Edwin felt hot and a little faint as he heard the words. This was it. This was another mission the earl was going to send him on. What would he do? Would he come out of it alive this time?
The earl looked confused. ‘But surely the abbot must know that I have no jurisdiction within the walls of his abbey? Shouldn’t he be applying to someone in the Church?’
The monk nodded. ‘Under normal circumstances, my lord, that would be the case. But Abbot Reginald is about to travel to the annual conclave in France, which all abbots of our Order must attend each year. He will need to leave two weeks from today, so he fears there will be no time to get a message to our mother house at Newminster which is many days’ journey to the north. He has heard that you have a man in your household who is experienced in these matters’ – he looked hopefully at Sir Geoffrey – ‘and that you might, as an act of charity, send him to Roche for some while to see what he can discover.’ He bowed his head and fell silent.
The earl beckoned Sir Geoffrey to one side, so that they were standing nearer to Edwin. ‘We don’t need to leave for Lewes for another two weeks. The abbey is what, six or seven miles away? We can summon him back any time if we need to.’
Sir Geoffrey nodded and glanced at Edwin, who looked away and pretended he wasn’t watching.
The earl continued, though Edwin didn’t catch all of it. ‘And it’s about time … some new responsibilities …’ He moved back into the centre of the room to face the monk. ‘Very well. I send my man Weaver to your abbey for one week, to render what assistance he may.’ He gestured for Edwin to step forward, which Edwin did, trying not to notice the surprise and disappointment on the monk’s face.
But the earl hadn’t finished. ‘I also send Martin with him as guard and escort.’ Taken aback, Edwin glanced at Martin, who looked as surprised as Edwin felt, and then back at the earl, realising for the first time that heliked catching people off guard in this way. Perhaps he felt he was better served by keeping them all off balance, which Sir Geoffrey certainly was.
‘My lord …’
The earl clapped, once. ‘Now, Brother … Godfrey, was it? It’s almost dark, so you will stay here and set off tomorrow morning. You may make use of my chapel for your offices if you so wish, and Sir Geoffrey will have a man show you the hall where you can sleep.’
The monk looked startled. ‘Stay the night? But Abbot Reginald will be expecting me back tonight, and —’
The earl gave him a single look, and he faltered into silence, bowing his head. His shoulders were shaking.
As Sir Geoffrey ushered the monk out of the room, the earl turned to the shocked faces around him and laughed. ‘This diversion will do us all some good.’ He addressed Edwin first. ‘Do what you can. It’s Saturday tomorrow – return here once you’ve sorted it out, or on the following Saturday regardless. If the culprit is a layman we’ll turn him over to the sheriff; if he’s another monk then the Church will decide what to do with him.’
Edwin had no time to reply before the earl turned to Martin. ‘I’m relying on you to keep Edwin safe. A man has been killed, and if there’s to be another I don’t want it to be him. Take a sword with you and guard him. I place Edwin in your sole care.’ His eyes bored into Martin’s, and Edwin saw his friend turn pale and clench his jaw, but he didn’t drop his gaze. ‘I swear it, my lord.’
Adam had been standing silently, as he usually did, and now the earl looked down at him. ‘And as
