The Service of the Dead

In between spoonfuls of Griselde’s meaty stew, Odo excused himself for not telling Kate of the intruder from the start.

“I just thought it was Master Neville. He always makes a fuss when he comes to the undercroft, and he whistles a few notes over and over.” Simon had complained endlessly about his brother’s whistling. On Channel crossings he swore he was some day going to silence the man with his fist. “But the other one hums just off the note so it makes me grind my teeth,” said Odo.

“The only difference is the humming off-key rather than the whistling?” Kate asked.

Odo frowned down at the food. “I could not swear to that. But if there is something else, I cannot recall it.” And he was helpless regarding when anything had occurred or whether he remembered hearing someone up on the roof. He was quiet for a while, happily eating, then suddenly looked up. “Is Master Neville now in charge of this guesthouse?”

“No. Why do you ask?”

“I saw his servant Sam over here. As he is Master Neville’s manservant…” He waggled his head, reaching for the small bowl of ale beside the trencher.

Kate put her hand on his, staying him for a moment. “Sam works for me, Odo.”

“Good. That should make Sam’s brother happy.”

“Why should it matter to Sam’s brother?”

“He and Sam had a falling out over Master Neville. I heard them in the alleyway, arguing. His brother said Sam had shifted his loyalties, working for ‘the Lion,’ the bastard they all hate on the staithes, the one who had almost lost him his work, accusing him of stealing a pouch his own servant had set aside. He never apologized.”

Nor would he. No wonder Lionel had so few allies. “This argument, was that after you had seen Sam over at the guesthouse just the other day?”

“Maybe before that?” He shook his head. “My mind is a muddle.”

Kate remembered how Lionel had asked after Sam the night of the murder in the guesthouse. She thanked Odo and handed him the bowl of ale.

Seth sat shaking his head, his bowl long empty. Kate had already asked him about the fire the previous night, but learned nothing new.

“What of you, Griselde?” Kate asked as she rose from the table. “Have you ever seen Sam and Lionel together, or Sam lurking about before?”

“I am certain I have seen him come and go, Mistress Clifford, like the day of – you know.” She glanced over at Odo and young Seth, lowered her voice. “He came with Master Frost’s boy Tib to deliver the barrel of wine. The gift for putting us out. Though I cannot say I ever noticed Master Lionel. I never thought to question Sam being about as you own both these houses.” She leaned close to add, “The old man is fairly muddled in his mind. If you want the truth of it, you might wish to talk to Sam’s brother Cam. He works on the King’s Staithe. He looks much like Sam before his hair went white.”

“Sam accompanied Tib with the wine?”

“It was Sam who carried the barrel to the kitchen. I thought it peculiar – it is Tib who has the muscle – but you had offered Sam’s help earlier. As I recall Sam took his time about it. He helped himself to a bowl, you see. Left it sitting there with a drop in it, bold as could be. I never did understand why you kept him on after Master Simon passed.”

“You never spoke up to warn me against him.”

“Clement had betrayed you in so many ways, all that he kept from you. I could not warn you against doing for Sam what you were so kind to do for us. But he has always been a man looking to make some money on the side.”

Kate thanked her, thanked Odo and young Seth, and returned to the hall. She found Jennet talking to one of Lady Margery’s men. She must be back from examining Connor’s lodgings. She rose to join Kate.

“Are we off to see Master Neville?”

“With a stop at the King’s Staithe. But first I want a word with Clement. Did you learn anything?”

“Connor’s landlord already has a new lodger in the room. I spoke to the landlord’s wife, who had cleaned it, and she said Connor had left only some clothes, some tools.” She held up a pack. “They are all here. She was going to sell them in a few days. I have not given it a good look.”

“We will do that later. Has Lady Kirkby’s man told you anything of use?”

“He noticed a lad poking about the outbuildings the other day, and thinks he has seen him before. Slight, about Marie’s age. Wears an overlarge hat and runs like a girl, he said.”

They exchanged a look.

“Not you?” Kate smiled.

“No, but we know why she might be dressed so. A boy is a wee bit safer out on his own than a young girl.”

“Tell him to tell the others to watch out for the child. Perhaps our intruder has a helper. Or the child might have noticed something. We need all the help we can get. And ask Odo if he recalls a youth hanging around. Then join me in the undercroft.”

Lady Margery was hastening down the outer steps from the solar when Kate stepped out of the hall. “When you see Lionel Neville, tell him to call on me this evening.”

Kate frowned up at her guest. “You have changed your mind?”

“I should like to know what his cousins are thinking about the king and the duke.”

“You should not expect him to be honest with you.”

Margery chuckled. “I am quite aware of that. But how he lies might reveal quite a lot.”

“Why now?”

“Have you not wondered whether your late husband’s family is behind all that has happened? Nothing deters a Neville from his ambition – or hers, I daresay. My husband warned me that their loyalty will shift from moment to moment. If I have the misfortune to be perceived as in their way, well, I may learn something from him.”

Had Sam seen his service as to the Neville family, not simply to her late husband? Kate nodded. “I shall tell him.”

“I know that your uncle Sir Thomas Clifford has served as Warden of the West March with Sir Ralph Neville, now Earl of Westmoreland, and I might think I insult you by questioning the honor of that family. But you seem to have no love for them.”

“I feel much the same as you. And so does my uncle Sir Thomas.”

“There was a time when Sir Ralph, the head of the family, mind you, supported King Richard. But as his second wife is a Lancaster…”

Kate shrugged. “At present I suspect the Nevilles cannot fathom that someone could be loyal to the king without being an enemy of the duke.”