The Devil's Domain

England to kill you.’
    ’I agree,’ Gaunt said. ’But these men at Hawkmere are his real prey.’
    ’Why not move the prisoners?’ Sir John asked. ’Take them out of Hawkmere, up river to the Tower?’
    ’It’s tempting,’ Gaunt replied, ’but I don’t think we’ll achieve much. The capture of Mercurius is important. We have a better opportunity if they are kept in the more, how can I put it, open surroundings of Hawkmere? Moreover, if Mercurius is one of them, it will make little difference. At this point of the dance, the French have it all their own way. If the prisoners die, they’ll appeal to the Pope in Avignon , depict us as breakers of the truth, violaters of the Papal peace. Of course, the murders will continue but the French don’t really care. They hope to kill the traitor. Perhaps make an example of him and, for all I know, slay one of my principal household knights.’ Gaunt sniffed. ’Mercurius may have slain Vulpina to close her mouth.’ He slapped his leather gauntlets against his thigh. ’You, Sir Maurice, should be very careful. This business at the Golden Cresset may well be the work of Mercurius. Well, Gervase, now we have Brother Athelstan here, there is one other matter.’
    The Master of Secrets looked away and cleared his throat.
    ’Ah yes, yes, there is. You know, Brother, the doings of the Great Community of the Realm?’
    ’All London does.’
    The Master of Secrets undid his white shirt. Athelstan noticed with amusement the hare’s-foot slung on a chain round his throat. Gervase caught his gaze.
    ’It’s to ward off the colic,’ he explained, rubbing his stomach. ’Continue!’ Gaunt ordered harshly. ’My falcons and dogs await, the day draws on.’
    ’I have it on good authority,’ the Master of Secrets went on, ’that the Great Community of the Realm is very active in Southwark and may well have agents who are members of your parish.’
    ’I know nothing of that,’ Athelstan replied quickly.
    ’There are many priests, hedge-parsons among its leaders,’ Gaunt intervened silkily. ’They lard their talk with quotations from the Scriptures on the equality of man.’
    ’Then, my lord, they quote most accurately.’
    ’In reality,’ Gaunt retorted, ’they are as devoid of Christ as they are of grace.’
    ’In which case, my lord, they have a great deal in common with the people against whom they plot.’
    Sir Maurice’s head went down. Sir John’s hand covered his eyes while Gervase looked up at the ceiling as if searching for cobwebs. Gaunt held Athelstan’s gaze.
    ’One day, Brother.’ He got to his feet. ’One day, all of this nonsense will come to a head. I’ll hang every man jack of them!’
    ’They are only hungry,’ Athelstan said. ’They eat hard bread. They give rags, soaked in wine, for their babies to suck. Sometimes in winter the only meal they have is the snot they swallow.’
    ’Brother!’ Sir John intervened warningly.
    Gaunt’s expression abruptly changed. He smiled and brought his hand down on the little Dominican’s shoulders.
    ’Only an honest man speaks the truth, Brother.’ He opened his purse, shook out some silver coins and thrust them into Athelstan’s hand. ’Buy your poor some bread. Tell them to pray for John of Gaunt.’ He put on his gauntlets. ’But tell them, if they are caught in arms plotting against the Crown, they’ll hang.’ He walked to the door and turned, his hand on the latch. ’I set you a hard task, Brother,’ he said quietly. ’I want you to help Sir Maurice here for he is a man I’d like my own son to grow into. I want these murders stopped. I want to see Mercurius’ head on a pole over London Bridge . Do that and, I swear, the streets of Southwark will run with wine. Now, as I have said, my dogs wait. I bid you adieu.’
    He closed the door and sauntered down the passageway. Gervase put his face in his hands and sighed.
    ’Brother, you go too far.’
    ’It’s the only time I’ve been frightened.’ Sir Maurice spoke up, grabbing his cup and drinking greedily from it.
    Cranston had finished his and was now helping himself to a generous swig from his wineskin.
    ’What on earth possessed you, Brother?’
    ’I don’t know,’ Athelstan replied. He sat down because his legs were now shaking and a sweat had broken out all over his body. He looked at the silver coins in his hands. ’I suppose I get tired of seeing the poor starve. You’ve met my parishioners, Sir John, Watkin and