Frevisse held back her answer despite she knew it, but finally gave way and said, knowing how many would have condemned her for it, “It’s better that you save them.”
‘I will,“ Daved assured her, that glint of bitter steel still under his voice.
The silence drew out between them as they looked straight at each other, each of them reading in the other what neither of them would say, until into the silence Frevisse said quietly, “The trouble here is how to sort out the truths and the lies from what I’ve been told.”
And how had she come to this, she wondered: to be seeking out the murderer of a Christian with the help of a Jew whom that Christian would have brought to his death if he had not died instead? But she believed the reasons Daved had given her for staying when he could have fled and believed he wanted the friar’s murderer found; and since Christ had said he was “the way, the truth, and the life,” was Daved in his search for the truth maybe less Christ’s enemy than Brother Michael had been with his readiness to hatred and willingness to destroy?
God help her, but if ever it had come to choice of which of the two men was better, her choice would have been Daved Weir.
Very quietly Daved said, “You know where your questions have brought you.”
She knew. And by the way he said it, Daved knew, too.
‘If not you,“ she said, ”then Father Tomas or Master Grene.“
Daved’s slow nod agreed with her.
‘The trouble,“ Frevisse said, ”is that we have nothing like proof for either one.“
‘We have another murder,“ Daved said quietly.
‘Whoever killed Brother Michael might only have copied what we think was done to the boy.“ First the luring out, the striking down, the moving of the unconscious body, then the killing.
‘Copied it but not been Hal’s murderer, only the friar’s. Possible, yes,“ Daved granted. ”But how many here know that well what was done to Hal? You. I. Anne. Raulyn. Father Tomas.“
Slowly Frevisse said, “All of whom, save me, might have reason for Brother Michael’s death. But for Hal’s?”
‘But if the boy, then surely the friar, too.“
“Almost surely.” Though she was sure. “Almost surely. So. We have to find out who profited from Hal’s death, because profit is the most likely reason for it.”
‘I don’t see how Father Tomas…“
Frevisse stopped.
Daved finished the thought for her. “… how Father Tomas would profit from the boy’s death. No. Unless you believe his Christian priesthood is only covering a desire to kill Christian boys in Jewish rituals of murder.”
Frevisse gave him the dismissing look that suggestion deserved.
‘But if not Father Tomas, then Raulyn,“ Daved said. ”He is, for the friar’s murder, very likely. Who could move more freely through the house last night than he could? Who could be more certain of the gate when he needed it? Who had to depend less on chance in everything last night?“
No one else. That was so certain Frevisse did not need to say it. “But why…” She stopped, trying to shape the question clearly in her own mind. Daved cocked his head at her, willingly waiting, bright question in his eyes, until she finally said, “But why would he think he could get away with the same kind of murder twice, and so near together?”
Daved gave a smooth shrug. “Why does someone think they can get away with murder at all? Planned murders, anyway, rather than ones done on the instant and in anger. To plan to be a murderer, someone has to think others are too stupid to see through their cleverness. Raulyn has always had great belief in his own cleverness.”
‘I thought he was your friend,“ Frevisse said. ”He’s known what you are and kept your secret for years here in London. If he killed Brother Michael, even that’s to your good. Why be so ready to think him a murderer?“
For answer, Daved turned his head to look over his right shoulder at Anne, still seated on the chest but leaned back against the wall now, her eyes closed. The grey shadowing under her eyes argued she had told the truth about not sleeping at all last night; or if she had, it had been little and lightly; and Daved said, gentle-voiced, “When I leave her this time, I may never be able to come back to her. Therefore I’d leave her as safe as might be. If Raulyn has killed twice, whatever his reasons, there’s nothing to say he won’t kill again if he finds reason to.” He returned his gaze to Frevisse. “He desires her. I don’t think she knows it, but he does. I’ve seen his look at her sometimes, and there have been things he’s said. If I am gone for good and all, then maybe he thinks he has hope of her. He…”
Daved stopped with a sickened look, as if he had bitten down on something foul. Frevisse took only a bare second to see where his thought went next, and with that same sickened feeling that showed on his face, she said, “Then he could have cut those marks on Hal’s body deliberately to…”
‘… to set people thinking about secret Jews in London, not only to confuse who had done the murder but to make me wary about returning any time soon. Thinking that if Anne despaired of me, she might be willing to him.“ Anger, not there before, darkened Daved’s voice. ”If Brother Michael hadn’t been there, Raulyn would have named the cuts as Hebrew himself. What he didn’t know was Father Tomas’ secret. That Father Tomas would say they were false.“
‘But how would Raulyn know anything of Hebrew letters at all? Even enough to make false ones.“ But she answered her own question before Daved could. ”Books. A picture of Moses with the tablets of the law with a few marks on them meant to be Hebrew. Or Melchisedek with a scroll. I’ve seen such. But if he wants Anne, why not simply kill you?“
Daved’s laugh was brief and bitter. “And lose the profits that come his way through me? I think not. Even if I no longer came myself because of what’s passed, I’m his way to others who would come in my stead, and he knows it. He wouldn’t want me dead, only out of his way.”
‘But Hal’s death,“ Frevisse said slowly, thinking as she went. ”It didn’t have to be the boy he killed and then marked. It could have been anyone. No.“ She found the objection to that. ”It had to be someone he would be called to see, so he could point out the marks were Jewish, lest no one else did. That Brother Michael happened to be there saved him the trouble. But one of his own servants dead would have done as well. Would have been better, given what Hal’s death has done to Pernell.“ She paused, thinking it further, then said more slowly, ”Maybe we should suppose the marks were merely a ’benefit‘ added to another purpose altogether.“
‘With any secretly done death the question always is who profits from it. The question here, then, is how would Raulyn profit from Hal’s death if there was more to it than being rid of me? From all I know, only Lucie profits from Hal’s death. The inheritance that was split between them will now be all hers.“
‘Does Raulyn profit from that? No,“ she answered for herself. ”Mistress Hercy has already told me how that stands. Hal’s death hasn’t gained Raulyn anything, and it cost him the profit he would have had from selling Hal’s marriage.“
‘Come to it,“ Daved said slowly, ”seen from one way, Brother Michael stood likely to have the most profit from Hal’s death. Hunting down Jews was far more to his pleasure than pursuing only Lollards.“
With distaste and disbelief, Frevisse said stiffly, “You don’t truly think he killed and mutilated the boy.”
‘No. If we’re going to so far afield for possibilities, we might as well consider if there’s a Lollard in the household here took this chance to be rid of him.“
That being a thought she had already had, Frevisse granted unwillingly, “That’s possible.”
‘But again, there’s the matter of the gate. Of being sure of it.“
‘Unless it was one of the men during his turn at guard there. There was at least one besides Pers, after Master Naylor.“
‘But he couldn’t have been sure of anything here in the house,“ Daved said. ”All his hazard would lie this way inst
ead of the other and still be large. We’re brought back to the only one who could be sure both ways.“
To Raulyn Grene.
Chapter 24
“We’re back to gain,” Frevisse said. “What does Raulyn gain by Brother Michael’s death?”
‘First, chance for me to escape,“ Daved said readily. ”He gets rid of me. Second, safety from any stir of trouble over Jews because who is there left to raise it?“ ”Myself. The Naylors. We know.“
‘But Raulyn can count on your silence because you have a secret to keep, too.“
Barely, Frevisse held back from raising a hand to the hidden gold. He was right—she would not dare draw attention to herself that might bring on questions about why she was in London.
‘For the same reason, you’ll order your men to silence,“ Daved said. ”But even if they made report to the bishop despite of you, how interested—with all else that’s happening—is he likely to be over alleged Jews no longer here? Raulyn would claim he knew nothing of what we were and might, at most, be fined for his ignorance. The friar would never have settled for so little, would have raised far more trouble. Now he won’t.“
‘Daved,“ Anne said from just behind them. With their backs mostly to the room and intent in their talk, they had not noted her rise and cross to them, Daved’s doublet folded over her arm. They turned to her, and worriedly she said, ”You’re near to dropping. You need to sleep. Go to bed. I’ll mend your doublet the while.“
Frevisse was a little ashamed she had been so in talk she had not noted how near to dropping he looked, and she said, “Mistress Blakhall says aright. You should rest a time. The questions we need next answered I think are for me to do.”
Before Daved could begin an answer, Raulyn flung into the room exclaiming, “We’ve got the barriers up at either end of the lane and at the alley end, and there’s word Cade’s not getting yesterday’s welcome at the Guildhall. Sure as sinning, there’s going to be trouble.” He sat on the edge of his desk, catching his breath and grinning. “Come to it, it looks to be trouble breaking out all over London. I’m for the streets to see what’s happening. Who’s with me?”
‘Raulyn, you can’t!“ Anne said. ”What of Pernell?“
‘You’ll keep her better company than I can. Daved, you’ll come?“
Before Anne could protest that, Daved said evenly, “I’ll stay here and see to things.”
Raulyn looked to Master Naylor. “What about you?”
‘My charge is here,“ Master Naylor replied as evenly as Daved had; and added at Dickon, ”Nor you’re not going anywhere, either.“
‘You’re a dull lot!“ Raulyn laughed. ”I’m away then.“ And was gone.
For one long, blank moment no one did more than stare after him, Frevisse trying to match what he outward seemed to what she feared he inward was, before Anne said wonderingly, “He’s eager for it.”
‘His blood-lust is up,“ Daved said grimly. ”A liking for sight of other men’s blood. Crowmer and Lord Saye provided it yesterday. Raulyn is hoping for more today.“ Ignoring Anne’s stare at him, he said to Master Naylor, ”With Master Grene gone, it will be his senior journeyman Wyett who should take over the household and watch. If we—“
‘You’re not fit to be doing aught,“ Master Naylor said bluntly. ”All you look good for is to fall over. Better you do it on a bed. Wyett and I have been dealing together these two nights and a day past. We’ll see to things, both here and with the household’s share at the street barriers.“
‘Good then,“ Daved said. ”I’ll go fall onto a bed, since everyone wishes it.“ And because he probably could not keep to his feet much longer anyway.
He and Master Naylor were much of a kind, Frevisse thought with surprise. Two well-witted men who might have come to friendship if things were otherwise, but because of their faiths’ necessities they would deal only distantly with one another and never with full trust and surety between them. A waste and loss it seemed to her.
But then see what waste and loss were come to Anne and Daved because they had put aside all the bars there should have been between them.
Frevisse had a sharp, bitter longing never to have been part of any of this. There was too much hopelessly wrong to it all.
But Master Naylor and Daved were trading curt nods of agreement; and saying, “Come,” at Dickon, Master Naylor started to go, except Frevisse said quickly, “I’d have Dickon with me, ready to hand if I need send to you about anything. He can keep watch at the parlor windows meanwhile.”
‘Good enough, my lady,“ Master Naylor said with a bow and left.
Beside her, Daved said to Anne with a smile and very low, for Dickon not to hear, “Best you go with Dame Frevisse for now. I would not sleep the better having you with me.” He shifted his look, less smiling, to Frevisse. “If you mean to do more, take care.”
‘I mean to talk to Mistress Hercy, maybe others. That’s all.“ Because they needed to know more to be sure of Raulyn’s guilt or innocence, and Mistress Hercy was somewhere to start.
‘Take care at even that,“ Daved said.
‘I will. May you rest well.“
He bowed his thanks.
They all went from the solar together, Dickon following, and parted company in the screens passage. Anne’s gaze followed Daved as he went away toward the narrow stairs at the passage’s far end until Frevisse said, “Come, Mistress Blakhall,” and led the way up the parlor stairs, Dickon behind them, enough rebellion in his footfall to tell how little he wanted to be with them, but that was his ill fortune.
No one was in the parlor, but someone had put away Frevisse’s bedding and the bedchamber’s door stood open, and Anne said, “I’ll go to Pernell. Both Mistress Hercy and Lucie surely need respite.”
‘So do you,“ Frevisse said, because Anne’s face was as marred by grey weariness as Daved Weir’s, however much outwardly she was again the calmly capable woman Frevisse had first met.
‘I mean to fall on Pernell’s pity and let her tend to me for a time. It will serve to turn her mind from other things,“ Anne said with a wan smile and went away.
Frevisse valued that calm the more, knowing what it cost her. That she was holding so steady through this dark and fear-ridden while told much about her courage and good sense. And deepened Frevisse’s pity that she and Daved Weir should be forbidden to each another and that their love had brought their bodies and souls into danger of death and damnation. Though set against the darkness of heart and mind of whoever had killed the boy Hal and savaged his body and then struck down and killed Brother Michael, Anne and Daved’s love seemed far less worthy of damnation, no matter that Daved was Jew. Better a man of courage and honest heart than—
Frevisse stopped that thought short. Those were matters for priests and scholars to determine and debate. Murder was what she must needs have in mind, and she said to Dickon, already gone to the southward window in what she knew was a vain hope of seeing more than rooftops and sky, “You’d be away into the streets if you could, wouldn’t you?”
His voice heavy with the burden of youth and obedience, he said glumly, “I would. Everything is happening, and I’m seeing none of it.”
She forbore to say that with Cade’s promise to keep order in London looking to be gone like smoke in a high wind, sideways and away, he still had good chance of seeing trouble. Those barricades in St. Swithin’s Lane would do little if true pillage and fighting broke out through the city.
Mistress Hercy came from the bedchamber, shooing Lucie ahead of her with an alacrity that bespoke her readiness to be out of there, and said when the door was closed behind her, “You’ve been a very good girl. I couldn’t take care of your mother so well without you. Now go sit at the window in the sunshine for a while. You’re looking wan.”
As her grandmother said, Lucie was pale; nor did she smile as her grandmother patted her on her way, only went toward the southward window and Dickon while Mistress Hercy went toward the other window, beckoning Frev
isse to join her, saying brightly, “Do come sit with me. Anne says all is well, there’s no news different than there has been.” But she was wan-faced herself; and when they were sat down together, she said, her voice dropped to keep her question for only Frevisse to hear, “Is all well?”
Her voice equally low, Frevisse said, “No,” and told what Raulyn had reported.
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