A Mortal Bane(50)

“I thought that Guiscard de Tournai carried the offer of the house to you,” Bell said, sitting down on the bench. “Did I not hear you say that to him in the bishop’s house?”

“Yes, you did.” Magdalene sat on the stool and saw that his placement of the bench, table, and stool had been very clever. His face was visible, but not enough light struck it directly to make out small changes in expression, while the light from the windows was full on her face. “However, I did not like or trust Guiscard. He would give me no assurance about how long I could keep the house, the rent was exorbitant, and he spoke as if Lord William had given him grave insult by recommending me. So I refused his offer.”

[page]Bell laughed. “Guiscard must have been surprised. But how did you get the house after all?”

“When I told William what had happened, he arranged for me to meet the bishop directly.” Magdalene laughed. “I was greatly amused to discover that Henry of Winchester was much less proud than his servant. He offered me a leasehold of the house, under conditions I was delighted to accept—except for the rent—” She sighed. “But his offer was more reasonable than Guiscard’s, and the bishop’s protection is worth the pennies I could otherwise save.”

“Have you needed his protection?”

“Not before this dreadful killing took place. The fact that he is my landlord and I have a leasehold signed and sealed by him has been sufficient against the few pretense churchmen who have tried to exact money…or services…from us. I hated to trouble him with this matter, but Prior Benin is away and Brother Paulinus only screamed that we had murdered poor Messer Baldassare and would not listen to a word I said.” She hesitated, then said, “Is it not strange that no one sent news of the murder to the bishop? Is not St. Mary Overy under his direction?”

“The last I cannot tell you. I am seldom involved in purely Church matters, except for now and again carrying a message from the bishop. It is when Church affairs come head-to-head with those of the laity that I am employed. As to the first…I agree that it is very strange. Since the bishop is also acting as administrator of the London diocese, I would assume it would be necessary to inform him when a murder took place near a church just across the road from his dwelling.”

The frown on Magdalene’s face had grown more pronounced. “I will tell you something else. When I spoke of the murder to the bishop, I thought that Guiscard would spit at me.”

Bell grinned. “It was because you passed him by and ignored him. Guiscard does not like to be overlooked, but he can know nothing about the murder. He left Southwark on Tuesday morning and did not return until last night. Each time the bishop comes to stay in London, Guiscard takes a few days leave to visit his mother. In any case, I will attend to that matter and that of whether or not the news was carried to the bishop, and if it was, who received it.”

“I will be happy to leave it to you, but…I…we are very eager to find this killer. Will you not tell me what you discover? Indeed, Sir Bellamy, I know men and their motives. It is possible that I can help.”

She rose as she spoke, turned toward the door, turned back. “Which of the women shall I send to you?”

He learned nothing from Ella or Letice. Ella did not even remember Baldassare being in the house, and Letice had seen him only during the evening meal. Sabina had the most to tell and seemed to hold nothing back, but Bell could not see that anything Baldassare said or did while he was with her was pertinent to his murder—except that by Compline the front gate was locked so that Baldassare must have used the gate that led to the church. Finally, he took Sabina through the events after she left the house. She told him of her desire to pray in the church and of how she had to wait because the sacristan would have opposed her entering.