was accused
of.
He gave his harsh smile again. ‘As for your other task, it is probably a good idea for someone to keep an eye on Master Radwinter from what I hear of him. How is Broderick, have you seen
him?’
‘Yesterday. He has an infected burn, I ordered a physician fetched.’
‘Good. But one thing, Brother Shardlake.’ He pointed a big square finger at me. ‘Apart from watching for Broderick’s welfare, you keep that long nose of yours out of that
matter. Right out.’ He stared hard at me again. ‘I don’t like long noses. I cut them off sometimes, and the heads as well.’
Chapter Six
I FOUND B ARAK STANDING ON the steps of the manor house, looking across the courtyard. The
day’s work had begun and was continuing at the same breakneck pace. Visible progress had been made on the two pavilions; through the open doors I could see workmen finishing the interior
decorations. Nearby, frames were being erected for three enormous tents, carts loaded with huge canvases standing by. The mist had cleared, leaving a grey sky.
‘They took the horse away.’ Barak nodded over to the wall, where a man with a brush and pail was washing away the blood.
‘Killing the poor beast was unnecessary,’ I said. I told him of Maleverer’s orders. ‘I wish I’d kept my mouth shut after all. Now I’m landed with this task,
and if I find evidence Oldroyd was murdered I’ll be less popular than ever.’
‘Where do we start?’
‘At the Guildhall, I suppose. I should liaise with the city coroner. And if poor Oldroyd was a master glazier they’ll be able to put us in touch with his guild, and perhaps tell us
where he lived.’
Barak nodded. He still had a gloomy look, I saw, and I remembered his sudden outburst in the church. I must talk to him later on. ‘Let’s get started, then,’ I said with a
sigh.
‘We’re due to meet old Wrenne at ten.’
‘Damn it, so we are. I’ll send a message to say we’ll be late. I must visit the prison as well, to see if Radwinter’s brought a doctor to Broderick.’
‘Master Shardlake!’ I turned at the sound of a familiar voice, and saw Tamasin Reedbourne approaching from the direction of the church. She was accompanied by the sour-looking woman
who had been with Lady Rochford the day before. I set my teeth; was there no avoiding this importunate girl? She came up to us.
‘There is no time to stand talking, Tamasin,’ her companion said disapprovingly.
‘But these are the gentlemen who saved the Queen’s doucets yesterday. And Master Shardlake came to my aid today, when the horse ran at us.’
The older woman looked at me curiously. ‘You are the lawyer that found that man’s body?’
‘I am, madam.’ I bowed. ‘Matthew Shardlake. And you are Mistress Marlin, I believe.’
I was surprised by the angry look that came into her large brown eyes. ‘And how, sir, do you know that?’
‘Master Craike mentioned your name after we saw you yesterday.’
‘Did he?’ Again that cynical, humourless smile. ‘Yes, I am Jennet Marlin, I attend on Lady Rochford as you saw yesterday.’ She looked at me. ‘They say you got
yourself locked in the chapterhouse afterwards and had to call for help.’
I looked at her evenly. ‘Indeed we did.’
‘How did that come about?’
‘I am not at liberty to say,’ I answered coldly.
‘A man of mystery,’ she said, turning away. ‘Come, Tamasin, we must see what they are about in the Queen’s kitchen.’
Tamasin smiled at us, her smile lingering on Barak. ‘The King and Queen are having their own privy kitchens installed in the abbot’s house,’ she said proudly. ‘We are
helping with the arrangements, as I told you earlier.’
‘Come on!’ Mistress Marlin walked away with a swish of skirts. There was an odd stiffness about her gait, as though her body was held tight with tension. If she had a fiancé
in the Tower she would have much to worry about. Tamasin spoke quickly to Barak. ‘Will you be
of.
He gave his harsh smile again. ‘As for your other task, it is probably a good idea for someone to keep an eye on Master Radwinter from what I hear of him. How is Broderick, have you seen
him?’
‘Yesterday. He has an infected burn, I ordered a physician fetched.’
‘Good. But one thing, Brother Shardlake.’ He pointed a big square finger at me. ‘Apart from watching for Broderick’s welfare, you keep that long nose of yours out of that
matter. Right out.’ He stared hard at me again. ‘I don’t like long noses. I cut them off sometimes, and the heads as well.’
Chapter Six
I FOUND B ARAK STANDING ON the steps of the manor house, looking across the courtyard. The
day’s work had begun and was continuing at the same breakneck pace. Visible progress had been made on the two pavilions; through the open doors I could see workmen finishing the interior
decorations. Nearby, frames were being erected for three enormous tents, carts loaded with huge canvases standing by. The mist had cleared, leaving a grey sky.
‘They took the horse away.’ Barak nodded over to the wall, where a man with a brush and pail was washing away the blood.
‘Killing the poor beast was unnecessary,’ I said. I told him of Maleverer’s orders. ‘I wish I’d kept my mouth shut after all. Now I’m landed with this task,
and if I find evidence Oldroyd was murdered I’ll be less popular than ever.’
‘Where do we start?’
‘At the Guildhall, I suppose. I should liaise with the city coroner. And if poor Oldroyd was a master glazier they’ll be able to put us in touch with his guild, and perhaps tell us
where he lived.’
Barak nodded. He still had a gloomy look, I saw, and I remembered his sudden outburst in the church. I must talk to him later on. ‘Let’s get started, then,’ I said with a
sigh.
‘We’re due to meet old Wrenne at ten.’
‘Damn it, so we are. I’ll send a message to say we’ll be late. I must visit the prison as well, to see if Radwinter’s brought a doctor to Broderick.’
‘Master Shardlake!’ I turned at the sound of a familiar voice, and saw Tamasin Reedbourne approaching from the direction of the church. She was accompanied by the sour-looking woman
who had been with Lady Rochford the day before. I set my teeth; was there no avoiding this importunate girl? She came up to us.
‘There is no time to stand talking, Tamasin,’ her companion said disapprovingly.
‘But these are the gentlemen who saved the Queen’s doucets yesterday. And Master Shardlake came to my aid today, when the horse ran at us.’
The older woman looked at me curiously. ‘You are the lawyer that found that man’s body?’
‘I am, madam.’ I bowed. ‘Matthew Shardlake. And you are Mistress Marlin, I believe.’
I was surprised by the angry look that came into her large brown eyes. ‘And how, sir, do you know that?’
‘Master Craike mentioned your name after we saw you yesterday.’
‘Did he?’ Again that cynical, humourless smile. ‘Yes, I am Jennet Marlin, I attend on Lady Rochford as you saw yesterday.’ She looked at me. ‘They say you got
yourself locked in the chapterhouse afterwards and had to call for help.’
I looked at her evenly. ‘Indeed we did.’
‘How did that come about?’
‘I am not at liberty to say,’ I answered coldly.
‘A man of mystery,’ she said, turning away. ‘Come, Tamasin, we must see what they are about in the Queen’s kitchen.’
Tamasin smiled at us, her smile lingering on Barak. ‘The King and Queen are having their own privy kitchens installed in the abbot’s house,’ she said proudly. ‘We are
helping with the arrangements, as I told you earlier.’
‘Come on!’ Mistress Marlin walked away with a swish of skirts. There was an odd stiffness about her gait, as though her body was held tight with tension. If she had a fiancé
in the Tower she would have much to worry about. Tamasin spoke quickly to Barak. ‘Will you be
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