A Mortal Bane(88)

Brother Godwine’s eyes opened wide. “Yes, yes, that is who it was. However did you know? But now I remember, he came to the service at Vespers, not at Compline. Now why did I think he was at Compline? Did I see him there? No, no I did not. And I did not see seven in the nave, only six. Of course the nave is so dark, if he had been at the back….”

“Did you see him leave the priory after Vespers?”

Bell kept his voice flat, fighting against displaying any excitement. Beaumeis had traveled from Rome to England with Baldassare. He probably knew what Baldassare was carrying. He was part of the archbishop’s Household and might well wish to keep hidden or destroy the bull naming the Bishop of Winchester legate.

“No, I did not, but then I did not see anyone leave after Vespers. They were all gone by the time I was able to return to the gate. Brother Sacristan stopped me for a few words.” Brother Godwine’s lips thinned and pressed together. Then, as if he wished to divert Bell from whatever Brother Paulinus had said, the porter feigned interest and asked again, “How did you know that it was Beaumeis?”

Bell would have preferred that he had forgotten about the question, he did not want the porter to connect Beaumeis with the murder yet. For one thing, he was by no means sure that the coincidence meant anything; for another, he suspected that Brother Godwine would be far too likely to expose his suspicions if any were aroused.

“I knew he had been a student at the priory and that he had recently returned to England,” Bell said, skirting the truth, “so I thought he might come to visit his old school.”

“Yes, that was what he said, that he had been quite homesick for the old school.”

Brother Godwine frowned, and Bell, again suppressing a rising excitement, asked why.

The porter shrugged. “He did say that, I remember very well, but it seems to me that it was at another time. I told you, did I not, that he used to come every week or two. Perhaps it was one of the other times I spoke to him, because I know he came at Vespers, but it seems—”

Brother Godwine stopped speaking as a shadow darkened the open door of the little gatehouse. Both he and Bell looked up to see the prior’s secretary, who was staring at them with an expression of extreme surprise.

[page]“Sir Bellamy,” Brother Fareman said, “I just came to ask Brother Godwine to watch for you and ask you to come and speak to Father Prior and here you are.”

Although he would have liked to hear the end of the porter’s sentence, Bell knew it was too late and rose without any reluctance. He hoped that Brother Godwine would continue to think about his meeting with Beaumeis and might have more to tell him later. Thus, he merely thanked Brother Godwine for his help and said he would be glad to see the prior.

Bell assumed that the prior wished to ask what progress he was making in finding the killer of the pope’s messenger. Since he felt he had at last discovered a likely suspect, he was eager to recapitulate the evidence to an intelligent and impartial listener. He hoped that the prior would find as significant as he did the question of why Beaumeis was in the priory at Vespers when he had told Buchuinte that he was leaving for Canterbury immediately and could not stay for dinner. He also hoped the prior would be able to tell him something of Beaumeis’s character. Surely he would know the man better than Magdalene, who seemed to doubt that Beaumeis could be the killer.

He was considerably disappointed when Father Benin listened to him with a rather distracted air and said no more than, “You must find young Beaumeis and make him explain. I suspect he will have a good reason for being here and be able to clear himself. As to his character” —he sighed— “it was not what I would have wished for a churchman. He was clever enough, but also shallow, selfish, and lazy. It was shocking to me because he was nephew—sister’s son—to the abbot of St. Albans, who recommended him to our school and paid his fees.” He shook his head. “I would not like to think so ill of Richard. More likely the guilty one is among those of Magdalene’s clients who bear arms. How would Beaumeis know where to stab a man?”