Free The Rose of the World by Alys Clare

the reins to his companion. Now, approaching Josse, he made a sketchy bow and said, ‘Sheriff Gifford sent me to find you. I’ve been trying to find Hawkenlye Manor, but it’s too well hidden for me, even though I’d have said I knew the lands well hereabouts . . .’ He paused, frowning.
    â€˜What do you want with me?’ Josse said, barely managing to control his agonizing impatience.
    The man must have picked up something of Josse’s mood. ‘Forgive me, sir,’ he muttered. Then he said, ‘They’ve found a body. The sheriff wants you to come with us, quick as you can.’
    Josse felt as if his legs would collapse under him. A wave of nausea took him, and he saw black spots before his eyes. A body . Geoffroi was beside him, clutching at his hand, seeking reassurance.
    Josse made himself stand upright. Fighting to keep his voice level, he said, ‘Whose body?’
    The man had had time to realize his mistake. ‘I’m sorry, sir, that I am, really sorry.’
    I’m sorry  . . .
    â€˜Who is it?’ Josse shouted.
    â€˜It’s not the little girl. It’s a man, sir.’
    Not the little girl. Josse put up his free hand and covered his face, for a moment shutting out the world and simply praying silently, over and over again, Thank you . Then, recalling Geoffroi beside him, he composed his expression and dropped his hand.
    â€˜I will return to the house to leave my son there and to fetch my horse, then I will go with you,’ he said. He was quite surprised at how calm he sounded. ‘Will you wait here for me?’
    The men glanced at each other. ‘I should return,’ the first man said dubiously. ‘Sheriff said not to be too long about it, as I was leading one of the groups looking for her.’
    â€˜I’ll stay,’ the other man said. ‘My horse is blowing hard from the ride over here. She’s not as young as she was.’ He gave the mare an affectionate pat.
    â€˜There’s water in the stream that passes under the road, just down there,’ Geoffroi said helpfully, pointing along the track. ‘If you loosen her girths and give her a breather and a good drink, she’ll soon be better.’
    The man smiled at him. ‘That’s good advice, young lad,’ he said. ‘I shall do just that.’
    Relieved that he had avoided having to take either man back to the house – although he was not entirely sure why – Josse grabbed Geoffroi’s hand and hurried away.
    The mare had indeed recovered by the time Josse rode Alfred out on to the track. He had left a message with Tilly to say what had happened and where he was going, and he knew she would deliver it efficiently as soon as any of the others came in. Geoffroi would add any necessary details. The most important thing was to make sure none of them experienced the same shocking moment that he had done, when the man broke the news.
    Now Josse followed his companion – whose name, he told Josse, was Tomas – down the road. They rode fast, pushing the horses as hard as they could. On, on, they went, round the great bulge of the forest and the curve that swept past the abbey. A narrow path led off to the left – Josse had ridden that way and knew it led to the forest hamlet of Fernthe – and the main track went on to dip down into a shallow valley. Ahead, Josse knew there was a turning up to the right that led, via a steep-sided and ancient road, up to Saxonbury, but that was not where they were going. Before they reached it, Tomas indicated a trail that led off to the west, quite soon veering to the north-west.
    Tomas turned in the saddle and gave Josse an encouraging grin. ‘Not far now,’ he said. He waved a hand to the right. ‘River’s over that way. The body’s on the edge of a little copse of trees beside it.’
    The land on either side of the track was flat and few trees grew.