Free The Prodigal Son by Kate Sedley

you’re right. It doesn’t seem likely that Anthony Bellknapp is in for the warmest of welcomes when he reaches Croxcombe.’
    â€˜No. And furthermore, Edward Micheldever – that’s the receiver, a man somewhere about your own age – has not long married a pretty young wife. Anthony’s reputation where women were concerned left much to be desired before he disappeared eight years ago. He may have improved with age, of course, but I doubt it. And he didn’t mention anything of a wife and family to me during our conversation at breakfast this morning. Didn’t talk like a married man either, so I don’t reckon he’s settled down and got wed.’
    â€˜So his arrival really will put the cat among the pigeons?’
    â€˜Bound to. Can’t but do aught else that I can see. Lord! Lord! There’ll be ructions as sure as God’s in His heaven and Old Scratch is down below. Here!’ The landlord caught up my beaker and his own. ‘Let’s have another stoup of ale.’ He noticed my expression and grinned. ‘It’s all right. No charge, but don’t tell my wife.’
    He filled the cups from one of the barrels ranged against one wall, and then, rendered mellow more by the gossip than the beer, resumed his seat. Hercules had abandoned his bone and was stretched out contentedly in front of the cold hearth.
    â€˜Do you know anything about the page, this John Jericho?’ I asked. ‘The lad who was accused of the robbery and the murder of Mistress Applegarth?’
    Master Litton rubbed his forehead. ‘Nothing much more than that, really. It’s a long time ago now. Six years gone. Quite a stir it caused at the time. I remember the family were away when it happened. Master Bellknapp, Dame Audrea and young Simon, they’d gone on a visit to Sir Damien and Lady Chauntermerle at Kewstoke Hall. Took most of the household with them except for the lower servants, but for some reason, Jenny and George Applegarth must have stayed behind. And the page, of course. Don’t know why he didn’t go. Must’ve pretended to be ill. Anyway, he decamped with all the family silver and some of Dame Audrea’s jewels that she hadn’t packed. Poor Jenny must have disturbed him, so he killed her. Stabbed her through the heart as cool as you please. Disappeared and has never been seen again from that day to this.’
    â€˜Did you ever encounter him?’
    â€˜Once or twice, when I was in Wells. He was dancing attendance on his mistress.’
    â€˜Can you recall what he looked like?’
    The landlord screwed up his face. ‘Not very well. Small, dark, young. Someone told me later that he claimed he was turned sixteen, but he seemed younger’n that. As I said, it’s a long time ago.’
    I nodded. ‘Was he very long in Dame Audrea’s service?’
    â€˜Now you’re asking me what I’ve not the smallest notion of. I don’t see the Bellknapps all that often; just now and again when I travel to Wells. I just hear the gossip, and I don’t suppose anyone would have thought Dame Audrea’s getting a new page worthy of mention. It was only when he proved himself such a villain that I even knew his name.’
    â€˜A strange name, Jericho,’ I commented.
    â€˜So we all thought. General opinion was that it wasn’t his own. Took it from the story of Joshua, we reckoned.’
    â€˜I noticed last night that you avoided telling Anthony Bellknapp that Jenny Applegarth was dead.’
    â€˜Aye, I did that. Let him hear it from someone else, not me. He’ll be heartbroken. I guess he loved her better than anyone else in the world.’
    A silence fell between us, broken suddenly by a high-pitched, scolding voice.
    â€˜What are you doing there, Josiah, sitting around, swilling ale, like the lazy great lump that you are?’ Mistress Litton had arrived, brandishing her broom.
    My companion