Read Brother Cadfael 02: One Corpse Too Many for Free Online

open, and King Stephen's sentries manning the passage. They were strict in scrutinising his credentials, but passed him within respectfully when they were satisfied. Stephen must have given orders concerning him. He crossed, and entered at the guarded but open gate in the wall. The street rose steeply, the island town sat high.
    Beringar knew it well, and knew where he was bound. At the summit of the hill the row of the butchers' stalls and houses levelled out, silent and deserted.
    Edric Flesher's shop was the finest of the row, but it was shuttered and still like all the rest. Hardly a head looked out, and even then only briefly and fearfully, and was withdrawn as abruptly behind barred doors. By the look of the street, they had not so far been ravaged. Beringar thudded at the shut door, and when he heard furtive stirrings within, lifted his voice: 'Open to me, Hugh Beringar! Edric - Petronilla - Let me in, I'm alone!'
    He had half expected that the door would remain sealed like a tomb, and those within silent, and he would not have blamed them; but, instead, the door was flung wide, and there was Petronilla beaming and opening her arms to him as if to a saviour. She was getting old, but still plump, succulent and kindly, the most wholesome thing he had seen in this siege town so far. Her grey hair was tight and neat under its white cap, and her twinkling grey eyes bright and intelligent as ever, welcoming him in.
    'Master Hugh - to see a known and trusted face here now!' Beringar was instantly sure that she did not quite trust him! 'Come in, and welcome! Edric, here's Hugh - Hugh Beringar!' And there was her husband, prompt to her call, large and rubicund and competent, the master of his craft in this town, and a councillor.
    They drew him within, and closed the door firmly, as he noted and approved. Beringar said what a lover should say, without preamble: 'Where is Godith? I came to look for her, to provide for her. Where has he hidden her?'
    It seemed they were too intent on making sure the shutters were fast, and listening for hostile footsteps outside, to pay immediate attention to what he was saying. And too ready with questions of their own to answer his questions.
    'Are you hunted?' asked Edric anxiously. 'Do you need a place to hide?'
    And: 'Were you in the garrison?' demanded Petronilla, and patted him concernedly in search of wounds. As though she had been his nurse once, instead of Godith's, and seen him every day of his life instead of twice or thrice since the childhood betrothal. A little too much solicitude! And a neat, brief breathing-space while they considered how much or how little to tell him!
    'They've been hunting here already,' said Ethic. 'I doubt if they'll come again, they had the place to pieces after the sheriff and the Lord Fulke. You're welcome to a shelter here if you need it. Are they close on your heels?'
    He was sure by that time that they knew he had never been inside the castle, nor committed in any way to FitzAlan's stand. This clever, trusted old servant and her husband had been deep in Adeney's confidence, they knew very well who had held with him, and who had held aloof.
    'No, it's not that. I'm in no danger and no need. I came only to look for Godith. They're saying he left it too late to send her away with FitzAlan's family. Where can I find her?'
    'Did someone send you here to look for her?' asked Edric.
    'No, no, none ... But where else would he place her? Who is there to be trusted like her nurse? Of course I came first to you! Never tell me she was not here!'
    'She was here,' said Petronilla. 'Until a week ago we had her. But she's gone, Hugh, you're too late. He sent two knights to fetch her away, and not even we were told where she was bound. What we don't know we can't be made to tell, he said. But it's my belief they got her away out of the town in good time, and she's far off by now, and safe, pray God!' No doubt about the fervency of that prayer, she would fight and die