A Mortal Bane(53)

“The most obvious reason,” Magdalene replied, “is that Baldassare did know him and that knowledge was somehow very dangerous. Perhaps the killer should not have asked for the pouch or should not have known about it. Whatever the reason, being known to him, he needed to silence Baldassare. Another reason is that it would not matter to the killer where the pouch was so long as it did not come to light. With the pouch hidden and Baldassare dead and unable to tell where it was, the killer would have accomplished his purpose. And of course there are always personal reasons. It is true that Messer Baldassare was a foreigner, but you did say that he came to England often. Therefore, he could have both friends and enemies here.”

She was right, of course, Bell thought, but what had honed her mind to such keenness? A past murder charge she had fled or escaped? That idea took such hold on him that he could not think what to say. Fortunately his silence was covered by the blind woman.

“But would an enemy bother to search through poor Messer Baldassare’s saddlebags, and even the hay and feed?” Sabina asked.

“Hmmm.” Magdalene hummed thoughtfully. “Perhaps not, but it would depend on the person. If it was someone within the Church, he might guess what Baldassare was carrying was important and wish to know what it was, or even to use it to gain money or power. Oh, that search is tantalizing. What a shame none of our guests that night rode a horse and we had no cause to go to the stable.”

At that moment a bell could be heard pealing briefly and Letice jumped up. “Wait,” Magdalene said. “Sir Bellamy, will it be all right for Letice to tell her client about Messer Baldassare’s death? I fear it would be unnatural to ignore such an exciting circumstance as a killing next door.”

“Why not?” Bell shrugged. “There is no reason not to mention it to your clients. It is no secret. And it can do no hurt also to ask if any of these men knew Baldassare and had any idea of why anyone should want to harm him.”

Letice nodded and hurried out the door. Turning to watch through the oiled parchment window, Bell saw her shadow meet another’s. He could see some movement, likely Letice gesturing at her client, and then the two shadows moved away around the corner of the house.

“It is time for me to go,” he said. “Your clients will be coming now, and I do not wish to cause you trouble.”

Magdalene rose, thanked him, smiling, and asked if there was any other way she could help him—and then tucked the corners of her lips back at his expression. Bell was wise enough not to speak the thought that had come in answer to her question. He merely said he would search the stable just to be thorough before he went to report to the bishop, have his dinner, and then speak to the infirmarian and the lay brother who had found the body. If anything new came of those interviews, he would let her know.

She thanked him again, asked if he knew where the stable was, and when he said he did, put aside her embroidery and politely saw him to the door. He had more hopes of the stable, because the women had made such a point of its being searched, but he found no more there than he had found in the house. As he tossed back the last bale he had examined, he heard the bell at the gate peal.

[page]From the shadows by the door of the stable, Bell saw Magdalene come from the house and open the gate for a richly dressed man—a fur-lined cloak thrown back to show a dark tunic embroidered with silver, dark stockings or chausses bound with silver-embroidered cross garters, and silver-buckled red-leather shoes. He had dark hair sprinkled lightly with gray, dark eyes, a prominent nose that in the future might meet his strong chin, and a decided paunch, not quite concealed by the handsome tunic. Bell grimaced; he knew Master Buchuinte, who had only last year been the justiciar of London and still had considerable influence.