The Service of the Dead

The tavern Lionel had chosen was in the undercroft of a business fronting a substantial house on Micklegate. Private, no public rooms, an arrangement preferred by merchants doing business requiring discretion. Though Kate avoided the practice, preferring her fellow guild merchants to trust her, Simon had frequented the place, and the taverner greeted her warmly. He seemed excited as he informed her that her party had preceded her, quickly showing her into his best room. Cushioned chairs were drawn up to a table large enough to seat several merchants and their factors. Wall sconces and a brazier lit the windowless space, the latter made necessary by the stone floor and walls that glistened here and there with river damp and held in the winter chill.

Handsomely dressed in a brown velvet houppelande and deep green leggings, a brown velvet hat with a swooping feather covering his thinning hair, Lionel had clearly dressed up to the standard of his surprise companion, Sir Elric, a retainer of the powerful Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland. Not a good sign.

“Sir Elric.” Kate bobbed her head, irked by a fleeting sense of relief that she, too, was dressed in finery, in honor of Alice and Connor, and that Jennet was as well, wearing the dress Kate had altered for her. Yes, he was a handsome man, but she needed a cool head. “My brother-in-law did not mention I would be dining with a knight in the service of the Earl of Westmoreland. It has been several years since we have met. You seem in good health.”

He replied in kind, asking after the health of her wards, expressing concern about Phillip’s recent discovery in the chapter house. She assured him they were both well, the morning requiem a great comfort to Phillip.

Elric was a retainer answering directly to Sir Ralph Neville, in residence at the earl’s castle of Sheriff Hutton in the Forest of Galtres. She had met him on numerous occasions when she and Simon attended feast day celebrations at the castle. Always Elric had dressed in fine velvets and silks, though he was clearly valued for his martial skill, demonstrating his swordplay as part of the entertainment out on the jousting field. A curious companion for this dinner. She suspected it was he who had called them together, and she wondered why.

Once they were seated and served with wine and the fish course, Lionel expressed concern about the fire in the undercroft on High Petergate the previous evening. “I passed by this morning, heard workmen hammering, and the undercroft door swung wide, a man in the Kirkby livery standing guard out front. A passing neighbor said the fire had been down below. Of course I am concerned about the spices.”

“You have no need to worry on that count,” said Kate. “The smoke was noticed at once, the fire doused before it did much damage.”

“Was it your tenant who caused the fire?”

“No. Someone had lit the pallet that recently appeared in the undercroft. Yours, Lionel?” She tasted the salmon. Quite good.

“Mine?” He looked honestly surprised. “No. When I noticed it on my last visit, a week ago, I think, I reckoned you had someone guarding the undercroft while I was away. An excellent idea. I had found the lock undone on several occasions.”

“And never informed me,” Kate noted, quietly, which took great effort. “It is clear we need to bury our differences and learn to work together, Lionel. We stand in danger of losing everything. For now, I may move the stores elsewhere once Clement and Berend complete the inventory.”

“Inventory? When?”

“Now. They began this morning.”

She noticed sweat beading on his forehead. Good. And Sir Elric, who had seemed content to savor the fish, regarded Lionel with the hint of a smile before turning to Kate. “I am here seeking news of a comrade who came to York on a mission for the earl and seems to have vanished. A great bear of a man, Jon Underhill.” He described Hubert Bale.

“You are the second person this day to describe him to me. I have just learned that a servant gone missing for several days was seen in this man’s company before he disappeared.”

“Might it have been your cousin, William Frost, who mentioned this?” asked Sir Elric.

“No, it was not. It was my servant’s brother and his fellows on the King’s Staithe. William knows this man?”

She expected the knight to flinch at having said too much, but he merely shrugged. “When I last saw Underhill, he told me that your cousin William had some trouble with a man too curious about his family, a man who had frightened his daughter. Jon had offered to help your cousin resolve the matter.”

Two could play this game of cool indifference. “Poor William. Well then surely you must ask my cousin about this man’s whereabouts.” She imagined poor William choking on his memory of Bale’s decomposing body.

“I have. He tells me that he refused Underhill’s offer and sent him on his way.”

“Ah. I am afraid I cannot help you there. But perhaps Lionel might. It has been brought to my attention that he and his servant Fitch have been often in the company of my missing servant, Sam. In fact some have come to believe Sam serves Lionel, not me, they are so often together. And Sam has been seen with this Underhill.” She shrugged. “In fact, Fitch was following Sam in the early hours of the day my servant disappeared. When I noticed Fitch behind Sam in the alley, he took off running. He shed his cloak, one of Lionel’s castoffs, in a passing cart as he went. Is that not odd, Sir Elric?”

The knight sat back in his chair, regarding Lionel, who was grasping the edge of the table with his gloved hands. “Clearly it would be best that I see to this going forward, Lionel.”

To Kate’s surprise, Lionel rose, bowed to Kate, to Elric, and made to depart.

“One question before you depart, Lionel,” said Kate. “How is it that Jon Underhill approached my cousin William? Your doing?”

It was Sir Elric who responded. “I will explain.”

“Good. And Lionel, Lady Kirkby asks that you call on her at the guesthouse this evening. She would hear you out.”

Lionel expressed his surprise, and thanked her, bowing out.

“And now, Sir Elric, I trust you will do me the courtesy of explaining yourself,” Kate said quietly, one hand on the dagger hidden in her skirts.

“Forgive me for not having invited you to dine myself, but I did not know whether you would come. However, Lionel… Well, you have much to discuss with him, so I brazenly used him to lure you. I pray your forgiveness.”

“It would seem you have lived so long among the Nevilles that you have adopted their bad habits. I much prefer someone who is direct.”

“Direct I shall be. But first, would you be so kind as to serve us?” he asked Jennet.

“Gladly, sir.” Jennet jumped to the task, serving all three of them the meat course that had been set out on the sideboard and refreshing their barely tasted goblets.

Kate took a forkful of the meat. Venison. Delicately spiced. Elric and Jennet also tried a little.

“So,” Elric began, “you are quite right about my lord’s kinsman. Lionel has interfered with your servant. I learned that only this morning, and have sent out men to search the road to Beverley. And other destinations, in case he had other plans.”