The Grail Murders

more things in heaven and earth, my dear Roger, than are contained in our philosophy.'
    A nice phrase, isn't it? I gave it to old Will Shakespeare to use in his play Hamlet.

Chapter 5
    We both slept badly that night: on two occasions I woke when Benjamin cried out in his sleep. He was as anxious as I was about our journey to Glastonbury and the next morning we went down to the palace refectory feeling heavy-eyed and sluggish. A surly servitor thrust poorly baked bread and watery beer at us and we sat, lost in our own thoughts, until the door was flung open and Mandeville and Southgate entered. They looked as fresh as maids in May. (You take it from old Shallot, the wicked have little difficulty in sleeping!) They slid on to the bench opposite us, making pleasantries about how cold the weather had become and that we should soon be on the road for Somerset.
    'Do you believe all this?' I abruptly asked them the same question I had of Benjamin. 'Do we believe what?' Southgate answered angrily. 'In Arthur's sword and a miraculous chalice?'
    'If the King does,' Mandeville replied, 'I do. We also believe, Master Shallot, in the need for good order, strong rule, peace, and no stupid, futile rebellions.'
    His two strange secretaries slid into the room and, without a nicker of a glance at us, went to sit at another table.
    Mandeville, his mouth full of bread, nodded towards them. 'You consider us ruthless, Shallot? Then think of Cosmas and Damien. Or, even worse, of their elder brother who tried to escape. Do you know what the Turks did? They stripped him naked, pegged him to the soil, tied a hollow pipe to his side and took a starving rat-' Mandeville slurped from his beer '-not one of your English sort. Those in Asia are two foot long from tip to tail. Anyway, they put this rat down the pipe with a fire at the open end. The rat could only go one way, burrowing its way out through the living flesh.'
    I gagged and glanced at the two bald-pated twins: they didn't seem so terrible now but rather pathetic. I then stared at Mandeville and Southgate. Whatever they said, these were the real madmen. They had a passion for law and order which bordered on mania, living examples of Machiavelli's The Prince, for what Henry wanted, these men would do.
    'Why do we have to go to Glastonbury?' I blurted out before my master could stop me.
    Mandeville sneered as his strong teeth tore at the coarse rye bread.
    'Master Shallot, you and your master have a growing reputation for quick eyes and subtle wits. Do you ever go hunting?' 'Not if I can help it!'
    'You should do, Shallot. Especially with dogs, for that's what we are going to do in Somerset. Hunt down traitors and find what the King wants. We are the huntsmen and you are our dogs.'
    I bit back a tart reply as my master tugged at my sleeve and we tactfully took our leave. Outside in the corridor I grabbed him by the elbow. 'I'm no man's dog, Master!' Benjamin shook his head. 'Just leave it, Roger, leave it! We have other matters to tend to.' 'Such as?' 'Hopkins's sister, not to mention Tailor Taplow.' 'Master Shallot!'
    We both spun round. Rachel Santerre stood there, looking as beautiful as a summer's dawn though her face was pale with dark rings round the eyes.
    'Master Daunbey, Master Shallot.' She looked fearfully over her shoulder.
    'Mistress, what's the matter?' I asked, watching that lovely bosom rise and fall in agitation.
    'I don't know,' she stammered. 'But I am fearful. Buckingham's blood is on Sir John's hands, and Mandeville and Southgate frighten me. They are going to stick their noses into matters which do not concern them.' We looked at her.
    'You don't understand,' she whispered hoarsely. 'I live at Templecombe. God forgive me, I feel the ghosts there, the Templar knights.' 'Rachel! Rachel!'
    The young woman cast one more despairing glance at us, shook her head and disappeared round the corner to answer her mother's plea.
    Benjamin kicked at the rushes. 'Pray,' he muttered. 'Pray, Roger, that we return safe from Templecombe!' (As if I needed such urging!) We returned to our chamber for our cloaks and wallets though Benjamin appeared to dally. 'Master, we should go.' 'In a little while, Roger, I am waiting for someone.'
    He became lost in one of his dour moods so I let him be and went to the window to stare out at a dairy maid carrying pitchers of milk between the barns and the kitchen. At last there was a knock on the door and a young man entered wearing a battered leather