Brother Cadfael 03: Monk's Hood

did Brother Cadfael, or how did he guess I was listening outside?"
    "He heard you, of course! Blowing like a wheezy old man - and shivering," added Edwy for good measure.
    There was no ill-will whatever in these exchanges, they were the normal endearments current between these two, who would certainly have championed each other to the death against any outside threat. There was no malice in it when Edwin punched his nephew neatly and painfully in the muscles of the upper arm, and Edwy as promptly plucked Edwin round by the shoulder while he was less securely balanced, and spilled him on to the floor. Cadfael took them both by the scruff of the neck, a fistful of capuchon in either hand, and plumped them back firmly on to the beach, a yard apart this time, rather in defence of his softly bubbling syrup than in any very serious exasperation. The brief scuffle had warmed them, and shaken fear away to a magical distance; they sat grinning, only slightly abashed.
    "Will you sit still a minute, and let me get the measure of you? You, Edwin, are the uncle, and the younger ... yes, I could know you apart. You're darker, and sturdier in the build, and I think your eyes must be brown. And Edwy's ..."
    "Hazel," said Edwin helpfully.
    "And you have a small scar by your ear, close to the cheekbone. A small white crescent."
    "He fell out of a tree, three years ago," Edwy informed him. "He never could climb."
    "Now, enough of that! Master Edwin, now that you are here, and I know which one you are, let me ask you the same question I asked your proxy here a while ago. On your soul and honour, did you strike the blow that killed Master Bonel?"
    The boy looked back at him with great eyes suddenly solemn enough, and said firmly: "I did not. I carry no weapon, and even if I did, why should I try to harm him? I know what they must be saying of me, that I grudged it that he broke his word, for so he did. But I was not born to manor, but to trade, and I can make my way in trade, I would be ashamed if I could not. No, whoever wounded him to the death - but how could it happen, so suddenly? - it was not I. On my soul!"
    Cadfael was in very little doubt of him by then, but he gave no sign yet. "Tell me what did happen."
    "I left Meurig in the infirmary with the old man, and went on to my mother's house alone. But I don't understand about the infirmary. Is that important?"
    "Never mind that now, go on. How were you welcomed?"
    "My mother was pleased," said the boy. "But my stepfather crowed over me like a cock that's won its bout. I answered him as little as I might, and bore it for my mother's sake, and that angered him more, so that he would find some way to sting me. We were three sitting at table, and Aldith had served the meat, and she told him the prior had paid him the compliment of sending a dish for him from his own table. My mother tried to talk about that, and flatter him with the distinction of it, but he wanted me to burn and smart at all costs, and he wouldn't be put off. He said I'd come, as he knew I would, my tail between my legs, like a whipped hound, to beg him to change his mind and restore me my inheritance, and he said if I wanted it, I should kneel and beg him, and he might take pity on me. And I lost my temper, for all I could do, and shouted back at him that I'd see him dead before I'd so much as once ask him a favour, let alone crawl on my knees. I don't know now all I said, but he began throwing things, and ... and my mother was crying, and I rushed out, and straight back over the bridge and into the town."
    "But not to Master Bellecote's house. And did you hear Aelfric calling after you as far as the bridge, to fetch you back?"
    "Yes, but what would have been the use? It would only have made things worse."
    "But you did not go home."
    "I was not fit. And I was ashamed."
    "He went to brood in Father's wood-store by the river," said Edwy helpfully. "He always does when he's out of sorts with the world. Or if we're in trouble, we hide there until it's blown over, or at least past the worst. That's where I found him. When the sheriff's sergeant came to the shop, and said they wanted him, and his stepfather was murdered, I knew where to look for him. Not that I ever supposed he'd done any wrong," stated Edwy firmly, "though he can make a great fool of himself sometimes. But I knew something bad must have happened to him. So I went to warn him, and of course he knew nothing whatever about the murder, he'd left the man