Wilfred. He will not make you wait.’
‘No, tell me,’ said Sear softly. ‘I have been expecting something dire ever since I saw the flash in Henry’s eyes when I explained about the taxes, and I feared his continued affection for me was a sham. Read it, Geoffrey. I swear we will not come to blows.’
‘You are dismissed from Pembroc Castle and ordered to hand over command to someone called Gerald of Windsor.’
‘Gerald of Windsor,’ mused Sear. ‘A ruthless, greedy man who will have every last penny out of the hapless souls at Pembroc. Is that all?’
‘No. As you are in Kermerdyn and have troops here, you are ordered to put them and yourself under Richard’s authority and do whatever he says.’
‘You lie!’ yelled Sear, whipping out his sword.
Geoffrey drew his own weapon, finding he was more than ready to fight a man he had never liked. It would limber him up for when he met Richard. But it was not Geoffrey who was at the end of Sear’s blade, but Cornald, who had just entered the yard and walked towards them.
‘It is true!’ squeaked Cornald. ‘I swear!’
He tried to back away, but Sear clutched a handful of his tunic and gripped him so his feet barely touched the ground. Cornald was holding a purple glove that Geoffrey recognized as Edward’s. Bemused, Geoffrey looked from one to the other, wondering what was happening.
‘If you are lying, I will cut out your tongue,’ snarled Sear.
‘I swear to you, on holy William’s soul, that this is the “evidence” from Lanothni,’ gulped Cornald. ‘It proves the attack was ordered by Edward.’
‘What are you taking about?’ demanded Geoffrey, lowering his sword.
‘We had word from Fychan that he had discovered a clue to the identity of the raiders who attacked his inn,’ explained Sear tersely. ‘Having lost so much, he was rather more painstaking in his hunt for evidence than we were.’
‘I still do not understand,’ said Geoffrey.
‘There was a witness – a villager saw and heard the raiders’ leader giving them orders. This villager also saw the leader drop something on the ground by accident as he turned to leave. Cornald offered to return to Lanothni today, to collect it.’
‘It was the least I could do,’ said Cornald, freeing himself from Sear’s grasp. He scowled. ‘Although I would not have obliged, had I known I would be manhandled on my return.’
‘My apologies,’ said Sear stiffly. ‘It was the shock.’
Geoffrey struggled to follow what they were saying. ‘But Edward was injured in one of those attacks. He would hardly order-’
‘Not very seriously injured,’ interrupted Cornald. ‘Moreover, another group of travellers arrived from Brechene last night. They told me they had not been attacked once on the road, nor was there any contagion in Brechene Castle.’
Geoffrey was bewildered. ‘So Edward lied about his men being sick, and, instead of accompanying us, they harried us every inch of the way? But why?’
‘I have no idea,’ said Sear grimly. ‘But your wife and Pulchria said the men who attacked you in Lanothni knew their way around in the dark – and Edward’s men are mostly local. It would explain why Alberic and I were unable to catch them after you drove them off. I sense something evil is unfolding here, and Edward and Richard seem to be at the heart of it.’
Geoffrey tried to rally his reeling thoughts. ‘I delivered two letters in Goodrich: one to Gwgan and one to Richard. All the ambushes concentrated on us knights – in our white surcoats, we doubtless look much the same to soldiers who do not know us. And it was Gwgan and Richard who were targeted last night. Perhaps…’
‘Perhaps what?’ demanded Sear impatiently.
‘Perhaps Gwgan and Richard have been ordered to do something of which Edward disapproves,’ finished Geoffrey.
‘Something like what?’
Geoffrey shook his head slowly. ‘Gwgan lied about the contents of his letter. He said it was about taxes and advowsons, but that sort of thing is complex, and his missive comprised a few sentences on one page – I saw it. It was much more likely to have contained an order.’
‘Yes, but what?’ demanded Cornald. ‘And why send the order to him, not Hywel? The Prince is in charge of the region, and it is for him to carry out royal commands, not his counsellor.’
Hywel! Suddenly, the answer snapped into Geoffrey’s mind, and it was so obvious he wondered why he had not seen it before.
‘Everyone acknowledges that Hywel is a good and popular leader, and I know Henry resents it. He told me so in La Batailge. Eudo went further and said putting Hywel in power was a mistake. It is unwise for a vassal to outshine the King, but Hywel does, and it has not gone unnoticed.’
‘You think Hywel will be ousted?’ whispered Cornald, aghast. ‘And that Richard and Gwgan will do it? But how? The people will not stand for a coup. They will support Hywel.’
‘I doubt a coup is what they have in mind,’ said Geoffrey soberly. ‘The only way to eliminate the threat Hywel has become is to kill him.’
Cornald and Sear gaped at him. ‘And how will they do that?’ demanded Sear in disbelief. ‘Hywel is safely inside Rhydygors, surrounded by a garrison that would die to protect him.’
‘He will not be inside Rhydygors tonight,’ said Geoffrey. ‘He will be at the house of his trusted friend and counsellor. Alone, so they can do business together. And Hywel’s troops – to the last man – have been sent out to round up these so-called outlaws.’
‘Except Gwgan’s personal guard,’ said Cornald, aghast. ‘They have been held back. When the garrison returns, Hywel will be dead and Richard will sit in his place. Or will it be Gwgan?’
‘Richard,’ replied Geoffrey. ‘Henry will not want another Welshman in charge.’
‘But Gwgan is Hywel’s friend!’ objected Cornald. ‘They are like brothers. Why would he betray him?’
Geoffrey had no answer.
‘So this is why I am ordered to serve Richard,’ mused Sear. ‘He will be the new lord, and I am expected to help him quell any resulting rebellions. Henry did not want me to know until we arrived in Kermerdyn, lest I took umbrage and disappeared home to Normandy.’
‘Listen to what we are saying!’ said Cornald, shaking his head. ‘We are accusing the King of cold-blooded murder.’
‘The evidence is compelling,’ said Sear.
‘Eudo,’ said Geoffrey softly. ‘Bishop Maurice said he schemed on the King’s behalf. Moreover, he wrote the letters to Gwgan and Richard himself, and refused to let his deputies see what was in them. He even sealed them in such a way that they could not be opened.’
‘So the King probably has no idea of what has been planned for Hywel,’ said Cornald in relief. ‘And all this treachery is the work of a clerk with misguided notions of loyalty.’
‘But Eudo was murdered in La Batailge,’ said Sear, frowning. ‘Who…’
‘Edward,’ said Geoffrey, the last pieces of the puzzle falling into place. ‘He must have discovered what was in the offing, and decided to stop it.’
‘Why would he do that?’ asked Cornald. He shrugged. ‘His devotion to Henry is absolute, and though we may disapprove of Hywel’s murder, no one can deny that it is in Henry’s best interests.’
‘No, it is not,’ said Geoffrey. ‘Henry will be glad to be rid of a popular rival, but the taint of murder will damage him badly. Edward will want to protect him from that.’
‘So Edward killed Eudo to prevent him from sending these letters?’ asked Cornald.
Geoffrey nodded. ‘But he was too late – the letters had already been written and handed to Pepin. Edward stabbed Eudo, then drowned him when the blow was ineffective – I should have seen that such a messy death was the work of a man unused to killing.’
‘He dropped silver pennies as they struggled,’ mused Sear. ‘You said at the time that they meant the culprit was a wealthy man. But this makes no sense – Edward has an alibi. He was in the stables when Eudo died, lecturing twenty stable-boys on horses.’
