The Devil's Domain

all!’ he whispered. ’I’ll kill every single one! You’ll help me won’t you, Cranston ? The friar here can absolve them then we’ll hang them from a bloody tree for the pirates they are: murderers, assassins, ravishers of women, killers of children!’
    ’Sir Walter! We have no proof of that.’
    Sir John looked at the chamber. It contained a few leather chests, some faded cloths on the walls, an aumbry, two stools and a small writing desk beneath the window with a clerk’s stool pushed alongside it.
    ’This was your daughter’s chamber?’
    Sir Walter nodded.
    ’And where was she before?’
    ’Why are you asking me?’
    ’Where was your daughter before?’ Athelstan insisted.
    ’She went down into the garden. She just wandered around, like she always did. Brother, who would poison such a poor thing?’ He wetted his lips. ’I need some wine,’ he rasped.
    Aspinall left and came back with a large goblet filled to the brim, but Sir John stopped him.
    ’Where did you get that?’
    ’From Sir Walter’s chamber further down the gallery. It’s packed with poison, Sir John,’ he added wearily.
    ’Take a sip yourself,’ the coroner ordered.
    The doctor made to refuse but Sir John’s hand fell to the dagger in his belt.
    ’Oh, for the love of heaven!’ Aspinall complained and took a deep draught. He then went across and gave it to Sir Walter, who seized it greedily. He drained it in one gulp then gestured at his daughter’s corpse.
    ’Pick her up,’ he ordered. ’She’s not a dog to lie sprawled on the floor!’
    They lifted the young woman’s corpse and laid it gently out on the bed, crossing the hands. Sir John opened his purse and put two pennies over the eyes.
    ’Leave me.’ Sir Walter forced a smile, but there were tears in his eyes. ’Leave me for a while. You have business with those demons below.’
    ’Stay with Sir Walter,’ Athelstan asked Aspinall. ’Sir John, Sir Maurice, we should go down.’
    They returned to the hall and told the Frenchmen what had happened. De Fontanel quickly crossed himself. The prisoners, huddled together, looked frightened.
    ’It’s not safe to leave us here.’ Vamier spoke up. ’Sir Walter is our enemy already. He will blame us for his daughter’s death.’ He banged the table with his fist. ’I demand to be removed! To be given safer and better custody than this!’
    ’I can arrange that.’ Sir John took a seat, tapping his hands on the table-top.
    Athelstan sat down and took out his writing tray. He opened the ink pot, dipped the quill in but simply scratched the parchment, making strange signs and symbols. He had little to write; there was nothing about this affair which made sense. He glanced across at Sir John.
    ’ Semper veritas ,’ he murmured. ’Always the truth. Perhaps it’s time we were blunt and honest and told these gentlemen that they are, truly, in mortal danger but not from Sir Walter. Indeed, if we removed them elsewhere, or advised the Regent to change their keeper, it would look as if the finger of accusation were being pointed at Sir Walter.’
    ’He is, as you correctly say ,’ de Fontanel drawled, ’their keeper. He is responsible for their safety. I am truly sorry his daughter died but Vamier does speak the truth, Limbright is our enemy.’
    ’Tell me, gentlemen.’ Sir John looked down the table at the three prisoners. ’Have you ever heard of Mercurius?’
    Athelstan studied their faces. Was that a flicker of recognition in Gresnay’s eyes?
    ’Mercurius?’ de Fontanel sneered. ’Who is Mercurius?’
    ’He’s an assassin,’ Athelstan replied slowly. ’Employed by the French Crown. He kills people whom his masters in Paris want removed as quickly as possible. Do you know, sirs, you are probably safer in England than you are in France .’
    ’Don’t talk in riddles!’ Gresnay snapped.
    ’Mercurius is an assassin,’ Athelstan repeated. ’The French believe the St Sulpice and St Denis were betrayed by an officer on one of those two ships. We think, indeed we know, Mercurius is in England . His task is to kill the traitor among you.’
    ’In which case,’ Maneil replied guardedly, ’he has killed two.’
    ’No, no.’ Gresnay spoke up. ’I realise what you are saying, Brother. Mercurius doesn’t really care how many of us die.’
    ’As long as the traitor dies,’ Athelstan declared, ’that’s all that matters. Sentence of death has been passed against you.’
    ’But who?’ Vamier sprang