House of Shadows by The Medieval Murderers Page A

while they waited a moment for de Wolfe to limp up to them, Thomas lit a few candle stumps ready for the descent. As they went down, they heard the rest of the burial party approaching but pressed on in their pursuit of Ferdinand.
    Gwyn took the lead, and when they reached the bottom they heard a high-pitched keening echoing eerily from the far end. The distraught Cluniac was alternately wailing and sobbing, then gabbling incoherently eitherto himself or to some unseen presence – possibly Almighty God.
    â€˜The crazy fellow is in the pitch dark,’ boomed the Cornishman. ‘He must have felt his way down there without a light.’
    â€˜As I had to last night,’ replied the coroner grimly. ‘And I suspect it was because of this same fellow trying to kill me!’
    When they reached the last arch, their candles revealed Ferdinand lying face down in the slimy mud, limbs stretched out in cruciform posture, as in total supplication before an altar. He was wailing like an injured animal, and the ever-compassionate Thomas went to kneel by him to offer comfort.
    When he sensed the clerk’s presence, the monk gave a piercing yell and jumped to his feet, spread-eagling himself against the back wall, his hands scrabbling at the damp stones.
    â€˜Keep away! Keep off me, all of you!’ he screamed, his face contorted in the dim light. ‘I tried my best, but now I am doomed to an eternity in hell!’
    De Wolfe grabbed a candle from Gwyn and advanced to stand menacingly in front of Ferdinand, who cowered away against the wall.
    â€˜Was it you who tried to kill me last night?’ he roared.
    The monk cringed even more. ‘You were going to ruin my exorcism! Why else would you come here at dead of night? I followed you and foiled your intent…but it was all in vain!’
    The prior and the others had now arrived at the arch, delayed by the lack of candles to light their way.
    â€˜Sir John, what in God’s name is going on?’ snapped Robert. He glared at the monk still scrabbling at the stones. ‘Ferdinand, explain yourself!’ he demanded, but the monk had eyes only for the threatening apparition looming over him in the form of the coroner.Ignoring the prior, de Wolfe grabbed the petrified monk by the front of his robe, pulled him away from the wall and shook him like a frightened rabbit.
    â€˜What exorcism? What have you done? Did you kill that poor young woman, damn you?’ he snarled.
    â€˜It was a holy sacrifice!’ screamed Ferdinand. ‘This place is accursed. I have felt it for years. There is evil here, and the only way to cleanse it was to liberate the soul of a pure virgin into this awful space!’ His eyes rolling wildly, he flung an arm around to encompass the gloomy vault.
    â€˜How did you get her to come with you, you disgusting knave?’ yelled de Wolfe, giving him another shake.
    â€˜I went to her room, to tell her she had been chosen to perform a miracle…and it was the truth! Only her pure soul could drive away the evil in this place. She believed me and crept away willingly!’
    â€˜And for her reward, you took the poor girl’s life, you bastard!’ snarled the coroner.
    â€˜Her spirit would have conquered the depraved miasma that pervades this place – but it was all in vain, for she was not pure after all!’
    He began wailing again, and John released him in disgust.
    â€˜You are not only mad, you are depraved and evil!’ he yelled. ‘No doubt belonging to this religious house will save you from being hanged, as you richly deserve – but I hope your own soul rots in hell!’
    Prior Robert stepped forward with the cellarer to seize the demented monk, but Ferdinand, inflamed by the coroner’s contempt, backed away and seized the large stone that had fallen on Christina’s coffin. With a scream, he raised it high above his head, to launch it at the prior.
    Fearing yet another death,