demanded William, voicing the question that was in everyone’s mind, given Langelee’s
careless choice of words. ‘Is some fiend intent on destroying Michaelhouse? A Dominican, for example?’
Mildenale was standing next to him. ‘The Black Friars have nothing against us,’ he said. But his voice lacked conviction,
which frightened some of the younger students. Bartholomew was glad Clippesby was not in residence, sure he would be hurt
by the unwarranted attacks on his Order.
‘No, but they have something against me,’ said William. ‘And against you, Thomas and Carton, too, because we tell the truth
about sin. They hate anyone who preaches against wickedness, because they are rather partial to it.’
A small, neat Fellow who taught law came to stand next to Bartholomew. His name was Wynewyk, and one of Langelee’s most astute
moves had been to delegate the financial running of the College to him. He excelled at it, and Michaelhouse was finally beginning
to prosper.
‘If someone had wanted to remove a zealot,’ he said in a low voice, ‘surely he would have chosen William or Mildenale? They
are far more odious than Carton could ever be.’
‘But William and Mildenale did not go to Barnwell yesterday,’ Bartholomew pointed out, ‘and thus present a killer with an
opportunity to strike.’
‘No, but they were both alone for a large part of the day, which amounts to the same thing.’ Wynewyk sighed, and shook his
head sadly. ‘I am terribly sorry about Carton. Aside from his rigid stance on sin, he was a decent enough fellow. A little
distant, perhaps, but not unpleasant. Who would want to hurt him?’
‘That is what I intend to find out,’ vowed Michael, overhearing.
‘I hope it is no one here,’ said Wynewyk. He waved a hand at the scholars in the body of the hall. ‘Langelee enrolled twenty
new students at Easter, and we have been too busy teaching to get to know them properly. I still feel our College is full
of strangers.’
‘I want everyone gone by dawn tomorrow,’ Langelee was saying. ‘I
know
Lincolnshire is a long way, Suttone, but you will just have to hire a horse.’
‘You cannot order Fellows to leave,’ declared William, outraged. ‘I will
not
be ousted. So there.’
‘Why not?’ asked Langelee archly. ‘Is it because you have nowhere else to go?’
‘I have dozens of folk clamouring for my company,’ snapped William, although smirks from his students suggested Langelee’s
brutal enquiry was probably near the truth. ‘But I do not choose to see them at the moment. Besides, the College is at a crucial
stage in the buying and selling of properties, and you cannot make those sorts of decisions without the Fellowship. You need
us here.’
‘That is true,’ acknowledged Langelee with a grimace. ‘Very well, the Fellows can stay.’
‘What about me?’ asked Mildenale. His eyes drifted heavenwards. ‘God came to me in a vision at Easter, and ordered me to found
a new hostel. I am on the brink ofdoing so, and it would be inconvenient to leave now. I should stay, too, working for the greater glory of God.’
‘All right,’ agreed Langelee tiredly, aware that to refuse would almost certainly result in accusations that he was taking
the Devil’s side. ‘But everyone else must begin packing immediately.’
‘Lord!’ groaned Michael, as the Master stepped down from the dais and the students swooped towards him, full of questions
and objections. ‘He handled that badly. Now rumours will start that Michaelhouse has been targeted by a vengeful killer, and
the other Colleges and hostels will assume we have done something to warrant the attack.’
‘Not necessarily,’ said Cynric, appearing suddenly at Bartholomew’s side. ‘Carton’s murder is more likely to be seen as part
of the battle between the Church and the Sorcerer. Unusually for Cambridge, it is not a town –University division this time,
because there are
careless choice of words. ‘Is some fiend intent on destroying Michaelhouse? A Dominican, for example?’
Mildenale was standing next to him. ‘The Black Friars have nothing against us,’ he said. But his voice lacked conviction,
which frightened some of the younger students. Bartholomew was glad Clippesby was not in residence, sure he would be hurt
by the unwarranted attacks on his Order.
‘No, but they have something against me,’ said William. ‘And against you, Thomas and Carton, too, because we tell the truth
about sin. They hate anyone who preaches against wickedness, because they are rather partial to it.’
A small, neat Fellow who taught law came to stand next to Bartholomew. His name was Wynewyk, and one of Langelee’s most astute
moves had been to delegate the financial running of the College to him. He excelled at it, and Michaelhouse was finally beginning
to prosper.
‘If someone had wanted to remove a zealot,’ he said in a low voice, ‘surely he would have chosen William or Mildenale? They
are far more odious than Carton could ever be.’
‘But William and Mildenale did not go to Barnwell yesterday,’ Bartholomew pointed out, ‘and thus present a killer with an
opportunity to strike.’
‘No, but they were both alone for a large part of the day, which amounts to the same thing.’ Wynewyk sighed, and shook his
head sadly. ‘I am terribly sorry about Carton. Aside from his rigid stance on sin, he was a decent enough fellow. A little
distant, perhaps, but not unpleasant. Who would want to hurt him?’
‘That is what I intend to find out,’ vowed Michael, overhearing.
‘I hope it is no one here,’ said Wynewyk. He waved a hand at the scholars in the body of the hall. ‘Langelee enrolled twenty
new students at Easter, and we have been too busy teaching to get to know them properly. I still feel our College is full
of strangers.’
‘I want everyone gone by dawn tomorrow,’ Langelee was saying. ‘I
know
Lincolnshire is a long way, Suttone, but you will just have to hire a horse.’
‘You cannot order Fellows to leave,’ declared William, outraged. ‘I will
not
be ousted. So there.’
‘Why not?’ asked Langelee archly. ‘Is it because you have nowhere else to go?’
‘I have dozens of folk clamouring for my company,’ snapped William, although smirks from his students suggested Langelee’s
brutal enquiry was probably near the truth. ‘But I do not choose to see them at the moment. Besides, the College is at a crucial
stage in the buying and selling of properties, and you cannot make those sorts of decisions without the Fellowship. You need
us here.’
‘That is true,’ acknowledged Langelee with a grimace. ‘Very well, the Fellows can stay.’
‘What about me?’ asked Mildenale. His eyes drifted heavenwards. ‘God came to me in a vision at Easter, and ordered me to found
a new hostel. I am on the brink ofdoing so, and it would be inconvenient to leave now. I should stay, too, working for the greater glory of God.’
‘All right,’ agreed Langelee tiredly, aware that to refuse would almost certainly result in accusations that he was taking
the Devil’s side. ‘But everyone else must begin packing immediately.’
‘Lord!’ groaned Michael, as the Master stepped down from the dais and the students swooped towards him, full of questions
and objections. ‘He handled that badly. Now rumours will start that Michaelhouse has been targeted by a vengeful killer, and
the other Colleges and hostels will assume we have done something to warrant the attack.’
‘Not necessarily,’ said Cynric, appearing suddenly at Bartholomew’s side. ‘Carton’s murder is more likely to be seen as part
of the battle between the Church and the Sorcerer. Unusually for Cambridge, it is not a town –University division this time,
because there are
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