had done with them.

Sir William made a conciliatory gesture. ‘It is possible Hugh was murdered because he had got close to Sebastian – but he had not found him. Or if he had, he had not yet told us.’

‘Where had Hugh gone?’

Sir William shook his head. ‘He came and went all the time. I never felt the need to watch him.’

‘Who went with him?’

‘His two men.’

‘They are your men also?’

‘No.’

‘Unusual practice.’

Sir William took another drink.

‘I should like to speak with Hugh’s men.’

Sir William looked down at his boots. Ralph Percy was left to explain. ‘They did not return with him, as far as I know. He came back without his quarry and without his men.’

Owen sat with his back pressing against the wall, his long legs stretched out to the side of the table. Sir William and his brother Ralph were fighting men. He understood them. He could tell that at that moment Sir William was uncomfortable and angry with his brother. ‘Tell us about Hugh, if you would, Sir William. What was he like?’

Sir William raised puzzled eyes to Owen.

‘You’re wondering why I ask such a question about a soldier?’ Owen said.

‘Most folk do not wonder about a soldier’s character, just his strength, his skill with weapons, his courage, his trustworthiness.’

‘A good place to begin. I assume you would not have used Hugh had you not trusted him.’

‘He proved eager to do my bidding. I tried him sorely with the Sebastian seal. He failed, but he did not tuck his tail between his legs and cower away. He asked for another chance to prove himself. Courage. Perseverance. Good soldierly qualities.’

‘You never doubted his loyalty?’

Sir William tucked his chin in and frowned up through his eyebrows. ‘Should I have doubted it?’

Owen shrugged. ‘Did he ever do anything to make you doubt him?’

‘Nay.’ His voice went up at the end of the word – with doubt?

‘But there was something about him that made you pause.’

Ralph snorted. ‘Pause? Nay, run, by God. The man had a temper. Never cross him, that’s what his partners learned. So we let him choose his own men.’

‘He killed partners?’

‘No,’ Sir William said quickly, silencing his brother with a stern look. ‘No,’ Sir William repeated, this time softly, pleasantly, with a smile to Owen. ‘He fought with them. Came to blows. Afterwards they preferred to work with someone else. Said his temper flared with no spark that they could see. They were . . . uneasy about him.’

‘Word gets round the barracks and no one will partner him.’ Ned nodded. ‘I’ve known some like that.’

Sir William looked grateful. ‘But we never had reports of his turning on us, if I understand that to be your question.’

Owen nodded. ‘Where did he find the two who disappeared?’

Both men shrugged.

‘You were not concerned?’

‘They looked as if they would fight well,’ Ralph said. ‘’Twas enough.’

Owen decided to ignore their puzzling indifference for now. ‘Hugh lived alone, did he?’

‘Aye,’ Ralph nodded. ‘A small house up on the bluffs south of here. Well hidden.’

‘Did he have a woman?’

Sir William shrugged. ‘We would not know that.’

‘Servants?’

‘Harry, his manservant. He’s round here somewhere. Want to speak with him?’

‘I do indeed.’

Owen leaned over towards Ralph. ‘You did nothing about his murder, did you?’

Ralph looked up, startled. ‘What do you mean?’

‘You did not ask around about it, try to piece it together. You thought it was one of his old mates, didn’t you? Perhaps the two missing men?’

Ralph snorted. ‘And who would have cared?’

‘Why have you said nothing to his father about his murder?’

Ralph reddened.

Sir William coughed. ‘We have not had a messenger headed for Leeds since then.’

Owen grinned.

Louth looked at him, puzzled.

Owen shrugged. ‘Can you find Harry for us?’

Sir William nodded to Ralph, who departed without a word.

The middle-aged Harry was hard of hearing. Owen sat close to him and spoke loudly into his ear. ‘Was there any trouble at the house before Hugh Calverley died?’

Harry grinned a devilish grin. ‘A pretty redhead. Aye.’

‘He doesn’t understand,’ Louth said softly.

Owen ignored him. ‘A woman visited him?’

Harry nodded. ‘Called him brother.’ He rolled his expressive eyes.

‘What was her name?’

Harry shook his head. ‘Never gave it.’

Or Harry never heard it. But Owen had watched him when he first came in the room. He seemed to get the gist of what people were saying by watching their lips. ‘Any other trouble?’

Harry chuckled. ‘Always trouble round Master Hugh. He was watching a house, I can tell you that. I can even show you. Got interested when I told him I’d seen that one-legged man there.’

‘Longford?’

‘Aye.’ Harry nodded. ‘That’d be him.’

‘How long ago did you see Longford there?’

Harry shrugged. ‘A few years past.’

Owen sat back, frowning. ‘Do you mean to say Hugh watched this particular house for a few years?’

Harry held his hand up to his ear. ‘What?’

Owen leaned closer and repeated the question.

‘Oh, aye. On and off, you see. I’d tell ’im when I saw folk he might find interesting.’

‘What sort of folk?’

‘Soldier types. Or folk who seemed out of place.’

‘And who was it most recently?’

‘The redhead.’

‘You will take us to the house?’

Harry nodded. ‘This evening. Better then. In the dark.’

Louth knocked on the door to the small room Owen was sharing with Ned and Alfred. Being a canon of Beverley and clerk to Prince Edward, Louth had been offered his own chamber, equally small, but private. Ned had gone off with Alfred in search of amusement, and Owen had been lying on his cot, thinking over the morning’s business. He did not welcome an interruption and sighed at the second round of knocking. ‘What is it?’

Louth opened the door only wide enough to poke his head in. ‘I would speak with you.’

Owen nodded.

Louth settled on the edge of Ned’s cot. The flesh on his round face was slack, as if the trip was taking its toll. ‘You were on the heels of something about the Percies not reporting Hugh’s death. Why did you veer away?’

‘I want to worry them.’

Louth blinked. ‘Why?’

‘People do foolish things when they worry.’

‘What do you expect them to do?’

Owen shrugged. ‘We shall see.’

Louth lowered his eyes. ‘You do not trust me.’ Petulant.

Did he trust Louth? Owen had little confidence in him, but he believed Louth meant well. ‘I do not know what they are hiding, Sir Nicholas. It is but a feeling I have.’