Falconer and the Death of Kings by Ian Morson Page A

revealed that it had nothing to do with Ann’s death, yes. But we didn’t prove either way that what Segrim believed as true was not the case. It simply became irrelevant.’
    Falconer pulled the flagon of beer that stood on the table towards him. He poured two generous servings in pewter jugs and drank deep from one before continuing. Thomas took the other jug, sipped, and returned it to the table as Falconer spoke again.
    ‘Strangely enough, Sir Humphrey came to me before we left Oxford and begged me to find out if there was any truth in the tale. And to find out about the fate of the Templar.’
    ‘Odo de Reppes? He just disappeared, didn’t he? The Templars are good at that. Dealing with their own.’
    Falconer nodded and drank from his jug again.
    ‘You are right. He did disappear. But we do not know the reason why he did. After all, we do not know if he committed any crime or not.’
    Thomas pushed his tankard around the table and wiped the wet circle the base had left on the bare oak with the sleeve of his robe.
    ‘What has this to do with what is happening now? Surely you do not intend to pursue the matter on Segrim’s behalf? It was a crazy idea then, and it remains so.’
    Thomas was more vehement than he needed to be, partly because it was he who had been taken in by Segrim’s story in the first place. It had diverted him from the trail that led to Ann Segrim’s real killer. The gleam in Falconer’s eyes told him, however, that his former teacher was not going to leave the matter alone. Falconer began to explain why.
    ‘Today I spoke to someone who cast doubt on our assessment of Sir Humphrey’s tale. He suggested that there might be a link between several deaths over the last three years, including those that Segrim mentioned.’
    Thomas was still unconvinced.
    ‘But how can that be? We know who killed his wife and why, and it bore no relation to any of the deaths he witnessed. It was just coincidence that he was present when Earl Richard of Cornwall died, and when Henry of Almain was slaughtered in Viterbo. And we know who did that. It was down to the de Montfort brothers, Guy and Simon. And they paid for it. Didn’t Simon die soon after?’
    ‘Yes, and Guy was excommunicated and his lands confiscated. But it was the Templar who Segrim reckoned he saw in both locations.’
    ‘Odo de Reppes? What happened to him anyway?’
    ‘He just disappeared. But if I am to follow up these old cases, I shall have to find out where he is now. And by the way, that will serve also the promise I made to Segrim before I left England.’
    ‘That you would find the Templar?’
    ‘And ask him if he had intended to kill Segrim or his wife.’
    ‘And if he was really involved in this mad conspiracy. That is a question he will no doubt answer honestly.’
    The contempt in Thomas’s voice was palpable. But Falconer remained calm.
    ‘Even if he lies, what he says and how he says it can provide evidence for me.’
    ‘Of this great conspiracy? Who in his right mind thinks such a plot exists?’
    Falconer smiled.
    ‘Only the madman who has just inherited the throne of England.’
    Thomas gasped, and his face turned red in embarrassment.
    ‘King Edward believes it? You have spoken to the king?’
    ‘He has his suspicions, let us say. And he wants me to examine these cases, and two more he imagines may be connected.’
    ‘What cases are these?’ Thomas wanted to express his deep doubts about the whole affair. ‘More deaths of kings?’
    ‘In a way, yes. Richard was King of Germany, and his son could have acceded to the throne. In the same way that the young Prince John was heir to the throne of England before he too died.’
    ‘John was five years old, and died… oh… three years ago, as I recall. How are you going to investigate such an old, cold affair?’
    ‘As I always do, by talking to witnesses and people who knew him. But that is for much later. And we may have to leave it until we return to England.