A Murdered Peace

Kate’s heart raced. At last someone who could help. “I pray you, what did you see?”

“It was dark. I’d– God help me, I do not know what happened. We were talking, and suddenly a man came charging at Merek, calling him a thief and a swindler. He stabbed him once, and then again. At least twice. As Merek fell, I– I don’t know what I thought I might do, but I stepped between them.”

“You tried to save him?” Kate had thought Matt misunderstood. Lionel had always struck her as a coward who would cross the street to avoid an unpleasant encounter.

He sat up a little straighter, though it caused him to flinch from the pain. “I drew my dagger, we circled, and then he attacked. I never had a chance. Don’t know what I was thinking.” He blinked at the memory, seemingly as surprised as Kate was. Winifrith groaned and crossed herself. “When his dagger sank into my side I could not catch my breath. He reared up as if he was going to finish me off, but someone called out to him to halt. He looked up, then stumbled backward, turned, and ran. I wanted to run as well, but all I could manage was to crawl into the darkness.”

“So there was light,” Kate noted.

Lionel stared at her a moment, a flicker of something, then looked down, shaking his head slowly. “Yes, there was some light. I could see the attacker’s dagger. And Merek lying there. But I cannot think where the light came from. I had no lantern.”

“Was Merek dead?”

“No. I saw enough–” He looked at his daughter. “Maud says his throat was slit. Not then. He muttered something. A man makes no sound once his throat is cut.”

Was it the second man who finished off Merek? “You saw the man who frightened off the attacker?”

An ill-chosen shrug forced Lionel to bend over, panting with pain.

Kate gently suggested he rest a moment, catch his breath. Winifrith wanted her to leave, but Kate suggested she go take the baby from Matt so that he could come in and listen. To her surprise, Winifrith nodded and stepped out.

Maud took her mother’s place at her father’s bedside, helping him lie back against the pillows, giving him something to drink. “Forgive me, Father, but I could not let you burden yourself with such a terrible guilt.”

He was soaked in sweat, his breathing shallow.

“How extensive are his wounds?” Kate asked.

“The stab wound in his side.” Maud indicated a spot just below the heart. “And a deep slice to his upper right arm.” Hence the sling to hold it still. “And his head must have hit a cobble or something. The physician wanted to bleed him, but Mother refused. She said he had lost enough blood.”

Lionel opened his eyes. “I crawled to a place along the wall with some sort of beam sticking out. I used it to pull myself upright and lean against the doorway. When I caught my breath I saw the man kneel to Merek, help him rise.” Lionel coughed weakly. “I do not know how I managed, but I stumbled away and somehow made it home. I don’t remember much of the journey.”

“It was the middle of the night when he returned,” said Maud. “How he made it across the city when he was so weak, losing so much blood, and without alerting a night watchman …” She nodded to Kate and cocked her head toward her father as if this was his cue to explain.

Kate leaned close to Lionel. “He carried you home, didn’t he?”

Lionel bowed his head.

“Why did you not tell us?” asked Maud. “There is no shame in that.”

“I promised,” Lionel mumbled.

Maud reached out and lifted his chin. “Father.” Spoken as a warning.

“I swore I would not tell. He saved my life. And Merek’s. He was alive, Merek was. We left him standing up against a wall, waving us on.”

“But if you say nothing, this man would seem guilty of murdering Merek,” Maud pointed out.

“I had not thought …” Lionel groaned as if it were all too much.

“Berend?” Kate asked.

A nod.

“Was he alone?”

“I do not remember much.”

“Father,” Maud warned.

He closed his eyes. “I remember no one else. I told you, I recall little of the journey.”

“You were in pain, I know,” said Maud, touching his cheek.

He leaned into her hand, his face softening into a contentment Kate had never witnessed, never guessed he ever experienced.

“Why were you with Merek?” Kate asked.

“I– He had approached me about our spice shipments,” Lionel whispered.

“Thinking to trade with us?” asked Kate. “Is that why he had been asking our partners about you?”

“He had? What sort of questions?” Lionel’s voice was little more than a gasp, and Maud touched Kate’s hand, as if to stay her, but her father shook his head at her and looked to Kate.

“Holme said he was quite persistent with questions that went beyond trade,” said Kate. “He asked about your character, and your relationship with Sir Ralph.”

“He hoped I might afford him a tie to my cousin Westmoreland? I did not know – I have been a fool, Katherine.”

“Forgive me for assuming you would hear of it,” she said, pressing his hand, hoping for a little more before he must rest. “You say Merek was alive when Berend carried you away?”