Heartstone (Matthew Shardlake #5)(75)

‘When did you meet the Curteys family?’

‘It was seven years past,’ Hobbey continued in the same quiet, even tone. ‘The monasteries were going down like bowling pins, everyone was looking for bargains at the Court of Augmentations. And I wanted to retire from my business.’

‘An early retirement, was it not?’ I would not ask whether he had been in debt; not yet.

‘I had been in the trade since I was ten, I was bored with it. I learned the lands of this priory were for sale and came down here. I met John Curteys at a local inn, God rest him. He was interested in buying some of the priory woodland. I could not afford to buy it all as well as the nunnery, so we agreed he would take the larger portion. We were both wool merchants and we became friends. But then John and his wife died suddenly, as you will know.’

‘And you applied for Hugh and Emma’s wardship.’

Hobbey spread his hands. ‘That is no mystery. I knew the children. And as the lands they inherited marched with mine it made commercial sense for everyone for Hoyland to be managed as a unit. I paid a good price, and every penny went into Hugh and Emma’s account at Wards.’

I looked at Dyrick, who was nodding slowly. I guessed they had rehearsed all this last night. I had been in practice long enough to tell.

‘So taking the children’s wardship was a commercial venture?’

‘Certainly not.’ Hobbey looked angry for a moment. ‘I felt sorry for them, left orphaned with no one to care for them. Who better to look after them than Abigail and I? We had always wanted more children, but after David was born we had two babies who died.’ A shadow crossed his face. ‘And Hugh and Emma had no other relatives, save an ancient aunt in the north whom John and Ruth’s vicar wished to involve. But that proved rather difficult,’ he added scornfully, ‘as she turned out to be dead.’ I thought, that is the tone Reverend Broughton heard when he protested. And Abigail shrieking, which I could imagine.

I paused a moment to let Barak catch up. His and Feaveryear’s pens scratched away.

‘To turn to Michael Calfhill,’ I continued, ‘you kept him as tutor. He had been with the children some years then. Yet when you moved to Hampshire you dismissed him. Why was that?’

Hobbey leaned forward and made a steeple of his hands. ‘First of all, sir, the children had no real attachment to Calfhill. After their parents died they withdrew into each other’s company. And within the year Emma, too, was dead.’ He gave a sigh which seemed full of genuine emotion. ‘And when we moved, yes, I dismissed Michael Calfhill because Hugh was now alone, and I feared Michael’s influence was becoming unhealthy. Frankly I feared what paths he might lead the boy down. Impropriety,’ he added slowly.

‘What evidence did you have for that?’

‘Remember, Brother Shardlake,’ Dyrick said, ‘Master Hobbey’s answer could be read out in court, in front of Michael Calfhill’s mother.’

‘I know.’ I looked fixedly at Hobbey; Dyrick would not blackmail me thus.

‘It was a matter of looks and gestures. Once I saw him touch Hugh’s bottom.’

‘I see. Speaking of impropriety, Michael told his mother David said something improper to Emma, and Hugh fought him over it.’

‘I believe Hugh once objected to something David said. My son – well, he has no good control of his tongue. They had a boyish tussle. But David and Hugh are fast friends now.’

‘Did you hope David might marry Emma? If that happened Emma would have brought her portion of her lands to her husband.’

‘Of course we considered that, but it would have been up to the children.’

‘Did you find another tutor for Hugh and David?’

‘We had a succession of tutors till last year.’ He smiled wryly. ‘They all had to be good archers. Hugh had begun his craze for the bow by then, and David followed.’

‘A succession? How many?’

‘Four, I think.’

‘In five years? That seems a great many.’

‘They were not always satisfactory. And many tutors see teaching as a stopgap, rather than a career.’

‘Michael Calfhill did not.’

‘He might have had his reasons for that,’ Dyrick said, real venom in his tone.

‘And David is not an easy boy to teach.’ Again that sadness in Hobbey’s face. ‘The last man was good, but he left us to travel, visit the continent. That was before this war began.’

‘Might I have their names?’ I asked.

‘If you wish. Though I do not know where they would be now.’

‘Coming to the present, it is surely past time for the boys to consider university or a profession.’

‘I want David here, to learn about the estate. As for Hugh, he has the wit for a scholar and loves book learning. But he has a boyish fancy to go to the war. So I am keeping him here till it ends. Does that not sound a reasonable course, Master Shardlake?’

‘I think you will agree it is in Hugh’s interest,’ Dyrick interjected.

‘Perhaps.’ I paused. ‘Master Hobbey, you gave an account at dinner last night of Michael Calfhill’s reappearance last Easter. Could you tell me again what happened, for the record this time?’

Hobbey repeated the story of Michael’s appearance in the old churchyard, his telling Hugh that he loved him more than anyone. I had hoped Hobbey might slip, say something inconsistent with what he had said last night. But either he spoke true, or he had been well rehearsed by Dyrick.