The Devil's Domain

sailors and probably very good ones but...’
    He paused as the door opened and one of Gaunt’s liveried servants hurried in. He bent over the table and whispered in the Regent’s ear; he, in turn, called Sir John over.
    ’He’s arrived,’ Sir John announced.
    ’Tell him to wait,’ Athelstan replied. ’We’ll be with him shortly.’ Athelstan waited until the door closed before picking up where he had been interrupted. ’Both of you are sailors, and probably very good at your trade: the trim of sails, scrutinising the sky, knowing the sea. You are probably stout fighters ready to run down an English merchantman, steal its cargo, slaughter its crew. God save us all!’ Athelstan sighed. ’You’re no different from those who live on the other side of the Narrow Seas .’
    ’What are you implying?’ Gresnay’s voice was strident.
    ’What am I implying? Why, one of you is a spy! Oh, not for the Regent here but for the court, the government back in Paris . A man who keeps an eye on his fellows, searches out mutiny, grumblings, any hint of treachery. After all, it’s not unknown for ships, be they French or English, to enter into secret collusion with the enemy.’
    ’That’s nonsense!’ Vamier snarled.
    ’Is it?’ Athelstan asked. ’You go to sea and you live in each other’s pockets. You sleep, eat, do everything with your companions. However, when your ship returns to harbour, where do you go? To the taverns and the brothels or home to your loved ones? One of you also goes to Paris : to the Louvre Palace , or the Hotel de Ville, to deliver a report to his masters; scraps of information, morsels of news.’ Athelstan glimpsed the uncertainty in Gresnay’s eyes. ’Now your masters in France have a spy, an assassin called Mercurius.’
    Neither man flinched.
    ’High ranking, very well paid. His task is to collect information and remove the enemies of France by fair means or foul.’
    ’Are you saying it’s one of us?’ Vamier asked. ’Even if you speak the truth, Brother, it could be one of those who have already died.’
    ’Oh, it’s one of you,’ Athelstan said. ’Your masters in Paris were furious to lose two warships, their cargoes and skilled crews all in one day. They reached the obvious conclusion that there must be treachery, as did you. You were brought from Dover and delivered into the hands of Sir Walter Limbright at Hawkmere Manor.’ Athelstan sighed. ’An Englishman who has good cause to hate the French. He would keep you in straitened circumstances, deepen your bitterness. Make you drink the chalice of sorrow till the very last drop. One of you, however, secretly received information that the traitor who had betrayed the St Sulpice and the St Denis must be among the prisoners at Hawkmere. I suppose that man needed very little encouragement to carry out what he considered legal execution.’ Athelstan picked up two of the peas.
    ’Messieurs, let me introduce the rosary pea, sometimes called a paternoster pea, an Abrin pea or, to those who are skilled in herbs, the Abrus precatorius. It’s harmless enough. Monsieur Gresnay, there’s two for you. Monsieur Vamier, the same for you. I will take two as well to show you that they possess no noxious qualities.’
    ’No,’ Gresnay said. ’I am not taking them.’
    The Frenchman walked down the hall towards the door.
    ’You killed my friends. You will not kill me!’
    He started to run. Sir Maurice caught him, crashing into him and sending him flying across the hall. Gresnay stumbled but regained his stance and turned. Sir John seized him, grasping his arms and, assisted by Maltravers, brought the protesting Frenchman back to the table.
    ’I will not take it!’ Gresnay’s tongue came out, licking the blood at the corner of his mouth. ’Vamier, for God’s sake!’
    Athelstan turned. ’Why, Monsieur Vamier, you seem more composed?’
    Vamier had the two peas in the palm of his hand.
    ’Go on!’ Athelstan urged. ’Why not take them?’
    ’If you say so.’ Vamier popped the peas into his mouth.
    Gresnay’s body went slack. Sir John pushed him back on to the bench.
    ’Please, for God’s sake, what are you doing?’
    Athelstan stretched his hand out. ’Monsieur Vamier, spit the peas back into my hand.’
    Vamier did so.
    ’Now, sirs,’ Athelstan said. ’Let me see the rosary beads you were given when you first arrived at Hawkmere.’
    ’They are in my wallet,’ Gresnay replied. He took out his rosary beads and