A Mortal Bane(57)

“Somer!” she exclaimed when she saw the man who had just dismounted. “Did you send a message for me to expect you?”

“No, because I did not know I was coming until late last night. I have been on the road since first light. Take me in and feed me at least, and give me a bed for the night, even if none of the girls can lie in it with me.”

“Ah, I can do better than an empty bed—” She broke off abruptly, remembering why Ella’s bed was empty, then grasped his hand and drew him in. “Good Lord,” she said as she shut the gate behind him, “you are the man I should have prayed to see if I had a grain of sense. Put your horse in the stable and come in. I will get Dulcie to find something for you to eat. I have news I think William should hear.”

Somer de Loo grimaced when Magdalene said she had news for his master, but he nodded and led his horse briskly to the stable. Magdalene understood the expression. Somer was one of William of Ypres’s most trusted mercenary captains. He had doubtless come from Rochester to London on some business of William’s, since he said he had been on the road since first light; however, business done, he probably had William’s permission to spend some time enjoying the delights of the city—including several visits to Magdalene’s house at his master’s expense. It was a reward William often offered his men for good service that was not dangerous enough or important enough to be rewarded in gold. Now Somer guessed he would have to ride back to Rochester with the news Magdalene had mentioned.

When he came in he was still scowling, but the expression changed to a smile when he saw a place at the table provided with a large wedge of pasty, several slices of fat roast pork on a trencher, a bowl of stewed greens, a tall footed cup filled with wine, and to the side, a substantial piece of tart, spilling a luscious-looking filling into the baking pan—and Ella, sitting on the bench beside his place and dimpling with smiles.

“I am starving,” he said, sitting down and kissing her.

She returned the salute with enthusiasm, embracing him with one arm and breaking off a chunk of the pasty with her free hand. As soon as he came up for air, she popped the tidbit into his mouth. Between laughing and trying to chew, he almost choked. Ella patted him on the back and apologized anxiously, so he kissed her again, but after that he gave his attention to the food, and Ella slid away from him when he drew his knife to spear a piece of meat.

“There is plenty more if you want it,” Magdalene assured him.

He paused with the meat on the point of his knife and raised his brow at her tone of voice. Magdalene shrugged. Somer bit off a substantial chunk of meat.

“None of us had much appetite for dinner with the bishop’s man searching our house while we ate.”

Somer’s eyes bulged as he struggled to swallow his mouthful of food. “Searching?” he croaked. “Searching for what?”

“The papal messenger’s pouch.”

“What?”

[page]It was as well he had swallowed the meat, Magdalene thought, or he would have choked in earnest. “Baldassare de Firenze, a papal messenger, was murdered on the north porch of the church of St. Mary Overy priory on Wednesday night.”

There was a moment of silence. Somer laid down the knife still holding a bite of the pork. “The damned fool,” he said. “Why did he not come—” He cut that remark off and went on hurriedly. “Then the king’s matter has been decided and the messenger killed before the pope’s decision could be announced. So the bishop’s man searched for the pouch and did not find it. Where is it?”

Magdalene shook her head nervously. “I do not know,” she said. “When the messenger came here he was carrying a pouch, but he took it with him when he left. I doubt whether it has been destroyed, however. Sir Bellamy of Itchen, the Bishop of Winchester’s knight, thought Messer Baldassare was not wearing the pouch when he was killed. Baldassare could have hidden it.” Then, as Somer’s mouth hardened, she added, “You had better hear the whole tale from the beginning—as much as I know myself—and let William decide for himself what he wants to do.”