Brother Cadfael 09: Dead Man's Ransom

room, some little while later, someone who went not haltingly, as Anion did, but lightly. That one did not take anything, unless it was a life. Moreover, I believe what Anion has told us because there is yet another thing I have to find before I shall have found Gilbert Prestcote's murderer.'
    Owain nodded comprehension, and mused for a while in silence. Then he picked up the gold pin with a brisk movement, and held it out to Einon. 'How say you? Was this theft?'
    'I am content,' said Einon and laughed, releasing the tension in the hall. In the general stir and murmur of returning ease, the prince turned to his host.
    'Make a place below there, Tudur, for Griffri ap Llywarch, and his son Anion.'
    Chapter Eleven.
    So there went Shrewsbury's prime suspect, the man gossip had already hanged and buried, down the hall on his father's heels, stumbling a little and dazed like a man in a dream, but beginning to shine as though a torch had been kindled within him; down to a place with his father at one of the tables, equal among equals. From a serving maid's byblow, without property or privilege, he was suddenly become a free man, with a rightful place of his own in a kindred, heir to a respected sire, accepted by his prince. The threat that had forced him to take to his heels had turned into the greatest blessing of his life and brought him to the one place that was his by right in Welsh law, true son to a father who acknowledged him proudly. Here Anion was no bastard.
    Cadfael watched the pair of them to their places, and was glad that something good, at least, should have come out of the evil. Where would that young man have found the courage to seek out his father, distant, unknown, speaking another language, if fear had not forced his hand, and made it easy to leap across a frontier? The ending was well worth the terror that had gone before. He could forget Anion now. Anion's hands were clean.
    'At least you've sent me one man,' observed Owain, watching thoughtfully as the pair reached their places, 'in return for my eight still in bond. Not a bad figure of a man, either. But no training in arms, I doubt.'
    'An excellent cattleman,' said Cadfael. 'He has an understanding with all animals. You may safely put your horses in his care.'
    'And you lose, I gather, your chief contender for a halter. You have no afterthoughts concerning him?'
    'None. I am sure he did as he says he did. He dreamed of avenging himself on a strong and overbearing man, and found a broken wreck he could not choose but pity.'
    'No bad ending,' said Owain. 'And now I think we might withdraw to some quieter place, and you shall tell us whatever you have to tell, and ask whatever you need to ask.'
    In the prince's chamber they sat about the small, wire-guarded brazier, Owain, Tudur, Einan ab Ithel and Cadfael. Cadfael had brought with him the little box in which he had preserved the wisps of wool and gold thread. Those precise shades of deep blue and soft rose could not be carried accurately in the mind, but must continually be referred to the eye, and matched against whatever fabric came to light. He had the box in the scrip at his girdle, and was wary of opening it where there might be even the faintest draught, for fear the frail things within would be blown clean away. A breath from a loophole could whisk his ominous treasures out of reach in an instant.
    He had debated within himself how much he should tell, but in the light of Cristina's revelation, and since her father was here in conference, he told all he knew, how Elis in his captivity had fallen haplessly in love with Prestcote's daughter, and how the pair of them had seen no possible hope of gaining the sheriffs approval for such a match, hence providing reason enough why Elis should attempt to disturb the invalid's rest, whether to remove by murder the obstacle to his love, as Melicent accused, or to plead his forlorn cause, as Elis himself protested.
    'So that was the way of it,' said Owain, and exchanged a straight, hard look with Tudur, unsurprised, and forbearing from either sympathy or blame. Tudur was on close terms of personal friendship with his prince, and had surely spoken with him of Cristina's confidences. Here was the other side of the coin. 'And this was after Einon had left you?'
    'It was. It came out that the boy had tried to speak with Gilbert, and been ordered out by Brother Edmund. When the girl heard of it, she turned on him for a murderer.'
    'But you do not altogether