Crowner's Justice - Seven

[ismenin]

Hello, my loves. Yes, it's Thursday, and here is Part Seven of my story. I hope you enjoy it. Things is hottin' up!




Thank you, ladysunrope for beta.


Part - 7


Dom went to visit Ben before breakfast, and found the boy rested and awake. The lad was patently glad to see him, and that alone lifted Dom's heart.
Yet he knew he had to question him, and sent the nurse away on an errand before clearing his throat.

"I have questions I must ask you, Ben," he began, and he saw the lad pale, and stiffen in fright. "If we are to find the man who...attacked you, these things must be asked. Do you understand?"

Ben pressed his lips tight together and nodded. He seemed to draw the hound closer to him, as if seeking comfort from its warm presence.

"Did you see the man, Ben?" Dom hated to ask, but it had to be done.

"No," Ben replied, in a whisper. "I heard him just before he...pounced. But I did not see him, no. He yanked up my robe and wrapped it around my head, so I could neither see nor breathe."

The boy was trembling so much, Dom was tempted to stop; but that would not help him find the devil.

"And..?" he said, softly.

"Then he...did it. It hurt..."The boy stopped, and swallowed, hard, and Dom passed him a cup filled with watered wine, which he drank gratefully.

"I cried out, but all sound was muffled in the cloth over my head. Then I fainted, I think, because I do not remember any more until I heard Captain Egfrid's voice, calling me, but I could not answer, then there was silence, then...you came and carried me to my bed. That was all I know, Sheriff. I am sorry..."

Dom stayed for an hour, and succeeded in making the boy laugh, which won the nurse's approval when she returned.

"Does Red bother you when he comes, Ben? I can tell him to shog off, if he does."

Ben managed a smile. "No, I like him. He tells me all about the crowner, and what he does, and how things go in his house. It is interesting. Please do not stop him coming."

Then Barebone arrived, and Dom went off to speak to Egfrid before he examined the room once more.

"Tell me exactly what you saw, Captain. Leave nothing out, however insignificant you may think it."

They were sitting on two stools in the soldier's quarters. All the other men were either out on patrol, or exercising in the fields beyond the keep, so they had privacy to speak.

"I've told Captain Rolf..." the man began, but Dom stopped him.

"Yes, I know that, man - now tell me" The tone of Dom's voice, whilst not harsh, hurried the man into speech.

"I went to get us a cheese to go with our mid-day meal. Cored's wife and her girls had made us all some thick mutton soup, and Siôn the Cymric told us that they ate it in his land with chunks of cheese in..."

This was not the level of detail that Dom had meant, but he suppressed his irritation, for he liked this man, and he encouraged him to go on.

"Well, I needed to piss, so I offered to go for the cheese, and I was on my way, afterwards, to the second storeroom where it's kept, when a movement on the floor, in the first room as I passed, caught my eye."

For the first time, his voice faltered. "I went in, and it was Ben, lying on the floor, his robe over his head, his shift pulled up, and blood all over his arse and legs. I called to him, and pulled the cloth away from his face, and when he didn't answer me, I ran for you, sir, and then we both went back. That's all I saw, Sheriff, I swear it."

The man breathed heavily, then blurted out, "when you catch the swine, let me at him. I'll cut his cods off, so he can't do to any other lad what he did to young Ben. He always has a kind word and a wave for me when I'm on duty, does that lad. You catch the bugger that did it, and hand him over to us, I say. There'll be no need for the jailer and his tools after we've finished with him, sir."

Dom did not doubt the man's sincerity; he had known Egfrid for years, the man had a son of his own, about Ben's age, so he clapped him on the shoulder, and sent him off to join his comrades. He went back to the corridor leading to Ben's old room.

He went past Ben's old chamber, and into the next one, which was a place that root vegetables were stored. After the benefactor's generosity, there was a pleasant aroma in the room, of parsnips, and sweet, purple carrots, tinged with a trace of garlic, and onions, which were hanging in strings from hooks, and Dom felt his stomach roll. He would eat before he went back to the crowner to report.

He examined the walls and the floor carefully. If there was a way in to Ben's bed-chamber, it was not from there, and Dom came out, puzzled. In the next room he saw, stored with some other tools, a long iron pole with a flattened edge, and seizing it, he rushed back to Ben's chambers, where he bolted the door to the outer room, and levered the loose stone from the bed-chamber floor.

He stared down at a flight of rough-hewn steps, and before he went down them, lit one of the candles, which, clasped in his hand, afforded him enough light to see where he was headed.

The steps led onto a short passageway, and another flight of steps, and then he came up in the corner of the cheese store, narrowly avoiding a goodwife adding several small cheeses to the shelves. He knew the newly brought cows and goats meant cheeses could now be made to supplement the eaten stock. He blessed the giver and his gifts again.

Luckily, the room was large, and the woman left without turning, or she would have seen him. Dom hurried back down the way he had come, replacing the stones and the iron bar where he had found them. He smiled, grimly. At least he had something to tell the crowner for his efforts.

He grabbed a hand-sized cheese before he left, a loaf, and two apples, and went to his room to enjoy his feast.

*****

Elijah was sitting in the chair, again, when Dom called to give his report. He smiled at the Sheriff as he approached, and asked him to sit down in a cordial manner. Dom wondered why this should be, when the man had been so openly hostile towards him on previous occasions.

In fact, Elijah de Woode had been reflecting on their previous meetings.

He had had ample time to think, after retiring to bed. He thought of Dom, going without food for the children's sake - for there was no doubt the man's face was not so gaunt since he had sent the provisions to the keep - and Red had reported that Ben had said Mortain gave most of his ration of meat to be boiled for broth for the children, when their wages were stolen.

The man had helped him during his surgery. Not only that, he had not cavilled at being asked to perform tasks that were not strictly his duty any longer. There was no doubt, either, that he had been as rude to Mortain as Mortain had been towards him. He would try to be more civil to the man, he vowed. They would have to work together, in future, after all.

"Have you anything to tell me, Sheriff?" Elijah asked in a pleasant tone, as Will came in with refreshments.

Dom picked up a morsel of spiced fowl, and nodded over the mouthful. "I have, indeed, my lord. You were right in your surmise. There was a trap door."

Elijah beamed with pleasure, and Dom was amazed at how that smile transformed the man's expression from one of haughty disdain, to one of untrammelled pleasure. It was good to look upon, he thought.

He told the coroner all that he had found, then he grew less animated as he spoke of Ben.

"...and that was what Egfrid said. He saw no more than I."

Elijah pressed his lips with his forefinger, pondering for a moment. "Would you tell me what you observed, Sheriff? It may be, in the telling, there might come to your mind a forgotten thought."

Dom saw no harm in it. "The first I knew of it was Wuffa, yelling up the stairs that Egfrid was calling for me, and that he was running across the bailey. I ran to meet him, and he said Ben had been hurt. He took me into the room where he lay..."

Here Dom's voice grew soft as he recollected the scene. "The lad lay on the floor - on his belly..." Dom added, prompted by Elijah's look, and remembering he wanted every detail. It was hard giving them...

"...and that was all I saw", he concluded. "The same as did Egfrid. Nothing different."

It was obvious that Elijah was deep in thought. "You say this Egfrid said only Ben had been hurt, no more. And no-one else saw Ben like this, but you two - apart from the attacker, that is?"

Dom nodded, a little restrained after remembering the details. "That is so."

"And to whom else did you vouchsafe the details of the attack given to you by Master Barebone?"

Dom stared at him in dismay. "To no-one! My God, crowner, to have heard for myself the details of the lad's injuries - torn and bruised as John had told me the lad's body was - was enough, without spreading them abroad!"

Elijah sighed. "Not even the nurses were told?"

"No-one, I tell you! There was no need, with John coming twice every day. And Ben would not have liked women seeing his...you know....wounds. It was John, only, who attended to his inner dressings," Dom said, with a little constraint.

"I had told Egfrid to tell the men Ben had been attacked most foully, because I hoped that the men would be incensed enough by the vile act to hand over the attacker, if they found him out. The boy is well-liked by everyone in the keep."

Elijah picked up his mazer, and stared into the dark wine. "Yes, I understand. You have given me much to think upon, Sheriff. Now, let us talk of happier things..."


They sat there, quite content, talking about their lives. Elijah told of some of the adventures he had had with Richard at Outremer, before he was wounded, and Dom spoke of chasing Prince John's pack of renegades after a skirmish in the forest, nearby.

An hour later by the candle-clock, Dom, worried that he would outstay his welcome, was just about to leave, when there was a knock on the door.

Will ushered into the room a tall priest, with a pale, thin featured face, and wearing a worried expression upon it. His brow cleared somewhat, when he saw the Sheriff, for he knew Dom well.

"Ah! Sheriff! I am glad you are here, too, for it is mighty puzzling, and no mistake," the priest said, sighing with relief as he turned from Elijah, to Dom.

"Father Anselm, my friend. I have rarely before known you in such a taking. What ails you, man?" Dom asked, sitting back down, as Will moved a chair forward for the priest.

It was, however, Elijah whom the priest addressed. "The bishop told me to bring it to you, sir - my lord. He was angered that the thing had been removed, but the young brother who was tending to Flagsheet's corpse before its interment tomorrow, knew no better. I pray you will not censure him further for it."

The man was old enough to be Elijah's father, but he spoke with deference, knowing the authority vested in the coroner's office. He hesitantly passed Elijah a fragment of silver chain, about six inches long, with a blue stone bead suspended from one end.

"It was found by Brother Peres as he was preparing the body for its coffin, my lord, as I said. It was wrapped around Master Flagsheet's middle finger - on his right hand. The lad is not much over twenty, he did not stop to consider, but unwound it, and brought it to me. It was...unfortunate... that the bishop was with me, at the time. His Grace has put Peres on bread and water for three days for his stupidity..."

The man's voice tailed away. "I am sorry, my lord crowner. He realised later that he should have left it there."

Elijah looked up from his contemplation of the scrap, and smiled reassuringly at the anxious priest. "It makes no matter, Father. Tell the lad I said so. The bishop has been too harsh, and so I shall tell his Grace, when I can walk. It may be as soon as tomorrow, if Master Barebone agrees."

He examined the chain again. "Some evidence is best seen in situ but this..." he handed the chain to Dom. "...was definitely not on the body on the two occasions on which I examined it. Whoever put it there, did so after the body reached the cathedral."

Dom agreed. "It would be too singular a thing to have missed, crowner. I saw the body when you did - and when it was placed on its bier, in the cathedral, and his hands were neatly folded over his chest. This was definitely not there."

The priest was anxious to leave. "His Grace abjured me straitly to hurry back to tell him what you have said, my lord, and if you were angered with Peres. What shall I tell him?"

Elijah smiled, but it was not a smile that Dom would have liked aimed in his direction. Neither was it directed at Father Anselm, but at the fire. Then he looked at the priest, and the smile changed into something far warmer.

"You may tell his Grace that I am very happy that Brother Peres has so keen an eye for detail. Many might have missed it - I commend his perspicacity, for I expect by now Flagsheet's corpse is holding a cross in his hands, is it not?"

Anselm nodded. "You are correct, my lord. I shall pass on your comments, both to the bishop, and to Peres, who is worried that he might have displeased you. It will certainly cheer him. May I go, now? His Grace will be waiting."

Elijah waited until the door closed behind the anxious priest. "What do you make of it, Mortain?"

Dom made a wry face. "Someone put it there, but to what purpose I have not the remotest clue."

Elijah agreed. "What does it look like to you?"

Dom laughed. "Nothing, my lord. Just a piece of chain!"

Elijah put it on the table beside his chair, and Dom noticed a slight strain about the man's eyes and wondered if his leg was troubling him.

With rare tact he excused himself, and promised a visit on the following day. "We will see if the night brings us both any new thoughts," he said, as he bowed himself out.

Elijah wasted no time in calling for Andy. His leg was on fire - he had been sitting too long. He was anxious to be allowed out of doors soon, and wanted to make a good impression on the apothecary in the morning.

"I will take dinner in bed, Will," he said as Andy came down the stairs.

He had been undressed and was sitting on the edge of the bed, when a thought struck him. "Andy, before I get into bed, may I impose on our close acquaintance, and ask you to remove your hosen and drawers, and to lie on the floor for a few moments?"

Many men would have blanched with fear at such a request from their master, but Andy merely laughed. "Now what is your lordship up to?"

Will arrived with the food just as his brother was putting his hose on the chest. He raised his eyebrow. "My lord?" he said, placing the tray down, and folding his arms, glancing askance at the half-naked Andy.

"It is a thought I had regarding the lad Ben, and the dreadful assault made upon his person. Andy has offered to help, and I will be grateful for your opinion, too, Will."

Will heaved a sigh of relief. He did not know his lordship quite as intimately as did his brother, and he had been concerned, for a brief moment. But the fear had died, stillborn. His lordship was not one to lie with servants. He stood on too high a form for that.

"Lie on the floor - over there, Andy, if you please. Your feet about half a span apart, your hands on each side, by your head. Will and I will come through the door, as did the first-finder and the Sheriff, and we shall see what we see."


Afterwards, Andy had replaced his garments, and Elijah was in bed, his leg resting on a soft down pillow, before Elijah asked his questions.

"First of all, would you say that Andy was of a size and similar build to Ben?"

Will thought about it. "Ben is a well made lad for his age, my lord. I would say Andy had slightly more developed muscle, but that is all. They are much of a size, otherwise."

"I agree," Elijah said, then waved his servant on.

"Tell me exactly what you saw, Will. Everything."

Will grinned at his brother, and then described the scene.

"I saw him lying there, his feet slightly apart, his arse and legs bare. His arms lay each side of his head, which was turned to the right, and his eyes were closed."

Elijah pressed his lips together. "Anything else? Did you see his cods, or any other parts?" he prompted, but Will shook his head, not smiling now, but thinking of the poor lad lying there, injured and bloody as he had heard the Sheriff tell his master.

"No, my lord. He was lying on them, after all."

Elijah nodded. "And what did you see of his... inner arse?"

Will pondered for a moment, remembering what he had observed. "Nothing, my lord. The cheeks covered all - I saw nothing but his bare arse cheeks, and the crack dividing them. If I had been there, I might have seen blood, no doubt, if there was some, but little else."

Elijah clapped his hands, smiling at last. "Yes! Thank you both. You have just helped me capture a felon, whom I trust will be hanged at the gibbet before long. There is a reward of two marks posted by the cathedral deacons for the discovery of this creature - you may share it between you after he is apprehended!"

*****

"No, my lord - be patient. Not today, but I promise you that you may walk tomorrow. In fact, if you were disinclined to try, I would encourage you to do so. The muscles will waste if you do not exercise them, but one more day will not harm, and allow the tissues to settle."

Barebone had removed the stitches, and was gazing approvingly upon his handiwork. It was a task well done, and, apart from a slight redness, which was natural, the wound showed none of the inflamed patches that had been there before.

"Does it hurt, my lord?" Barebone was interested in what the crowner had to say. It would help him, if he had to perform the same type of operation in the future - one never knew.

"It does still hurt, Master Barebone, but it is not the deep, lancing pain that it once was, and for that I am grateful. I am certain that when it all settles, I will have none of the anguish that has plagued me over the last year. I cannot thank you enough, sir."

Barebone grinned. "You have paid me, my lord, far and above the worth of the time I have spent on you. It means I can get more medicament for the relief of the poor, who have no-one to tend them, else."

Elijah's brow furrowed in surprise. "Do not the other apothecaries in the city treat the poor free of charge, or at reduced rates, as I have seen you do?"

Barebone shook his head. "There was one that did - old Hengist. But he died recently, and now there is no-one but me. I cannot blame the others, we all must eat, after all, and most of them have wives and children to feed, and..."

He paused and blushed. Elijah was intrigued. "What was it you were going to say, sir?"

John Barebone laughed, in spite of his embarrassment. "I was going to say that none of them have half the clients that I do, because I am the best apothecary in the city. There! Now I shall be blasted by the Almighty for sinning. 'Pride goeth before destruction'..."

, "...'and a haughty spirit before a fall' Elijah interrupted. Yes, I know. But your spirit is far from haughty, and it is my opinion that you are the best apothecary-surgeon in the entire country, never mind the city. You underestimate yourself." Elijah offered the man his hand, and the apothecary went off to his shop.

Elijah picked up the bit of chain from the table beside his bed, and wondered when the Sheriff might call. If nothing else - for the chain offered up no clues - he had found the rapist, and he knew that Mortain would be pleased. He was anxious to see the man's face when he told him.

He waited in vain. The Sheriff was otherwise occupied that day. One of the guard came down shortly after mid-day, to inform the coroner of an accident at the keep.

"Part of the masonry fell off the battlements, last night, my lord," said the man, after offering the Sheriff's apologies, "and a man was killed."

The man was glad to be offered a cup of ale, and the chance to sit for a few moments.

"I was helping with the removal of the stones from the body, my lord, and have had no rest. I'm right glad for a moment of respite."

The guard did, indeed, look dusty, and tired. "I was on night duty with him," he offered, as Elijah had asked for the details of the accident.

"He was walking back from the defaectorum - which is the fine Latin name for the shit-houses - the Sheriff had the monks come and build them, over the river, like the ones at the abbey - said he couldn't abide the smell of shit from two hundred souls piling up around him. Well, when the poor sod passed under a particularly dark patch of wall, damn me, if the roof didn't fall down on him. We knew it was loose, but there had been strong ropes put around them, until the masons could come and fix them back in. Anyway, they - them ropes - must have come loose, somehow, cos the chunks killed the poor bugger stone dead, sir," the man said, not realising the irony of his comment.

Elijah made a suitable remark, as the man was clearly upset.

"The Sheriff is cut up about it, as well, my lord. The man was one of his personal guard."

"Who was it?" the coroner asked, out of politeness, more than interest.

"It was Egfrid, the Cornish captain," the guard revealed.

Elijah folded his lips, and thanked the man for coming. He sat, alone, and thought about what he had just heard.

The first-finder of Ben killed! I wonder if his death was an accident, after all? Or could he have been murdered?

Tomorrow, he could walk - he would take his time, go to the keep, and look at the situation for himself. Who knew what he might discover?

Comments

[mole-caz.livejournal.com]

Snagging for later as I want to be able to sit back and really enjoy it at my leisure.

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

Hope you do enjoy, my love! ;D xxx

[tristanpaulus.livejournal.com]

ooh, a cliffhanger!

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

Oh, ar! I like those! :D xxx

[primula-baggins.livejournal.com]

And the thick plottens! : D

I can hardly wait to see who it is that the crowner believes hurt Ben. He seems to think he knows. I'm completely confused. It is as it should be. ;-)

And now Egfrid is gone. Surely, it was not merely an accident.

Come on, Sunday!

[tristanpaulus.livejournal.com]

I was actually suspecting Egfrid, until he died at the end, lol!

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

He knows, all right. And so did I as soon as he opened his mouth. "So, it was YOU, you bastard!" I said, in a ladylike manner, as is my wont, having no idea who had dunnit up until then. I often wondered when writing this, what would happen if the culprits weren't found! But I needn't have worried! They were! :D xxx

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Doggone it, I still don't know who did it! Elijah will tell us all soon, I hope. It was so good to have him and the sheriff sit and talk to each other without anger rearing its head.

Poor Ben, it's good that he has such a kind soul as the sheriff watching over him.

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

Elijah and Dom are beginning to like each other. Bless. Where will it lead? We know that very well! ;D

Ben has good friends, poor lad. It makes up for the bad uns. xxx

[aprilkat.livejournal.com]

Darn, I wish I had the time to go back and reread all the things that were said after the attack. It seems that someone said something that indicated he was actually there (because one couldn't see all the attack caused).

Elijah is on the case!

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

Elijah is most definitely on the case! He is a clever, resouceful chappie! :D xxx

[foxykc.livejournal.com]

We know who dun it, but the suspense is killing me

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

Ha! That's how it should be, my love! ;D xxx

[pattilovesviggo.livejournal.com]

I wonder how he knew it was Ben, as Ben had his robe over his head presumably covering his face?
I was waiting for this chapter last night and I must have just missed you putting it up.
Great stuff! I do love a murder mystery so much {As long as it`s fiction :)}

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

As long as it's fiction - yup, me too! Hope to see ya tomorrow! Let's hope it doesn't rain! ;D xxx

[verangel.livejournal.com]

hee I read and then reread and I think it is as I thought. OOOHHHH What now though. I am so glad Elijah's leg is healing. There is a respect forming (finally) with the crowner and Dom. Poor Ben having to give the ghory details. It was a blessing he fainted.
Can't wait for tomorrow. Last pool weekend nad I need a nice read there. Hugs you xooxooxox v

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

Hugs ya back! Glad you liked it, hun! ;D xxx

[janejanejane.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much for this and the previous chapter. It was good reading the two together. Fascinating reading, too :-)

So it can't be Egfrid, then... Good to see Elijah and Dom beginning to turn from dislike to something warmer, at last! Glad Elijah's leg is improving as well.

Really enjoying this and looking forward to more revelations next time!

XXXX

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

Thank you, my love. More tomorrow! :D xxx

[tristanpaulus.livejournal.com]

Am I right in thinking it might turn out to be a good thing Elijah's leg is healing? ;)

Might make certain activities more comfortable.

[ismenin.livejournal.com]

Well, it is, my love - but not until Part 15! ;D xxx

[http://users.livejournal.com/tweedle_/]

Only pausing briefly before rushing on to next part. :) Is excellent!
Elijah is magic and I can't wait to see how he solves this. Wonderful. XXOO