Holy Thief by Ellis Peters Page A

gone, Longner’s cartload of timber gone,
worst of all, Ramsey’s little chest of treasure for the rebuilding, lost to a
company of outlaws along the road! Prior Robert drew a hissing breath,
Sub-Prior Herluin uttered a howl of bitter deprivation, and began to babble
indignation into Nicol’s set face.
    “Could
you do no better than that? All my work gone to waste! I thought I could rely
on you, that Ramsey could rely on you...”
    Hugh
laid a restraining hand on the sub-prior’s heaving shoulder, and rode somewhat
unceremoniously over his lament. “Was any man of yours badly hurt?”
    “None
past making his way afoot. As I’ve made mine,” said Nicol sturdily, “all these
miles, to bring word as soon as I might.”
    “And
well done,” said Hugh. “God be thanked there was no killing. And where have
they headed, since they let you make for here alone?”
    “Roger
and the young mason are gone on together for Ramsey. And the master carpenter
and the other lad turned back for Shrewsbury. They’ll be there by this, if they
had no more trouble along the way.”
    “And
where was this ambush? South of Leicester, you said? Could you lead us there?
But no,” said Hugh decisively, looking the man over. An elder, well past fifty,
and battered and tired from a dogged and laborious journey on foot. “No, you
need your rest. Name me some village close by, and we’ll find the traces. Here
are we, and ready for the road. As well for Leicester as for Shrewsbury.”
    “It
was in the forest, not far from Ullesthorpe,” said Nicol. “But they’ll be long
gone. I told you, they needed the cart and the horses, for they were running
from old pastures gone sour on them, and in the devil’s own hurry.”
    “If
they needed the wagon and the team so sorely,” said Hugh, “one thing’s certain,
they’d want no great load of timber to slow them down. As soon as they were
well clear of you, they’d surely get rid of that dead weight, they’d upend the
cart and tip the load. If your little treasury was well buried among the coppice-wood,
Father Herluin, we may recover it yet.” And if something else really was
slipped aboard at the last moment, he thought, who knows but we may recover
that, too!
    Herluin
had brightened and gathered his dignity about him wonderfully, at the very thought
of regaining what had gone astray. So had Nicol perceptibly brightened, though
rather with the hope of getting his revenge on the devils who had tumbled him
from the wagon, and threatened his companions with steel and arrows.
    “You
mean to go back there after them?” he questioned, glittering. Then, my lord,
gladly I’ll come back with you. I’ll know the place again, and take you there
straight. Father Herluin came with three horses from Shrewsbury. Let his man
make his way back there, and let me have the third horse and bring you the
quickest way to Ullesthorpe. Give me a moment to wet my throat and take a bite,
and I’m ready!”
    “You’ll
fall by the wayside,” said Hugh, laughing at a vehemence he could well
understand.
    “Not
I, my lord! Let me but get my hands on one of that grisly crew, and you’ll put
me in better fettle than all the rest in the world. I would not be left out!
This was my charge, and I have a score to settle. I kept the key safe, Father
Herluin, but never had time to toss the coffer into the bushes, before I was
flung there myself, winded among the brambles, and scratches enough to show for
it. You would not leave me behind now?”
    “Not
for the world!” said Hugh heartily. “I can do with a man of spirit about me.
Go, quickly then, get bread and ale. We’ll leave the Ramsey lad and have you
along for guide.”
     
    The
reeve of Ullesthorpe was a canny forty-five year old, wiry and spry, and adroit
at defending not only himself and his position, but the interests of his
village. Confronted with a party weighted in favour of the clerical, he