The Devil's Domain

rapscallions and rogues of Southwark, people like Pig’s Arse and Godbless who stole and thieved because they had to. Vulpina, however, enjoyed the evil she distilled, revelling in the chaos and the sorrow it caused.
    ’I’m waiting, Hotpot!’
    ’You are Gaunt’s man.’ She clicked her tongue again and lifted her hand. Athelstan noticed that she wore a skin-tight leather gauntlet on her right hand. ’I can give you a list of customers, Cranston !’ she hissed. ’They’d include the so-called mighty and good who would have little time for your nose-poking and querulous questions and that includes my Lord of Gaunt! Or rather his lovesick knight. What’s his name? Maltravers? I understand he’s the laughing-stock of the city. He’s taken a couple of French ships so he thinks he can slip between the sheets with Lady Angelica Parr, does he?’
    ’What are you saying?’ Sir John took a step threateningly forward.
    Vulpina lifted a whistle which hung on a silver cord round her neck.
    ’Come on, Fat Jack!’ she taunted. ’One blast from this and we’ll see how you and your priestly friend can cope with my legion of rats from below!’
    He drew sword and dagger. Vulpina’s face lost some of its arrogance.
    ’Go on!’ he said. ’Let’s go at it, Vulpina. Heaven or hell, but you will be dead.’
    The Queen of Poisons took a deep breath and let it out noisily.
    ’Fine, fine, Sir John. I want you out of here and I don’t want your enmity.’ She let the whistle fall. ’Gaunt’s man has been here.’
    ’Maltravers?’
    ’The same.’
    ’What did he want?’
    ’A love philtre.’
    ’For what?’
    ’I didn’t ask him. He also bought some poison. I asked him why. It was nothing exceptional, some henbane, a little belladonna.’
    ’And did he give the reason for that?’
    ’He said it was rats. In his own chamber. He asked for it as an afterthought.’ Vulpina smiled. ’But I saw your quick-eyed Dominican friend, when you mentioned Hawkmere Manor. I’ve had visitors from there. Limbright for one, Sir Walter constantly comes here, takes a little digitalis he does, and a few other potions, St John’s wort for a start.’
    Athelstan studied this woman and wondered how many secrets she held.
    ’Oh, and the list goes on. The good physician Aspinall? He, too, is in my book.’ She realised what she had said and quickly tapped the side of her head. ’My ledger is between my ears, Sir John. And, Sir John, that’s all I can tell you.’ Vulpina waggled her fingers in mock farewell.
    ’Thank God we are out of there!’ Athelstan breathed as they walked back up the main alleyway out of Whitefriars. ’Sir John, what a tangle of weeds we’ve got here.’
    ’It’s a tangle all right.’ The coroner stopped and scratched his head. ’We really should visit the Lady Angelica, but Brother...’
    ’No need to apologise. My legs are tired and my belly’s empty. I want to go back and talk to Bonaventure.’
    ’Not to mention Judas the goat!’
    ’Thaddeus,’ Athelstan corrected him. ’It’s Thaddeus now, Sir John. But, what about this?’
    ’We frightened Vulpina. And so she threw us morsels. Don’t forget, my good friar: Lady Maude visits an apothecary up Cheapside and buys poisons for the rats in our cellars, but that doesn’t make her a murderess.’
    ’Yes, but she doesn’t hide it, Sir John. Limbright, Maltravers and Aspinall have questions to answer.’
    Sir John chewed on the corner of his lip then abruptly turned and stared down the alleyway.
    ’What’s the matter, Sir John?’
    ’Vulpina’s a murdering bitch, Athelstan, but she’s no fool.’ The coroner scratched his whiskers. ’Earlier, when we stopped to talk to the scrimperers, I had the feeling of being followed. Now I am certain of it. A shadow down the lane moved a little too slowly.’
    He took a step forward but Athelstan caught at his arm.
    ’Sir John, let us go home.’
    Athelstan stared about at the dingy houses, the lean, pinched faces which peered out from behind shabby doors, the clusters of beggars in alleyways. He saw one of them move and caught the glint of steel.
    ’Let’s go home, Sir John,’ he repeated. ’This is all a tangled web and we have truly entered the Devil’s Domain!’

CHAPTER 7

    Athelstan sat at his table and moved the candle a little closer. The evening had turned surprisingly chill so he had lit a fire which now crackled merrily in the hearth. Bonaventure, not yet ready for his nightly