The Service of the Dead
- Автор: Робб Кэндис
- Серия: A Kate Clifford Mystery #1
- Год: 2016
- Язык: английский
- Год: Pegasus Books
- ISBN: 978-1-68177-175-5
- Жанр: Исторические детективы
Электронная книга - «The Service of the Dead». Краткое содержание книги:
Expertly recreating the social and political upheavals of late medieval Europe and the increasing power of the wealthy merchant class, acclaimed author Candace Robb introduces a new series starring Kate Clifford, a woman forged on the warring northern marches of fourteenth century England.
Political unrest permeates York at the cusp of the fifteenth century, as warring factions take sides on who should be the rightful king – Richard II or his estranged, powerful cousin in exile, Henry Bolingbroke. Independent minded twenty-year-old Kate Clifford is struggling to dig out from beneath the debt left by her late husband. Determined to find a way to be secure in her own wealth and establish her independence in a male dominated society, Kate turns one of her properties near the minster into a guest house and sets up a business. In a dance of power, she also quietly rents the discreet bedchambers to the wealthy, powerful merchants of York for nights with their mistresses.
But the brutal murder of a mysterious guest and the disappearance of his companion for the evening threatens all that Kate has built. Before others in town hear word of a looming scandal, she must call upon all of her hard-won survival skills to save herself from ruin.
“I will tell him to go on ahead,” Jennet said from the doorway.
Kate had felt the draft as the door opened and guessed, from Berend’s and the dogs’ lack of reaction, who it was. “Thank you, Jennet. Tell him to say a family matter delays his master.”
“Katherine, I pray you,” said William.
Kate nodded for Jennet to go on. Turning back to William, she asked how he had arranged to lure Alice to her death.
“I did nothing of the sort. I had no idea. He was just to–” He sucked in his breath, looked down as if thinking how to take back the words.
“This ‘he,’ what was his name?”
“Underhill. Jon Underhill.”
“He was just to do what?”
“It is a long story, Katherine.”
“As you said. But whoever is expecting you undoubtedly knows that your cousin’s ward found Connor in the chapter house this morning. By now all the city knows. He or she will understand and approve of your kindness to me. Now. From the beginning.” She smiled sweetly. “More brandywine?”
He sighed and held up his goblet. “Whose cloak is that, if I might inquire?”
“We will come to that.” She poured wine for both of them.
He took a sip. “I never imagined she would be in danger, Katherine, you must believe me. Underhill was just to set up Griselde and Clement as his spies for the king. They would inform him about Lady Kirkby’s guests, to whom she spoke, what she said, what they agreed. That was all.”
“That was all. You were setting up my servants as spies? In my guesthouse? Spying on my guest? That was all? William!” As Kate’s voice rose, Lille barked, Ghent growled.
“Mistress…” Berend whispered.
She took a deep breath, calmed the dogs. “No more outbursts. Go on, William. Tell me all of it. Why did you need Alice?”
His hands shook as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. “She was there to make it look as if I were offering Underhill some entertainment.” William had the decency to wince at the detail. “He did not share with me how he hoped to accomplish his plan, how he would coerce Griselde and Clement. God help me.” He began to rise, felt Berend’s hand on his shoulder, and cursed as he settled back down on his seat. He drained his goblet. “Something went wrong that night, very wrong. The man is dead, and now Alice. And Connor?”
The dogs suddenly sat up, ears pricked, their attention on the street side of the hall. Within a moment, Jennet came bursting in from the garden, William’s servant following.
“I pray you forgive the interruption, mistress, Master Frost,” Jennet bobbed her head. “But you will want to know. I thought it wise to follow young Jenkins as he departed. He was just stepping out onto Castlegate when a man slipped up behind him – I had no time to notice whence he had come. When he reached out to take Jenkins’s arm, the young man cried out. I came forward as they were struggling. Then the attacker shouted and ran off, dodging carts and folk walking. I lost him. I thought you would want to know.”
Kate noticed the servant holding something behind his back. “Are you hurt, Jenkins?”
“No. I wounded him.” He brought his hand out to show the bloody knife.
Kate commended him. “Where should we look for the wound if we encounter him again?”
The young man looked to his master, back to Kate. “I believe it was his hand, perhaps his forearm. As he reached out for me. I should not have lashed out before I knew his intention. But he startled me. And with all the deaths…”
Kate crossed the hall to him, took his empty hand, looked him in the eyes. “You did well. Did you recognize the man?”
He shook his head. “He wore a hood.”
“All I could tell was that he was of middling height and very fleet of foot,” said Jennet.
“I think it best you wait for your master in the kitchen, eh?” said Kate. “Go now. A nip of brandywine might calm both of you.”
Kate turned to William as Jennet nodded and shepherded the lad out the door. “Clearly he should not rush off to make your apologies after such an experience.”
A tight shake of his head. “Of course not. Though I would ask you to leave it to me to order my servants about, Katherine. You do overstep.” He waited. She did not see the need to respond. Finally he said, “Jenkins and I will continue to Thomas Graa’s together, when I am finished here.”
Ah. The merchant Graa had once been Simon’s partner, almost as wealthy as Thomas Holme, and definitely a prominent citizen. “Good. Let us begin at the beginning.”
William groaned.
“The man you set up in my guesthouse, was he the king’s man?”
“Yes. Or so he said.”
“And his name was Jon Underhill?”
A nod. “He carried a letter with the king’s seal.”
“Did you examine the seal closely?” she asked.
“The seal? I have a vague recollection. The white hart perhaps? I cannot recall details.” He stared down into the goblet in his hands as if wishing he might see the letter once more. “I should have used more caution. He was secretive. Not what I had expected. Always before King Richard has sent men of a certain discretion and status. A merchant, a landowner.” He looked up, pleading. “I fear for my family, Katherine. Faith, it was fear for my family that brought this trouble. I meant you no harm. I swear.”
“Did he threaten you?”
“No. Quite the contrary. He offered his services to keep my family safe.”
“From what?”
“For weeks I sensed I was being followed. Roger felt it, too. But whoever he was, he was adept at staying hidden.”
“Why would someone be following you?”
“At first I thought, perhaps, Duke Henry. My wife – you know that her father and the duke’s father were enemies. My wife had tried to remedy that with Duke Henry. I feared he had sent someone to follow me, see to whom I spoke. But to what end? I deal with merchants and landowners of all opinions. We are seeing to our lives, going about our business. We all wish we might forget the king’s feud. But we all know the danger of that.”
“Has a business transaction gone sour?”
“No. Nothing like that. Everything has been quiet.”
“No king’s men searching your ships?”
He shook his head. “I am known to be loyal.”
“But your wife is not. Curious that the king accepts your household’s divided loyalties.”
“Perhaps the king has set someone on me. But then why Underhill? God’s blood, I cannot see clearly.” William pressed a hand to his face.
Kate waited for him to calm. In a few moments he dropped his hand, stared at it for a moment, then turned it a little as if examining his signet ring.
“I heard about your ship being searched,” he said. “And that the king’s men stole some spice?”
“Lionel told you?”
A nod.
“Is the man reaching out for Jenkins the first time he has done more than shadow your household?” she asked. “If it is the same man.”
“No, not the first time. He frightened my wife and daughter.”
Kate did not try to hide her eagerness as she leaned forward. “Tell me.”
“Isabella and Hazel were shopping on Stonegate. A busy time of day. My daughter felt hands round her neck. She thought it her mother, but then noticed her several steps away. A man whispered, ‘A little twist and your neck snaps. Tell your father he is watched.’ She screamed. A man near her described someone in dark clothes, nothing distinguishable.”
“So bold,” Berend muttered. Both Kate and William glanced at him. “I am sorry for your daughter, Master Frost. That must have been terrifying for her.”
William nodded, tears in his eyes that he tried to hide by leaning down to stroke the dogs’ backs. Hazel was Isabella and William’s only child, a delicate girl, unable to eat anything but the most plainly cooked meats and gruels. William adored her. Kate waited until he had composed himself. He sat up, tugging on his jacket. Back in control.