The Riverwoman’s Dragon

When Asa seemed settled, her breathing improved, Owen insisted on examining Einar’s injured arm. The young man had removed the sling in order to help carry Asa out of the house and place her in the cart, which made sense at the time. Einar winced at Owen’s touch.

‘A lot of swelling,’ Owen noted. ‘Are you in much pain?’

‘Dame Magda says it is healing well.’

Avoiding the question meant a yes to Owen. ‘That was before sitting up all night attending Asa, then carrying her out.’ He removed the bandage. As he’d thought, the activity had reopened the wound. But he had expected worse. Changing the bandage should be sufficient for now. He added a little salve for good measure.

‘Before you leave I want to talk, Captain.’

‘I mean to stay until Magda returns. She may need me.’ But the change in the young man’s voice, a tremor, a hesitation, caught Owen’s attention. ‘If you’re worried about Asa, her breathing is good. And her heart. She may fully recover.’

‘It’s not that. There is much you must know.’

Owen did have questions. ‘Come out into the air.’ He instructed Twig to let them know if there was any change in Asa. Stepping out, he chose the side of the house looking toward the south bank and settled on a bench, stretching out his legs.

Einar joined him. ‘I might have prevented Asa’s injuries. I knew Bernard’s temper, had experience fighting with him.’

‘You? When?’

‘It is a long tale.’

‘I am aware that he is not who he claims to be, that he is Janet Fuller’s brother, Alan. I was looking for him this morning. I thought to find him at the Fuller home.’

‘I did not know their relation until last night, at the Fuller home. God help me. I went to protect the family from Asa.’

‘Brother Michaelo told me.’

‘I was right that, hating him as she does, she meant to do something to goad Bernard – Alan. But I was wrong about what that was. It seems she was of much help until he attacked her.’

‘Was he still there when you arrived?’

‘No. You need to know about Alan. I encountered him in London. I am sure of it.’

‘Go on.’

‘When my father fell ill he sold his medicines and his tools for bloodletting to pay for food and shelter, letting me shift for myself in continuing our work. I found my way to London, stealing just enough to get by, thinking to apprentice to a barber. But I knew no one. I could find no honest work, so I fell in with thieves. I was good at it. Worked my way into a band that robbed the finest houses. When a French physician was arrested for treason I volunteered to be first one through the house, report what was there. I hoped to find all that I needed and to set myself up as a traveling barber. I found the house filled with silver and much that would bring a good price, but no tools. Beyond the master’s bedchamber there was a stairway down to a smaller building. When I stepped through the door I heard someone, slipped in unnoticed, watched him emptying the room of medical implements and supplies. He knew what to take.’

‘All that you wanted.’

‘Yes. So I attacked him. He was stronger and faster than he looked. Better fed. He beat me and ran off, dropping a few of the smaller tools in his haste. I was not so badly beaten I missed out on them and some silver. With coin in my pockets I went to the taverns. I learned that the king’s men were searching for a man named Alan Rawcliff, the French physician’s assistant. He’d escaped before they raided the house. Sounded like the man I’d fought. I started hunting him, thinking I could catch him with the stolen items and be rewarded.’

‘What was the physician’s name?’ Owen asked.

‘Ricard.’

The Frenchman who had slowly poisoned Prince Edward. Owen had been right about Alan’s identity. ‘Go on.’

‘I picked up his scent in Peterborough, but he’d already moved on. Someone thought to Lincoln. And he’d changed his name to Bernard. In Lincoln I heard of a woman who said she was Magda Digby’s daughter working with a barber named Bernard. That’s how I found Asa.’

‘She was working with him?’

‘Yes. Making good money. He spoke well, dressed well, found his way into the homes of far wealthier folk than she might. But he knew little beyond bloodletting. She offered to train him as they worked together. I learned all this by following her. She was friendly to me, permitted me to stay with her, but made it plain that I should not nose about her business. I might have warned her then that he would not stay.’

‘He disappeared?’

‘She was furious, as you can imagine. And he had taken some of her medicines. A while after he had left Lincoln, the king’s men arrived, searching the city for a traitor. Their description of Alan Rawcliff, assistant to the traitor Monsieur Ricard, matched Bernard, even down to Asa’s belief that he’d never done more than apply leeches and administer simple remedies, which is what he’d done for Ricard. Like I said, I’d already guessed who he was, but now I knew. A few folk whispered of Bernard the barber, but as he was gone it seemed no one told the king’s men that he might have been there. The city merchants and Churchmen wished to avoid trouble in Lincoln. Asa was excited. We would hunt him down and turn him in.’