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unsettling. The clerk carefully laid the sheets down, apparently in some logical order, although Sir Roger could make no sense of it. He had
never learned to read. Waving a hand at them, he asked, ‘What does all this mean?’
    The clerk sighed. ‘These are my master’s accounts. They show all his income.’
    ‘He loaned money in return for interest?’
    ‘There are always some men who need money. If they require it, why shouldn’t a man with money charge them for the use of it?’
    ‘If that’s so, some of those to whom he had lent money would benefit from his death.’
    ‘They might consider so,’ the clerk acknowledged. ‘Although I think Mistress Dudenay is capable of securing the return of any funds my master loaned.’
    ‘With interest, no doubt,’ Sir Roger grunted.
    ‘As you say,’ the clerk agreed imperturbably. He was used to people complaining about his master’s methods of earning a living. The Church taught that it was wrong to make
money from money – that men should create things and sell them on was natural, but to demand interest from wealth which they themselves had no need of was profiteering from God’s
plenty. If a man had so much money he could lend it, he should do so without asking for more.
    ‘As it happens, my master owed money himself,’ the clerk said, and pointed to the names of three prominent citizens of Exeter.
    He read them out to Sir Roger, who responded, ‘None of these are murderers! Now, what of the names of those who owed
him
money? Who are they – and how much did they
owe?’
    ‘There are many names. From farmers to knights, although smaller debts surely don’t matter.’
    ‘You think so? A villein owing a shilling might feel it worthwhile to remove the debt by removing the man to whom it was owed. In the same way a squire who owed a pound might feel the debt
to be insupportable,’ Sir Roger said. He had seen enough murders committed for a penny. ‘You have such men?’
    The clerk gave him a sad smile. ‘Whenever there is a battle or
hastilude
men will need money to pay ransoms or replace their equipment. Squire William of Crukerne was at
Boroughbridge and only recently borrowed two pounds for a new axe and mace. Squire Geoffrey here owes another pound and a few shillings.’
    ‘More than a pound for a squire must be a heavy debt.’
    ‘Yes. And then there are the knights. They have expensive tastes. A good warhorse will cost over a hundred pounds. Here we have Sir Richard Prouse. He owes a matter of forty pounds, two
shillings and fourpence.’
    Sir Roger whistled. ‘So much?’
    ‘He had need of it. His villeins are poor, working on scrubby lands, and his cattle have suffered a murrain. He lost half his herds last year.’
    ‘Who else?’
    ‘This is the amount owed by Sir Walter Basset. Seventy-three pounds and—’
    ‘God’s mercy!’ Sir Roger expostulated. He didn’t hear the remainder. ‘You’re telling me that a knight owes him . . . By the Virgin!’
    ‘He has only recently come back from Bordeaux. He came here and asked for money as soon as he returned. And then we have Sir John of Crukerne.’
    ‘How much?’
    ‘One hundred and thirty pounds, less fifteen pennies.’
    Sir Roger gaped.
    ‘He had to buy a new warhorse.’
    ‘You see?’ Mistress Dudenay had been silent but now she stood and fastened a black cloak at her throat. ‘You see which men had a reason to kill my man? One of them sought to
avoid repaying his debts.’
    ‘Are you sure of that?’
    ‘Sure?’ she sneered. ‘They have all been in the city recently. My husband saw them.’
    The clerk bobbed his head. ‘They were here for the court.’
    Sir Roger could remember seeing them. All the knights had appeared to sit as a jury or watch justice take its course when the King’s Justices arrived. ‘Did any of them threaten your
husband?’
    ‘Not that he told me,’ she admitted grudgingly, ‘but he was asking for his money back from all of