Free The King's Bishop by Candace Robb Page B

‘You may speak in front of my clerk, Master Townley. Harold can be trusted.’
    ‘To be sure, it is nothing so horrible that I need worry about Harold,’ Ned said. ‘My fault is merely loving too well and acting a fool.’ As he sipped his wine he told them of his unfortunate argument with the page Daniel on the evening of the lad’s death. ‘His protectors in Wyndesore’s household did not believe my assurance that I could not have followed him fromthe hall and murdered him. It seemed wise to remove me from Windsor Castle while Daniel’s death was fresh in people’s minds.’
    ‘But you are most unjustly accused,’ Jehannes said with a look of dismay. ‘Had no one a thought to clearing your name?’
    ‘Oh, aye, my lady’s mistress, Alice Perrers, declared me innocent, and that was enough for the King. And more than that they could not easily do, eh? Even the King cannot return to that night and follow Daniel. Would that he could. I would be grateful for a means to prove to my Mary that I did not touch the lad.’
    ‘
Your
Mary?’ Owen grinned. ‘You do sound as if you have lost your heart at last.’ And to someone in Mistress Perrers’s household.
    ‘Aye.’
    ‘You look a bit sad for such good fortune, Ned.’ Owen could always read Ned’s eyes.
    ‘’Tis a painful thing, love.’
    ‘But you said you were with her that night,’ Jehannes said. ‘Does she share the blame?’
    ‘’Tis not that sort of blame. What she says is that he drank too much that evening because of our argument; and the drink killed him.’
    Owen thought that a bit of wrongheaded reasoning. ‘But surely you do not believe that? Are we to be blamed for another’s mistaken impression of us?’
    ‘Of course I do not agree with Mary. In faith, had I frightened Daniel, had he feared for his safety, he would have stayed sober. Else he was a fool. Either way, I cannot see how I am to blame.’
    Jehannes sat forward. ‘And all this has naught to do with the Duke of Lancaster? You have no secret instructions to subvert our mission?’
    Ned glanced at Owen with raised eyebrows. ‘FirstMary, now the good Archdeacon. I find myself a man much distrusted of a sudden.’
    ‘Forgive me,’ Jehannes said, ‘but I must know.’
    ‘He has understandable concerns,’ Owen agreed.
    ‘Rest easy, sir. My lord knows naught of this mission, or shall hear of it too late to prevent it. I tell you it is my suspicion that Mistress Perrers put my name forth. She is eager to separate me from my love. When I am out of sight, she will try to shift Mary’s affections to someone more suitable.’
    ‘The mighty Alice Perrers has ambitions for Mary?’ A selfless affection? Owen found that interesting indeed.
    Ned looked weary. ‘Mistress Perrers told Mary I shall lead her down a path of poverty and disappointment.’
    Owen was happy for his friend’s new-found heart. He made a decision. ‘Then you must prove yourself worthy, Ned, that is all. Archdeacon Jehannes should ride directly to Fountains; I prefer not to risk his eminence and the important documents he carries. So I need a separate company to ride to Abbot Richard at Rievaulx and escort him west across the moors to Fountains for the meeting. I shall appoint you captain of Abbot Richard’s escort.’
    Jehannes let slip a chirp of dismay. As heads turned towards him, he lifted his hands, palms up, his expression one of apology. ‘Forgive me, but am I not to be consulted? We had not discussed dividing the company.’
    ‘I assure you Ned is a good man,’ Owen said. ‘I can think of no one better able to deliver Abbot Richard safely.’
    Ned cleared his throat. ‘I am honoured by thesentiment, my friend. But I think it best the Archdeacon choose his man. Only Our Lord might guarantee a choice of men. And the Archdeacon is closer to Him than you or I.’
    Owen was pleased. It seemed love had steadied his headstrong friend. ‘You grow wise, Ned. I agree. It is best to let Jehannes