Simon Beaufort - The Bloodstained Throne

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Recent Titles in the Sir Geoffrey Mappestone Series

THE BISHOPS BROOD

THE KINGS SPIES

THE COINERS QUARREL

DEADLY INHERITANCE

THE BLOODSTAINED THRONE

THE BLOODSTAINED THRONE

Simon Beaufort

This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's and publisher's rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

First world edition published 2010

in Great Britain and in the USA by

SEVERN HOUSE PUBLISHERS LTD of

915 High Street, Sutton, Surrey, England, SM1 1DF.

Copyright 2010 by Simon Beaufort.

All rights reserved.

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Beaufort, Simon.

The Bloodstained Throne. (A Sir Geoffrey Mappestone mystery)

1. Mappestone, Geoffrey, Sir (Fictitious character)

Fiction. 2. Shipwreck victims Fiction. 3. Great Britain

History Norman period, 10661154 Fiction. 4. Detective and mystery stories.

I. Title II. Series

823.914-dc22

ISBN-13: 978-1-78010-095-1 (ePub)

ISBN-13: 978-0-7278-6917-3 (cased)

ISBN-13: 978-1-84751-264-2 (trade paper)

Except where actual historical events and characters are being described for the storyline of this novel, all situations in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to living persons is purely coincidental.

This ebook produced by

Palimpsest Book Production Limited,

Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland.

For Ken and Janie Thomas, the dearest of friends

Epilogue

Henry was none too pleased to learn that his brother had arrived in his kingdom uninvited, and the Duke was sufficiently alarmed by the prospect of a hostile reunion that he asked Henrys queen to intercede on his behalf. In the end, the two met with forced amicability, after which the Duke set off for home. When he heard the news, Roger was bemused.

Is that it? he asked as he sat with Geoffrey in the hospital. After all that sailing around at sea, terrifying the life out of half of Sussex, he just turns around and goes away?

Just be thankful he did, said Geoffrey. For a while, there was a very real possibility that Henry might eliminate the threat he presents by throwing him in prison and imagine the trouble that would have caused!

Roger blew out his lips in a sigh. The Duke is a fellow Jerosolimitanus, so I owe him my respect. But the man is a damned fool! You may not like Henrys devious ways, but England is safer with him than it ever could be with the Duke.

It galled Geoffrey to agree with him.

He had not wanted to linger in Sussex, but Juhel pointed out that to travel to Herefordshire or Durham before explaining themselves to the King might be construed as sympathy for the Saxons. So Geoffrey and Roger kicked their heels at La Batailge, and within a few days the abbey was graced with a royal visit.

Juhel and Henry were sequestered in Galfriduss solar for the best part of an afternoon. Almost immediately, Osbjorn and several Saxon nobles were spirited to distant castles to face lifelong imprisonment, and the abbey began to recruit new staff, all of them Norman. Before he disappeared on his next assignment, Juhel came to speak to the two knights.

Does the King want to see us? asked Roger.

Juhel shook his head. But I am afraid he had every last detail out of me. He is too clever to be deceived by lies.

Geoffrey was unimpressed. You promised to say nothing about our involvement.

I said I would try and I did. I went almost an hour before he realized I had more help than Galfridus and Wardard could have supplied, and demanded names. Do not be alarmed. I told him your loyalty was beyond question.

What did he say? asked Roger, pleased. Will he reward us?

Juhel gave a short laugh. He said he expected no less of men who hold estates from him, and that you had done no more than your duty. However, I am afraid he was irritated to learn you had been leaving the country when Patrick was wrecked.

Roger glared at Geoffrey. And did you tell him it would not be happening again?

Juhel nodded. And that you had tried to warn him, by sending a message with Breme.

Poor Breme, said Geoffrey. Did you hear that Aelfwig has confessed to killing him?

Yes, so now you have answers to all your questions: Magnus stabbed Paisnel; Ulf choked Vitalis; Philippa strangled Edith; and Gyrth and his men murdered the villagers of Werlinges on Ulfs orders. And I did not kill anyone.

No, you did not, said Geoffrey with a smile. Nor are you a spy for Bellme.

What will you do now? asked Juhel, smiling back. Hope God sends you a sign saying you are free to journey to the Holy Land?

Geoffrey shook his head. I will go home to my wife.

Then what about Tancred?

I suppose I will never know why he took against me. And even if he does write to invite me back, I cannot break the oath I made in that damned mud hole.

Juhel looked sympathetic. Well, I have news that may amuse you. Lucian inspected another document Philippa took from Edith, and found a codicil to Vitaliss will. It bequeaths Edith a wealthy manor, so she will not have to take another husband. It also stipulates that if Edith accepts the estates, she must undertake to look after Philippa for the rest of her life.

Geoffrey shook his head, disgusted. In other words, had Edith lived, Philippa would have been taken care of by someone who liked her. Now Edith is dead, she has nothing.

Quite, said Juhel with satisfaction. And she will spend the rest of her life regretting the spat of temper that saw her throttle a loving friend with red ribbon.

Later that morning, Geoffrey went in search of Roger, who had disappeared. He looked in all the likely places, including the local taverns, and it was only towards the end of the afternoon that Bale came to say Roger was in the church. Geoffrey entered its cool, spacious interior, the squire at his heels, and found him at the high altar, kneeling next to Galfridus and Ralph. His expression, however, was far from devout.

There is the meal bell, Roger said as a tinny clatter rang out. Surely, you both must be hungry you have been praying here for days.

We are not, replied Galfridus shortly. And please be quiet if you want to stay. I cannot concentrate on my devotions with you chattering.

I am here as penance, explained Roger resentfully. For the Saxons I was obliged to dispatch on your behalf. I am a warrior, trained to fight, but you worried me with all your muttering about the commandments, and I feel the need for prayers.

Then say them and be quiet, retorted Ralph. You are disturbing us.

Roger climbed to his feet, his face angry, and Geoffrey pulled him away before he could say something he might later regret.

I do not like it here, Geoff, he grumbled. I never have.

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