The Elephants of Norwich by Edward Marston Page B
Authors: Edward Marston
sat beside Ralph.’
Gervase grinned. ‘I thought that was Golde.’
‘The other side of him. You know full well the lady I mean. Every eye in the room was on her at some point. Her name is Adelaide. She’s a rich widow and someone told me that she was considering a marriage proposal from the lord Richard.’
‘He’s a rough wooer, if tonight is anything to judge by.’
‘She didn’t appear to be surprised by his behaviour.’
‘Perhaps she expected him, then,’ he speculated. ‘It may even be that his performance in the hall was put on largely for her benefit. Perhaps he wanted to impress his future bride by showing her that he was a law unto himself.’
Alys was firm. ‘That certainly wasn’t the case,’ she said. ‘What woman in her right mind would be impressed with that crude behaviour? Besides, the lord Richard obviously didn’t know that she’d even be at the table. His manner changed at once when he noticed her. He even had the grace to look apologetic.’
‘You obviously watched him carefully.’
‘I watched her , Gervase. The lady Adelaide was the person who interested me.’
‘Why?’
‘Because she held every man in thrall.’
‘Not me, my love.’
‘I saw you sneaking a look at her,’ she said, nudging him with an elbow.
‘Idle curiosity.’
‘Well, my curiosity wasn’t idle. I made a point of speaking to her as we left.’
‘What did she say?’
‘That banquets at the castle didn’t always end so prematurely. She’s clearly someone who’s in her element on such occasions. I have to admit that she made me feel rather awkward and out of place.’
‘Nonsense!’
‘It’s the truth, Gervase.’ She snuggled into his shoulder. ‘But I’m glad that I went. I was enjoying it until the lord Richard burst in. That was why her comment was so odd.’
‘Odd?’
‘Yes. The lady Adelaide could see that I was dismayed by the commotion. She told me to make allowances for the intruder because he was the victim of a crime. The odd thing was the way that she said it.’
‘I don’t follow.’
‘Everyone else was shocked and angry,’ recalled Alys. ‘But not the lady Adelaide. Instead of being appalled at the bad behaviour of a friend, she sounded like a loyal wife apologising for an erring husband.’
Gervase propped himself up on his elbow to look down at her in the half-dark. ‘What else did the lady Adelaide tell you?’ he asked.
Mauger Livarot pored over the documents that were set out on the table in the parlour and smiled with satisfaction. Standing at his shoulder was his steward, Drogo, a small, stringy man in his fifties with darting eyes and a pale forehead that was visibly crisscrossed with tributaries of blue veins. Both of them looked up when they heard the approach of horses’ hooves. Drogo went swiftly across to the window to peer out.
‘Well?’ asked Livarot.
‘The lord sheriff and his men.’
‘I expected them earlier than this.’
‘Two strangers are riding with him.’
‘Men of consequence?’
‘The one most certainly is,’ said Drogo as he looked at Ralph Delchard. ‘The other lacks any authority but he bears himself well.’
Livarot got up from his chair and joined his steward at the window. He watched as Roger Bigot and the two strangers dismounted before walking towards the house. A servant admitted them and conducted them straight to the parlour where there was an exchange of greetings and introductions were made. When he heard that two royal commissioners had come calling, Livarot’s interest quickened.
‘You’re most welcome,’ he said with a smile that barely stopped short of ingratiation. ‘I thought that I’d have to give evidence before you at the shire hall. It’s heartening to see that the whole
Gervase grinned. ‘I thought that was Golde.’
‘The other side of him. You know full well the lady I mean. Every eye in the room was on her at some point. Her name is Adelaide. She’s a rich widow and someone told me that she was considering a marriage proposal from the lord Richard.’
‘He’s a rough wooer, if tonight is anything to judge by.’
‘She didn’t appear to be surprised by his behaviour.’
‘Perhaps she expected him, then,’ he speculated. ‘It may even be that his performance in the hall was put on largely for her benefit. Perhaps he wanted to impress his future bride by showing her that he was a law unto himself.’
Alys was firm. ‘That certainly wasn’t the case,’ she said. ‘What woman in her right mind would be impressed with that crude behaviour? Besides, the lord Richard obviously didn’t know that she’d even be at the table. His manner changed at once when he noticed her. He even had the grace to look apologetic.’
‘You obviously watched him carefully.’
‘I watched her , Gervase. The lady Adelaide was the person who interested me.’
‘Why?’
‘Because she held every man in thrall.’
‘Not me, my love.’
‘I saw you sneaking a look at her,’ she said, nudging him with an elbow.
‘Idle curiosity.’
‘Well, my curiosity wasn’t idle. I made a point of speaking to her as we left.’
‘What did she say?’
‘That banquets at the castle didn’t always end so prematurely. She’s clearly someone who’s in her element on such occasions. I have to admit that she made me feel rather awkward and out of place.’
‘Nonsense!’
‘It’s the truth, Gervase.’ She snuggled into his shoulder. ‘But I’m glad that I went. I was enjoying it until the lord Richard burst in. That was why her comment was so odd.’
‘Odd?’
‘Yes. The lady Adelaide could see that I was dismayed by the commotion. She told me to make allowances for the intruder because he was the victim of a crime. The odd thing was the way that she said it.’
‘I don’t follow.’
‘Everyone else was shocked and angry,’ recalled Alys. ‘But not the lady Adelaide. Instead of being appalled at the bad behaviour of a friend, she sounded like a loyal wife apologising for an erring husband.’
Gervase propped himself up on his elbow to look down at her in the half-dark. ‘What else did the lady Adelaide tell you?’ he asked.
Mauger Livarot pored over the documents that were set out on the table in the parlour and smiled with satisfaction. Standing at his shoulder was his steward, Drogo, a small, stringy man in his fifties with darting eyes and a pale forehead that was visibly crisscrossed with tributaries of blue veins. Both of them looked up when they heard the approach of horses’ hooves. Drogo went swiftly across to the window to peer out.
‘Well?’ asked Livarot.
‘The lord sheriff and his men.’
‘I expected them earlier than this.’
‘Two strangers are riding with him.’
‘Men of consequence?’
‘The one most certainly is,’ said Drogo as he looked at Ralph Delchard. ‘The other lacks any authority but he bears himself well.’
Livarot got up from his chair and joined his steward at the window. He watched as Roger Bigot and the two strangers dismounted before walking towards the house. A servant admitted them and conducted them straight to the parlour where there was an exchange of greetings and introductions were made. When he heard that two royal commissioners had come calling, Livarot’s interest quickened.
‘You’re most welcome,’ he said with a smile that barely stopped short of ingratiation. ‘I thought that I’d have to give evidence before you at the shire hall. It’s heartening to see that the whole