Brother Cadfael 04: St. Peter's Fair

rounded in horrified comprehension.
    "But it must be remembered," continued Cadfael quickly, "that we do not know the hour at which he died. A body taken from the water may have entered it at any time during the night, after all the prisoners were in hold, and all honest men in bed."
    It was done. He had hoped it would settle the issue of guilt and innocence, at least to his satisfaction, but now he still could not be quite sure the boy had not known the truth already. How if he had only held his peace and listened to the ambiguous voices, and been in doubt whether Master Thomas's corpse had yet been found? On the face of it, if he had had any hand in that death, he was a better player than any of the travelling entertainers who would be plying their trade among the crowds this evening. His pallor, from underdone dough, had frozen into marble, he tried to speak and swallowed half-formed words, he drew huge breaths into him, and straightened his back, and turned great, shocked eyes upon the sheriff. On the face of it - but every face can dissemble if the need is great enough.
    "My lord," pleaded Philip urgently, when he had his voice again, "is this truth? Master Thomas of Bristol is dead?"
    "Known or unknown to you," said Prestcote dryly, "- and I hazard no judgment - it is truth. The merchant is dead. Our main purpose here now is to examine how he died."
    "Taken from the water, the monk said. Did he drown?"
    "That, if you know, you may tell us."
    Abruptly the prisoner turned his back upon the sheriff, took another deep breath into him, and looked directly at Emma, and from then on barely took his eyes from her, even when Prestcote addressed him. The only judgment he cared about was hers.
    "Lady, I swear to you I never did your uncle harm, never saw him again after they hauled me away from the jetty. What befell him I do not know, and God knows I'm sorry for your loss. I would not for the world have touched him, even if we had met and quarrelled afresh, knowing he was your kinsman."
    "Yet you were heard threatening harm to him," said the sheriff.
    "It may be so. I cannot drink, I was a fool ever to try that cure. I recall nothing of what I said, I make no doubt it was folly, and unworthy. I was sore and bitter. What I set out to do was honest enough, and yet it fell apart. All went to waste. But if I talked violence, I did none. I never saw the man again. When I turned sick from the wine I left the tavern and went down to the riverside, away from the boats, and lay down there until I made shift to drag myself back to the town. I admit to the trouble that arose out of my acts, and all that has been said against me, all but this. As God sees me, I never did your uncle any injury. Speak, and say you believe me!"
    Emma gazed at him with parted lips and dismayed eyes, unable to say yes or no to him. How could she know what was true and what was lies?
    "Let her be," said the sheriff sharply. "It is with us you have to deal. This matter must be probed deeper than has been possible yet. Nothing is proven, but you stand in very grave suspicion, and it is for me to determine what is to be done with you."
    "My lord," ventured the provost, who had kept his mouth tightly shut until now, against great temptation, "I am prepared to stand surety for my son to whatever price you may set, and I guarantee he shall be at your disposal at the assize, and at whatever time between when you may need to question him. My honour has never been in doubt, and my son, whatever else, has been known as a man of his word, and if he gives his bond here he will keep it, even without my enforcement. I beg your lordship will release him home to my bail."
    "On no terms," said Prestcote decidedly. "The matter is too grave. He stays under lock and key."
    "My lord, if you so order, under lock and key he shall be, but let it be in my house. His mother -"
    "No! Say no more, you must know it is impossible. He stays here in custody."
    "There is nothing against him in the matter of this death," offered Corbiere generously, "as yet, that is, except my rogue's witness of his threats. And thieves do haunt such gatherings as the great fairs, and if they can cut a man out from his fellows, will kill him for the clothes on his back. And surely the fact that the body was stripped accords better with just such a foul chance crime for gain? Vengeance has nothing to feed on in a bundle of clothing. The act is all."
    "True," agreed Prestcote. "But supposing a man had