The Good Knight (A Gareth and Gwen Medieval Mystery)

cuts his hands every time. The murderer didn’t know that. Given that my father was in a cell, it was to the murderer’s advantage to hold off seeking aid, which he did for three days until his fingers festered and became impossible to hide.”
    “And you noticed?”
    “The fool came to the herbalist for treatment, a friend of mine. By then, we were looking for an injured man and knew he was guilty from the moment we saw his hands.” She shrugged. “After few well-placed questions in front of the castellan, Lord Cadfael, the man confessed.”
    Gareth shook his head over that, but when Gwen glanced at him, he was smiling.
    When they entered the kitchen, just as Gwen had hoped, Dai plopped a plate of biscuits, newly churned butter, jam, and a watery porridge in front of them.
    “You look serious, Gwen. And you,” Dai said to Gareth, looking him up and down, “are a very ill young man.”
    “Someone poisoned him yesterday with an infusion of belladonna,” Gwen said, her mouth full of biscuit.
    “Never say so!” Dai took a step back. “Not in my food!”
    “The culprit put it in the mead,” Gwen said. “Since Gareth had to stay locked in his cell, he doesn’t have any idea who did it.”
    “What was the name of the boy who brought the food?” Gareth said.
    “Llelo,” Dai said and then without pausing for breath, raised his voice to carry through the kitchen to the pantry. “Llywelyn ap Rhys! Get in here!” A boy of twelve tumbled through the curtain that separated the pantry from the kitchen proper, wiping his hands on his apron, his eyes wide. Dai gestured towards the boy. “Here he is.”
    “Come here, boy.” Gareth waved him closer.
    Llelo glanced at Dai, who nodded, and came to a halt in front of Gareth. He eyed the biscuits, licking his lips; Gwen picked one up and handed it to him. He accepted it, still wary and nervous, but not as noticeably stiff-legged. “My lord,” Llelo said.
    “You brought me my noon meal yesterday,” Gareth said. “Tell me about it.”
    Llelo blinked twice. Clearly this was not what he’d expected to have Gareth ask. It made Gwen wonder what else he’d been up to, though it was probably getting into mischief with the other boys his age—something that he thought might be more serious than it was. “Cook laid your food out for me on the side table and I took it to you straight away, once I came in from chopping firewood.”
    “And the mead?” Gwen said. “You brought that too?”
    Llelo glanced at Dai, who nodded again. Llelo licked his lips.
    “Tell them,” Dai said.
    “Yes,” Llelo said. “It was hard to juggle the cup, jar, and platter all at the same time, but I managed without spilling any.”
    “Good for you,” Gwen said. “So between the time you collected the food and drink and when you delivered it to Sir Gareth, nobody waylaid you? Nobody spoke to you?”
    “No, Ma’am,” Llelo said.
    Gareth nodded and Dai jerked his head at Llelo, who departed, much relieved.
    “Do you believe him?” Gwen asked Dai.
    “I have no reason not to,” Dai said. “I saw him leave by the kitchen door. I even told him to take two trips, but of course he pretended he hadn’t heard me.”
    “It was you who set out the food?” Gwen said. “And the mead as well?”
    “I tapped it myself,” Dai said. “It was the least I could do for his lordship, here.” Dai paused and leaned in. “I never thought you killed that foreign king.”
    Gwen just managed not to laugh at Dai’s provincial attitude. That foreign king . She and her family had traveled the length and breadth of Wales in the last six years. While a few traditions differed, the language, the customs, and the blood were all the same.
    “So then the question is, how long did my meal sit on the table unattended, waiting for Llelo to bring it to me?” Gareth leaned forward to match Dai, his tone earnest.
    Dai pursed his lips. “Let’s see now—I had the boy at the bucket for water to wash his hands and face. His hands were sticky from wood pitch. He can’t seem to chop a single log without getting it all over him. Then back here, so … a quarter of an hour perhaps? I’ve four other regular helpers in and out all day, but they were mostly in the hall. We don’t usually serve a meal that time of day, but we’ve been kept hopping with all the comings and goings. I’ve had to hire another half dozen just to keep up with the roastings and the soups.”
    Gwen and Gareth looked at each other,