Sir Hugh Corbett 11 - The Demon Archer

Warrenne.
    The Earl picked up his wine cup and sipped from it. The King was on dangerous ground. De Warrenne’s marriage was the gossip of the court. Edward realised he had gone too far and gently squeezed his companion’s hand.
    ‘If you don’t,’ he urged, ‘ask Ranulf there.’
    The newly appointed senior clerk in the Chancery of the Green Wax just glanced away, studying the shields along the wall. One day, he thought, I’ll have my shield there. Sir Ranulf or even Bishop Ranulf! He was learning his lessons fast from Master ‘Long Face’ seated beside him: keep your mouth shut, don’t respond to insults and, if in doubt, just smile, bow and wait for another day.
    ‘But you don’t believe it’s Verlian, do you?’ Corbett demanded.
    ‘No, no, I don’t.’ Edward sucked on his lips. ‘Fitzalan was a man I closely watched. Too many fingers in too many plots. Too much money. A man ruled by his cock. He should have married, settled down! Become as miserable as all of us, eh, de Warrenne?’
    ‘Marriage can be happy, sire!’ the Earl protested. ‘As long as you don’t share the same bed and house!’
    Edward laughed softly.
    ‘I was going to let Fitzalan go to France ,’ he continued. ‘I always wondered why he wanted to go and why my dearest brother in Christ, Philip the King, specifically asked for him.’
    ‘Was he a traitor?’
    ‘He had lands in Gascony , and I believe his mother was French, but I don’t think so. Traitors are passionate men, Corbett, passionate for an idea or desperate for gold. Fitzalan had no time for the former and too much of the latter. I think he knew something about the French court. He was going back to trade on this.’
    Corbett curbed his excitement.
    ‘So, the French might have resorted to murder? De Craon always has assassins in his train.’
    ‘Not this time,’ Edward replied. ‘Apparently Fitzalan fell to the ground, and died immediately. Chaos broke out. Sir William immediately rode back to the manor to ensure there was no looting and the treasury was safe. De Craon followed shortly afterwards. From the little I know, none of de Craon’s retinue were unaccounted for.’
    ‘So, sire, who?’
    Edward raised his eyes heavenwards.
    ‘Sir William stood to gain. He inherits the lot and there was bad blood between the two brothers. And, of course, there’s our dear sister in Christ, Lady Madeleine Fitzalan, prioress of St Hawisia’s, a well-endowed house in Ashdown Forest . Lady Madeleine was highly critical of her half-brother, particularly his views on religion.’
    He paused.
    ‘Anyone else?’
    ‘Ashdown, like all our forests, has its fair share of outlaws. One in particular , calling himself the Owlman, sent warnings and threatening letters to Lord Henry in the months before he died. Brother Cosmas, a Franciscan parish priest of the local church St Oswald’s-in-the-Trees, also clashed with our good manor lord.’ Edward sighed. ‘The list is endless. And there’s more.’
    The King got up and went to kick the door shut, turning the key in the lock.
    ‘I am sending you down there, Hugh, but you have to be careful. This may be a trap. De Craon might have wanted Fitzalan dead but he may also have come to complete the work of that mad assassin in Oxford !’



Chapter 2

    The King filled a goblet and put it down in front of Corbett, whom he studied closely.
    ‘You don’t seem worried, Hugh.’
    Corbett shrugged. ‘De Craon’s been hunting my head for years.’
    ‘But this time he may intend it,’ de Warrenne put in. ‘Philip is meddling in every court in Europe . He’s made Pope Boniface VIII his virtual prisoner. We know he has spies with the rebels in Scotland and he would love to interfere with our wool trade to Flanders .’ The old earl cleared his throat. ‘He regards you as a bloody nuisance, Corbett. You may have won your wager with Ranulf but they truly Want you dead.’
    Surrey just wished he could shake this clerk’s composure, but Corbett had been in the game before. He’d heard the whispers, how de Warrenne dismissed him as a clerk, ignoring the dangers, the plots of secret assassins as well as Corbett’s own military service in Wales and Scotland .
    ‘Are you saying, sire, that de Craon killed Fitzalan knowing that you would send me to Ashdown?’
    ‘It’s possible there might be another accident in the forest,’ Edward agreed.
    ‘It’s a pretty theory. But you said there was more?’
    ‘Yes there is. On the