A Twisted Vengeance
- Автор: Робб Кэндис
- Серия: A Kate Clifford Mystery #2
- Год: 2017
- Язык: английский
- Год: Pegasus Books
- ISBN: 9781681774756
- Жанр: Исторические детективы
Электронная книга - «A Twisted Vengeance». Краткое содержание книги:
As the fourteenth century comes to a close, York seethes on the brink of civil war – and young widow Kate Clifford, struggling to keep her businesses afloat, realizes that her mother is harboring a dangerous secret…
1399. York is preparing for civil war, teeming with knights and their armed retainers summoned for the city’s defense. Henry of Lancaster is rumored to have landed on the northeast coast of England, not so far from York, intent on reclaiming his inheritance – an inheritance which his cousin, King Richard, has declared forfeit.
With the city unsettled and rife with rumors, Eleanor Clifford’s abrupt return to York upon the mysterious death of her husband in Strasbourg is met with suspicion in the city. Her daughter Kate is determined to keep her distance, but it will not be easy – Eleanor has settled next door with the intention of establishing a house of beguines, or poor sisters. When one of the beguines is set upon in the night by an intruder, Kate knows that for the sake of her own reputation and the safety of her young wards she must investigate.
From the first, Eleanor is clearly frightened yet maintains a stubborn silence. The brutal murder of one of Eleanor’s servants leads Kate to suspect that her mother’s troubles have followed her from Strasbourg. Is she secretly involved in the political upheaval? When one of her wards is frightened by a too-curious stranger, Kate is desperate to draw her mother out of her silence before tragedy strikes her own household.
Sensing Lille’s discomfort with the knight’s nearness, Kate stroked her to reassure her.
“Dame Katherine,” an acquaintance called, stepping past a group of soldiers slowly walking past Kate, eyeing the hounds. “How glad you must be to have your mother returned to York after her journey north. With soldiers on the road, you must have worried for her.” Her mother had traveled to Northumberland to meet with the steward of the family estate and hold a formal requiem for her son Walter, Kate’s eldest brother, Petra’s father. Kate had told no one of her mother’s journey, yet everyone in the city seemed to know of it. He turned a knowing glance at the armed men, then leaned close to say, “Your knight watches over you, I see.” And they all noticed the knight who shadowed Kate as well.
She followed his gaze and saw Sir Elric had his hand on the hilt of his sword. Like Thomas’s wife, this man would have the two of them wed within hours. A widow with three wards, surely she would happily give her hand to such a fine knight.
“Yes, I am most grateful for Dame Eleanor’s safe return,” she said. “As for Sir Elric, I cannot guess what is in his mind, for clearly you had already come to my assistance.”
The compliment quieted the gossip in the man, and he moved on, no doubt shaping the tale of his heroism for his friends at the tavern.
She noticed how people greeted her, but hurried on without returning Elric’s nods. It was no wonder. In the cause of holding York for King Richard, the citizens bore the strain of hosting an unruly lot. The sheriffs could not very well challenge the soldiers on carrying arms in the city when they were there to defend it. She cursed both the king and his belligerent cousin for bringing such danger to these shores. Ahead, another small clutch of soldiers gathered round two young women who were prettily gesturing about something. How lighthearted they seemed, so free of all cares, though both were older than Kate had been when she married Simon. She could not recall ever feeling so free. From childhood she had been taught to be vigilant, ever ready for trouble. She wondered what it must be like to be them.
“Were you ever so unguarded?” Elric asked, startling her. He was regarding her with interest.
“Growing up on the border? No. Never.” She shrugged and changed the topic. “Are your men part of the force defending York for the king?”
“My earl’s interests are farther north. Raby.”
“Not Knaresborough?” she teased, immediately regretting it for fear he would take her tone as flirtatious.
But he walked on in silence.
Near the Shambles, the dogs grew restive, the stench of the butcher shops a fascination. She often indulged Lille and Ghent with a detour. It was rare that one of the butchers did not offer them a treat. But on this summer morning the odor was too unpleasant, moving her to take a perfumed cloth from her scrip and hold it to her nose.
Still Elric said nothing. What had been his purpose in joining her? His men might have witnessed whatever happened to Dina. Then why did he not mention it? Might he be spying on her for someone else?
As they passed into Colliergate, he bent to retrieve a package dropped by a young woman who was all giggles and smiles and gushing gratitude. No wonder – he was a handsome man, broad-shouldered, with a face that might be beautiful were it not a mirror for his self-delight. But perhaps most enticing on first meeting was a sense of coiled danger that had at first excited Kate, but now, with familiarity, worried her. He knew so much about her – her brother-in-law Lionel would have shared with him the content of Simon’s will and the extent of his debts; he could so easily ruin her. Still, if her life had been different, she might have been the one flirting with him for the thrill of catching his eye, inspiring a smile. He bowed to the woman, who blushed prettily as she bobbed her head at Elric, then Kate, and hurried on.
“Do you envy the city bred – pampered, protected, growing up so innocent of the shadows?” Elric asked.
Now twice he had read her mind. “I prefer to face life with my eyes wide open.”
He grinned. “I like that about you.”
She laughed to hide her confusion. They moved on.
Kate wished she knew where his spies in the city lodged. Watching her house as they did on their rounds, one of them might have seen someone stealing about the area in the early morning, might provide some clue as to who had intruded, and why. For it was quite likely that Sister Dina would be unable to identify the intruder – in the dark, in her fear, knowing so few people in York.
Unless someone had followed the group from Strasbourg? Kate shook that thought away.
The street had narrowed into Low Petergate, and the traffic thickened. Up ahead Kate noticed Drusilla Seaton approaching, a confidante, a widow who frequented the guesthouse with Kate’s cousin William Frost. Eyeing Sir Elric with apparent amusement, the widow Seaton nodded to him as she greeted Kate with a kiss and a hug, whispering, “Is anything amiss that you are in the company of Westmoreland’s creature? Shall I fetch Berend? I saw him calling on the knights in your lease on High Petergate.”
That was good to know. Kate smiled and assured her that they merely happened to be walking in the same direction.
“I trust you attended the guild meeting? Was anything decided?” The widow fanned herself with an embroidered cloth that perfumed the air with lavender while she stole glances at Elric.
“In their wisdom, the merchants chose to leave the defense of the city in the hands of the knights and their men. Or perhaps they simply could not bear sitting in that stifling hall one more moment,” said Kate.
“No surprises then. Ah me.” Drusilla nodded to Sir Elric, scratched Lille’s ear, then Ghent’s, and strolled off.
“I feared this would come to pass,” Kate said, “that Henry would take advantage of the king’s ill-advised departure for Ireland with his army. Either way, to claim the duchy of Lancaster as his inheritance or the crown of England, the duke is inciting civil war. We will all suffer.”
“You will be safe within the walls of the city,” Elric assured her.
“The Duke of York is not so sanguine about our safety.”
Elric paused just before the crossing with Stonegate, clearing his throat. “I believe the threat of a siege is past. For now.”
“Then it is true Duke Henry is already in Knaresborough?”
“Please, Katherine, take no risks. And keep the wolfhounds with you at all times.”
That comes from the heart, her twin whispered in her mind. Beware.
Quiet, Geoff.
She met Elric’s gaze for a moment, seeing in his eyes more warmth than usual. Far more warmth. “Have you spoken with your men this morning? The ones who watch my house at night?”
“No. I came straight to the guildhall. Why? Was there trouble?”
Was that a slight flinch? She could not be sure. “One of the beguines … It must have been a bad dream.”
He bowed to her.
“Have a care, Elric.”
He reached out as she began to move on, a strong grip on her arm. “About the letters …”
She laughed with relief. Back to their usual tussle.
But he was not laughing. “It is life or death now.”
“It is immaterial now,” she said. Lille growled. Kate hushed her with a touch. “Your warning me means that you’re about to ride north in the earl’s company. I assume to welcome Henry and offer him your support. A letter, letters – it means nothing now. By the earl’s actions shall he be judged.” Not by evidence that he’d spied on both sides, she added silently.
He met her comments with a blank stare.
She shook off his hand and crossed Stonegate into High Petergate. He followed. She paused in front of the guesthouse. “I do not wish you harm, Elric. I will tell no one what I have guessed. Good day to you, and Godspeed.”