altar.’
Savaric’s jaw dropped a second time. ‘No! But Reginald . . . He cured people!’
‘After the so-called Miracle of the Crosier, I paid a beggar to say he was healed, and subsequently, people thought they were better because they wanted to be. But the ruse has earned our abbey a fortune, so I have no regrets.’
Savaric’s face was ashen. ‘I do not believe you would stoop to such a vile deception!’
‘No? Then why did you make me prior, if not as a reward for devising the plan that has generated so much money?’
‘Because my only other choice was Robert, and his piety makes me look irreligious,’ explained Savaric weakly. ‘Now give me my crosier before—’
‘No!’ snarled Walter, trying again to grab Gwenllian. ‘Let me resolve this matter as I deem fit, and we shall say no more about it. I know what I am doing.’
‘Walter will not let you see your staff because there is blood on it,’ said Gwenllian to Savaric, retreating further behind him. ‘Which is why it was hidden behind the curtain. He has not had time to clean it.’
‘Whose blood?’ whispered Savaric.
‘My husband’s. Walter and your two henchmen came to the Angel to kill him. But he is quick-witted in that sort of situation. He kicked over the lamp, and darkness prevented them from committing murder.’
‘What?’ cried Savaric, more appalled than ever. ‘But he is the King’s officer! You cannot kill him, Walter – especially with my crosier! It is a religious artefact, not a cudgel.’
Cole was tiring from the vicious two-pronged attack, and Gwenllian saw that unless she did something soon, the knights would kill him.
‘Symon has bruises that match your staff precisely,’ she said desperately. ‘Even down to the puncture marks caused by its three glass jewels. Tell your men to lay down their weapons, and he will show you.’
‘Osmun, stop!’ shouted Savaric. ‘End this madness at once.’
‘Keep fighting!’ Walter turned to Savaric. ‘It is them or you. If they live, they will accuse you of murder.’
Savaric gazed at him. ‘Murder? Me ? What are you talking about?’
‘They think you killed Adam and Hugh,’ explained Gwenllian, ‘using Pica’s dog.’
‘What?’ exploded Savaric. ‘That vile creature? I assure you, I—’
‘You do not need to pretend with us,’ interrupted Walter briskly. ‘We know it was the dog Pica gave you that dispatched Adam and Hugh. We saw its hairs on their bodies.’
Savaric was horrified. ‘If that beast was responsible, then it had nothing to do with me! I thought Osmun had destroyed the thing. I swear on holy Reginald’s tomb that I had nothing to do with what happened to Adam and Hugh!’
The oath made Osmun falter, and it was enough for Cole to strike him on the side of the head with the hilt of his sword. Osmun staggered backwards, then collapsed in a heap. Fevil issued a peculiar growl, and Gwenllian stared at him.
‘The animal we heard in the Angel!’ she exclaimed. ‘It was you!’
‘Fevil cannot help the sounds he makes,’ said Savaric. He spoke distractedly, still trying to process what Walter had told him. ‘You would fare no better if you had no tongue.’
‘For God’s sake, Fevil!’ howled Walter, as the big man faltered. ‘We will lose everything if Savaric surrenders. Finish Cole!’
‘Wait!’ It was Osmun, climbing slowly to his feet. Fevil obeyed instantly, and Cole backed away, using the opportunity to catch his breath. Osmun addressed the bishop. ‘Are you saying you are innocent of killing Adam and Hugh?’
‘Of course I am innocent!’ cried Savaric. ‘What do you think I am?’
Osmun gazed at him in confusion. ‘But you used bribery and coercion to make Cole abandon his investigation. Why would you do that if you had nothing to hide?’
‘Because the King does not want me to co-operate,’ explained Savaric, clearly affronted. ‘But I had nothing to hide personally.’
Gwenllian grimaced. The news of
Savaric’s jaw dropped a second time. ‘No! But Reginald . . . He cured people!’
‘After the so-called Miracle of the Crosier, I paid a beggar to say he was healed, and subsequently, people thought they were better because they wanted to be. But the ruse has earned our abbey a fortune, so I have no regrets.’
Savaric’s face was ashen. ‘I do not believe you would stoop to such a vile deception!’
‘No? Then why did you make me prior, if not as a reward for devising the plan that has generated so much money?’
‘Because my only other choice was Robert, and his piety makes me look irreligious,’ explained Savaric weakly. ‘Now give me my crosier before—’
‘No!’ snarled Walter, trying again to grab Gwenllian. ‘Let me resolve this matter as I deem fit, and we shall say no more about it. I know what I am doing.’
‘Walter will not let you see your staff because there is blood on it,’ said Gwenllian to Savaric, retreating further behind him. ‘Which is why it was hidden behind the curtain. He has not had time to clean it.’
‘Whose blood?’ whispered Savaric.
‘My husband’s. Walter and your two henchmen came to the Angel to kill him. But he is quick-witted in that sort of situation. He kicked over the lamp, and darkness prevented them from committing murder.’
‘What?’ cried Savaric, more appalled than ever. ‘But he is the King’s officer! You cannot kill him, Walter – especially with my crosier! It is a religious artefact, not a cudgel.’
Cole was tiring from the vicious two-pronged attack, and Gwenllian saw that unless she did something soon, the knights would kill him.
‘Symon has bruises that match your staff precisely,’ she said desperately. ‘Even down to the puncture marks caused by its three glass jewels. Tell your men to lay down their weapons, and he will show you.’
‘Osmun, stop!’ shouted Savaric. ‘End this madness at once.’
‘Keep fighting!’ Walter turned to Savaric. ‘It is them or you. If they live, they will accuse you of murder.’
Savaric gazed at him. ‘Murder? Me ? What are you talking about?’
‘They think you killed Adam and Hugh,’ explained Gwenllian, ‘using Pica’s dog.’
‘What?’ exploded Savaric. ‘That vile creature? I assure you, I—’
‘You do not need to pretend with us,’ interrupted Walter briskly. ‘We know it was the dog Pica gave you that dispatched Adam and Hugh. We saw its hairs on their bodies.’
Savaric was horrified. ‘If that beast was responsible, then it had nothing to do with me! I thought Osmun had destroyed the thing. I swear on holy Reginald’s tomb that I had nothing to do with what happened to Adam and Hugh!’
The oath made Osmun falter, and it was enough for Cole to strike him on the side of the head with the hilt of his sword. Osmun staggered backwards, then collapsed in a heap. Fevil issued a peculiar growl, and Gwenllian stared at him.
‘The animal we heard in the Angel!’ she exclaimed. ‘It was you!’
‘Fevil cannot help the sounds he makes,’ said Savaric. He spoke distractedly, still trying to process what Walter had told him. ‘You would fare no better if you had no tongue.’
‘For God’s sake, Fevil!’ howled Walter, as the big man faltered. ‘We will lose everything if Savaric surrenders. Finish Cole!’
‘Wait!’ It was Osmun, climbing slowly to his feet. Fevil obeyed instantly, and Cole backed away, using the opportunity to catch his breath. Osmun addressed the bishop. ‘Are you saying you are innocent of killing Adam and Hugh?’
‘Of course I am innocent!’ cried Savaric. ‘What do you think I am?’
Osmun gazed at him in confusion. ‘But you used bribery and coercion to make Cole abandon his investigation. Why would you do that if you had nothing to hide?’
‘Because the King does not want me to co-operate,’ explained Savaric, clearly affronted. ‘But I had nothing to hide personally.’
Gwenllian grimaced. The news of
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