Free The Pardoner's Crime by Keith Souter

apologies, my lord,’ he said. ‘I must have misheard from Sir Thomas.’
    Then once more raising his voice to the assembled guests:
    â€˜Sir Richard Lee, Sergeant-at-Law and newly appointed by His Majesty King Edward the Second of Caernarvon as the Circuit Judge of the King’s Northern Realm and Judge of the Manor of Wakefield Court.’
    Richard nodded at the man and entered the hall, grinning inwardly, knowing full well that the servant had neither misheard his name nor misunderstood his position. He had successfully foiled Sir Thomas’s attempt to diminish his status, as was clear from the cold, humourless stare he was receiving from the Deputy Steward as he walked along the hall between the two long tables. He nodded to the assembled guests who bowed and curtsied as he passed.
    Halfway along he recognized Master Oldthorpe and his lovely wife. ‘My thanks, Master Oldthorpe. My leg wound feels much improved and I am less fevered.’
    The apothecary beamed and bowed again. Then Richard turned to Mistress Oldthorpe.
    â€˜How is the young patient?’
    Mistress Oldthorpe inclined her head, two little points of colour forming on her cheeks. ‘She is feeling improved, my lord. Before we came I arranged for her kinswoman Matilda to stay with her.’
    Sir Richard nodded. ‘Perhaps I can call and have this poultice looked at again tomorrow?’
    The apothecary nodded readily and Richard walked on to the high table. ‘My apologies for being late,’ he said genially as he took the place indicated by Sir Thomas between Lady Alecia and the young Lady Wilhelmina. ‘You seem to be always waiting for me, Sir Thomas.’
    Sir Thomas waved his hand in dismissal. ‘Sir Richard, youhave already met my wife, Lady Alecia. This is my daughter, Lady Wilhelmina, and this is Lady Katherine, the Prioress of Kirklees and Father Daniel, the nun’s priest of Kirklees Priory.’ He patted the shoulder of the wiry priest with carrot red hair and a tonsure, adding, ‘He is also the chaplain of the Manor of Wakefield and the parish priest of All Saints in Wakefield.’
    â€˜And also the finest playwright in England,’ added the prioress, a small pretty lady of forty-odd years, who held herself erect and proud.
    Bowing to the prioress, the nun’s priest and the two ladies, Richard waited for them all to sit down before he too sat on the large carved chair that had been allocated to him. As he did so he was all too aware of the description that Hubert had been given of the Lady Wilhelmina, and he silently concurred, for she was indeed a rare beauty of some eighteen years or so. She wore a simple cap which complemented her long wavy, auburn hair and the gentle curves of her perfectly proportioned face. He found himself admiring her full lips and the intelligent blue eyes that met his.
    Sir Thomas lifted a small bell from the table, rang it and then gestured for everyone on the long tables to sit. He remained standing while he spoke.
    â€˜Welcome Sir Richard, and welcome good people of the Manor of Wakefield. We shall eat and drink and then you shall have a chance to get to know our new – Sergeant-at-Law. And he shall get to know you and hear of our Wakefield Mysteries. And of our news.’
    A chorus of polite laughter rang out around the hall and Richard frowned. Still the Deputy Steward was keeping things from him.
    â€˜But first, Father Daniel shall say grace,’ Sir Thomas went on.
    The nun’s priest stood, clasped his hands together and with closed eyes recited a grace first in Latin then in English. When he had taken his seat, Sir Thomas picked up anotherbell, a larger one and rang it with three deliberate shakes. At the first bell a quartet of musicians in a minstrel’s gallery at the far end of the hall above the entrance door began to play. Soon the air was filled with the music of harp, viele, olander and lute. At the second ring, the side