Assassin in the Greenwood

back to the castle.' Corbett became lost in his own thoughts again, the piece of parchment wrapped tightly in his fist.
    With Maltote trailing behind, he went back to the castle, taking care to go up the Brewhouse stairs through the postern gate, slipping along the walls, making sure no one stopped or bothered them. For the first time since his arrival in Nottingham, Corbett felt a thrill of pleasure. Somehow he might break the cipher. He laughed softly at how Philip's own agent had provided the key.
    Once back in his chamber Corbett laid his writing implements out on the table, ordering Maltote to help in drawing up crude chess boards.
    'Remember, Maltote,' Corbett insisted, 'a perfect square, eight by eight.'
    Corbett then began to fill in the squares with the names of the chess pieces. At first Maltote watched but soon grew bored and lay for a while on his bed staring up at the ceiling, wondering where Ranulf was and how long they would stay in this benighted castle. Across the room Master Long Face scratched his head, muttered and swore to himself as pieces of parchment were tossed aside. The sun began to dip. Servants came up, declaring the evening meal was ready, but Corbett told them to go away.
    Ranulf returned much the worse for drink, declaring loudly that Lady Amisia was more rested and comforted by their assurances.
    'Especially,' Ranulf shouted, 'by the promises Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the Secret Seal, has given her.'
    Corbett ignored him and continued with his studies.
    'Aren't we going to have something to eat?' Ranulf moaned.
    'Not in this castle,' Corbett replied. 'Tighten your belt and think of the banquets awaiting us in London.'
    Ranulf shrugged, pulled the dice from his wallet and began to show Maltote the finer points of cheating.
    At last, just when they were beginning to despair, Corbett grunted, 'I've got the bastard!'
    Ranulf and Maltote wandered over. Corbett looked up, his eyes red-rimmed with tiredness.
    'This chess board,' he said, 'has the solution.'
    He was about to continue when there was a loud knocking on the door.
    'Come in!' Corbett shouted.
    Sir Peter Branwood, followed by Roteboeuf, strode into the chamber.
    'Sir Hugh,' Branwood queried, 'is all well?'
    Corbett stared down at the scrap of parchment.
    'Oh, yes, Sir Peter, I think all is well.' He smiled apologetically. 'I am sorry, we are involved in business which does not concern the wolfshead.'
    Sir Peter looked nonplussed.
    'I will explain later,' Corbett gently added.
    'Do you want any victuals?'
    'No, no, we have drunk enough.'
    Branwood pulled a face and made to leave.
    'Sir Peter!'
    The under-sheriff turned, one hand on the latch.
    'Yes?'
    'Why should Lecroix hang himself in the cellar?' Corbett abruptly asked.
    'God knows. Remember, Sir Hugh, the castle was under attack. Perhaps he felt safer there.'
    Corbett nodded absentmindedly. 'Yes, yes, perhaps he did.'
    Once the under-sheriff had left, Corbett went back to the crude chess board he had sketched on a piece of parchment.
    'Forget the outlaw,' he whispered. 'You, Maltote and Ranulf, I thank you. Apart from Philip of France, his generals on the Flemish border, perhaps Messieurs Nogaret and de Craon, we are the only people who know where his armies will attack. Look, I'll explain.'

Chapter 11
    'Let's pretend we are playing chess. We are the white pieces.' Corbett smiled at Ranulf. 'Philip's favourite colour: he sees himself as the Lord of Light. We would arrange our chess pieces as follows, going from left to right: Castle, Knight, Bishop, Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, Castle. In front of each of these pieces we'd have a Pawn. However, let's forget these and the left-hand side of the board from Castle to Queen. Instead we'll concentrate on the four pieces to the right. We now have King, Bishop, Knight, Castle.' Corbett took up his pen. 'Let us insert the letters of the alphabet above these four as follows:'

    He finished the rough sketch. And now the cipher: The three kings go to the tower of the two fools with the two chevaliers".'
    'Master,' Ranulf interrupted, 'the cipher talks of chevaliers, a tower and fools, not knights, a castle and bishops.'
    'In French chess, Ranulf, chevalier is knight, the tower is the castle and, perhaps perceptively, the piece we term "bishop", the French call "fool"!' Corbett pointed with his quill. 'The three kings could be any of the letters in that column above the king. The same applies to the two knights or chevaliers, the bishops