Brother Cadfael 02: One Corpse Too Many

wish for more stimulating company. We many compound my offence by riding at ease. It is not often a man gets such a night ride, and safely, and at peace.'
    Then they were silent for some way, and thought their own thoughts, but somewhere the threads tangled, for after a while Beringar said with assurance: 'You will miss her.' It was said with brisk but genuine sympathy. He had, after all, been observing and learning for some days.
    'Like a fibre gone from my heart,' owned Brother Cadfael without dismay, 'but there'll be others will fill the place. She was a good girl, and a good lad, too, if you'll grant me the fancy. Quick to study, and a hard worker. I hope she'll make as good a wife. The young man's a fair match for her. You saw he favoured one shoulder? One of the king's archers did his best to slice the round of it off him, but with Godith's care now he'll do well enough. They'll reach France.' And after a moment's thought he asked, with candid curiosity: 'What would you have done if any one of us had challenged your orders and made a fight of it?'
    Hugh Beringar laughed aloud. 'I fancy I should have looked the world's fool, for of course my men knew better than to shoot. But the bow is a mighty powerful persuader, and after all, an unchancy fellow like me might be in earnest. Why, you never thought I'd harm the girl?'
    Cadfael debated the wisdom of answering that truthfully as yet, and temporised: 'if I ever thought of it, I soon realised I was wrong. They could have killed before ever Torold stepped between. No, I soon gave up that error.'
    'And it does not surprise you that I knew what you had brought to the grange, and what you came to fetch tonight?'
    'No revelation of your cunning can surprise me any longer,' said Cadfael. 'I conclude that you followed me from the river the night I brought it. Also that you had procured me to help you place the horses there for a dual purpose, to encourage me to transfer the treasure from wherever it was hidden, and to make it possible for those youngsters to escape, while the gold stayed here. The right hand duelling against the left, that fits you well. Why were you so sure it would be tonight?'
    'Faith, if I'd been in your shoes I would have got them away with all the haste I could, at this favourable time, when search had been made and failed. You would have had to be a fool to let the chance slip. And as I have found long ago, you are no fool, Brother Cadfael.'
    'We have much in common,' agreed Cadfael gravely. 'But once you knew that lump you're carrying there was safe in the grange, why did you not simply remove it, and make sure of it? You could still have let the children depart without it, just as they've done now.'
    'And sleep in my bed while they rode away? And never make my peace with Godith, but let her go into France believing me her enemy, and capable of such meanness? No, that I could not stomach. I have my vanity. I wanted a clean end, and no grudges. I have my curiosity, too. I wanted to see this young fellow who had taken her fancy. The treasure was safe enough until you chose to get them away, why should I be uneasy about it? And this way was far more satisfying.'
    'That,' agreed Cadfael emphatically, 'it certainly was.' They were at the edge of the forest, and the open road at Sutton, and were turning north towards St Giles, all in amicable ease, which seemed to surprise neither of them.
    'This time,' said Beringar, 'we'll ride in at the gate house like orderly members of the household, even if the time is a little unusual. And if you have no objection, we may as well take this straight to your hut in the garden, and sit out the rest of the night, and see what we have here. I should like to see how Godith has been living in your care, and what skills she's been acquiring. I wonder how far they'll be by now?'
    'Halfway to Pool, or beyond. Most of the way it's a good road. Yes, come and see for yourself. You went enquiring for her in the town, did you not? At Edric Flesher's. Petronilla had the worst opinion of your motives.'
    'She would,' agreed Beringar, laughing. 'No one would ever have been good enough for her chick, she hated me from the start. Ah, well, you'll be able to put her mind at rest now.'
    They had reached the silent Abbey Foregate, and rode between the darkened houses, the ring of hooves eerie in the stillness. A few uneasy inhabitants opened their shutters a crack to look out as they passed, but their appearance -was so leisured and