Free The Rose of the World by Alys Clare Page B

He touched the bare flesh of the throat and then slid his hand inside the costly tunic. ‘His garments are fine quality . . . and his body is very cold.’ Slowly, he stood up. He looked around, taking in the surroundings. Narrowing his eyes, he stared up into the stand of trees. With a soft exclamation, he hurried up the slope and began a close inspection of the ground.
    â€˜I believe someone camped here,’ he said when Gervase hurried to join him. ‘Look. A horse stood there, and for some time, I would say. There are some oats scattered, and about a horse length away, a pile of droppings.’
    â€˜A single horse,’ Gervase murmured.
    â€˜Aye, and a sizeable animal.’
    â€˜The dead man’s horse?’
    â€˜Perhaps.’ Josse had seen something else and, slowly and carefully, he was moving across to look. ‘There was a camp fire here,’ he said, pointing to where cut turfs had been laid over a patch of burned earth. ‘And one – no, two people lay beside the fire.’ He indicated the areas of flattened grass.
    Gervase frowned. ‘Two men camped here but with only one horse. What, they’re Templar Knights, sharing their mount for the sake of brotherhood and poverty?’
    Josse grinned briefly. ‘Maybe, but I would suggest rather that the killer rode away on his horse.’
    â€˜What of the victim’s horse?’
    â€˜If, indeed, both victim and murderer rode to this place, then presumably the killer took the dead man’s horse away with him.’ Josse was searching again, slowly circling the trees, but soon he gave up. ‘I can’t read the hoof prints. You and your men have walked and ridden all over the ground, and it’s impossible to say if a mounted man rode away leading a second horse.’
    â€˜So what—?’
    Josse held up both hands as if fending Gervase off. ‘No more!’ he exclaimed. ‘I need time to think about what we have found here.’
    Gervase held up his hands. ‘Yes, of course.’
    They walked side by side back to where Gervase’s men stood around the body.
    Josse glanced down at the dead man, whose face was now covered by a piece of sacking. ‘We will take him to Hawkenlye Abbey,’ he announced. ‘The new infirmarer is acquiring quite a reputation, and if she can’t tell us what killed this man, I will personally go to fetch Sister Euphemia out of her well-earned retirement and ask her.’
    He watched as Gervase’s men put the body on a makeshift stretcher, made out of the man’s cloak fastened around two heavy branches cut from one of the oak trees. The procession formed up and – with Gervase and Josse in the lead, and Tomas and his old mare at the back – they began to wind their way slowly back to Hawkenlye.
    When they had gone only a short distance, Gervase cleared his throat a couple of times and then said, ‘Josse, as you know, Dominic Warin came to see me.’
    â€˜Aye,’ Josse replied. ‘Some matter you wanted to discuss with him, I understand.’
    For some moments Gervase did not answer. Sensing his discomfiture, Josse turned to look at him. Gervase’s usual air of amused detachment appeared to have deserted him. ‘Well?’ Josse prompted.
    â€˜There is a band of robbers in the area,’ Gervase said, the words emerging in a rush, as if he disliked having to utter them. ‘I am spreading the word to all men who have large manors and houses, for to be forewarned may afford some protection.’ Again, he hesitated. ‘I asked Dominic to tell me what valuables he possesses, suggesting he make certain that they are safely hidden or locked away,’ he hurried on. ‘I propose that you do the same, Josse, and I am happy to come to the House in the Woods to check on your security.’
    â€˜That’s good of you, Gervase,’ Josse said, surprised, ‘although I can’t