Sovereign by C. J. Sansom

church from the beginning, so he would not be seen. And that is another thing. Who would have keys to the church?’
    Maleverer grunted. ‘The monks probably took copies before they left, so they could come back and steal.’ He studied me. ‘So, then. Are you one of those lawyers who likes
ferreting about after puzzles and mysteries? You have the pinched look of such a funny-ossity.’ His Yorkshire accent strengthened as he used a dialect term I did not understand but could
guess was uncomplimentary. I did not answer.
    ‘You haven’t done very well, have you, letting him get away? Did you see nothing of what he looked like?’
    ‘Only the hem of a dark robe.’
    Maleverer turned to the coroner. ‘Have you ever heard that name the glazier mentioned? Blaybourne?’
    ‘No, sir.’ He looked at me with sharp blue eyes. ‘Mayhap it was the man who pushed the glazier into the cart, if anyone did. Some fellow guildsman he quarrelled
with.’
    Maleverer nodded. ‘More than likely.’ He leaned across the desk. ‘Brother Shardlake, the King and his Progress will be here in three days. Every official here is working all
hours to get everything ready for His Majesty, to ensure all goes smoothly. Especially the submission of the town councillors and the local gentry. What we do not have time for is a lot of
fuss about some stupid workman who fell, or was pushed, into his cart of glass. Understand?’
    ‘Yes, sir.’ I felt disappointment, but also relief. I had discharged my duty and it was up to Maleverer to decide what if anything was to be done. But his next words made my heart
sink.
    ‘Since you like mysteries, you can investigate the glazier’s death on the coroner’s behalf.’
    Archbold smiled and nodded. ‘An excellent idea, sir. I’ve no one else to spare.’
    ‘Go to the man’s house, talk to his friends, find if he had any enemies.’ Maleverer turned to the coroner again. ‘There will have to be a formal investigation,
won’t there?’
    Archbold nodded. ‘I fear so, Sir William. We can’t just leave it, though if it wasn’t an accident it’s probably some quarrel among the guildsmen, like I say. But we have
to be seen doing something. We don’t want the city made even more hostile.’
    ‘There we are then. Brother Shardlake and his assistant can deal with it.’ Maleverer delved into his robe, produced a large iron key and laid it on the table. I picked it up
reluctantly. ‘That’s all he had on him, apart from a purse with a few groats. His house key, probably. Bring the results of your enquiries to me. And it would be good if the evidence
supported death by misadventure, you understand?’ He smiled then, showing big yellow teeth. ‘I’ll report to the Duke of Suffolk, tell him it will be settled quietly.’
    ‘But Sir William,’ I said. ‘I am a witness. It would not be proper —’
    ‘Pox on what’s proper. I want this out of the way. We can empanel a jury from among the workmen here.’
    ‘I have to prepare the petitions for the King,’ I ventured.
    ‘Then you’ll have to work round the clock like the rest of us,’ Maleverer answered bluntly. He turned to Archbold. ‘Master coroner, will you leave us a moment? Take him
–’ he waved at Barak – ‘with you.’ They bowed and went outside, leaving Maleverer staring coldly at me. I sensed his dislike, and I wondered whether it was the
contempt big hearty fellows will sometimes have for deformity. His eyes narrowed.
    ‘You have another task as well, don’t you?’ he asked. ‘At the castle? Don’t gawk at me like a new-landed fish. I sit on the Council of the North, I know everything.
You know how delicate the political position is. You will obey me to the letter in this matter of the glazier, do you understand? Get it out of the way quick.’
    ‘Yes, sir,’ I answered heavily. So Maleverer was one of the trusted men on the Council of the North, whom Cranmer had told me of. I wondered if he knew what Broderick