16 - The Three Kings of Cologne Read Online Free PDF Page A

worry. But, as I understand it, he is reluctant to raise a chapel on ground that has been contaminated by murder. If the criminal can be brought to book and made to pay the penalty for his misdeeds, then I think the Alderman will feel that he can safely have the graveyard re-consecrated.’
    My wife carefully gathered up the coins, dropping them one by one back into the purse. ‘You must do your very best, Roger.’
    I suppressed a grin at her change of tune and merely replied that I always did; whereupon she put her arms around my neck, kissed me soundly, apologized and said she knew that without being told.
    ‘When do you intend to start? If you are going to the Gaunts’ Hospital right away …’
    I shook my head. ‘Master Linkinhorne can wait. First, I need to talk to the workmen who found the body. But before even that, I shall walk over to Redcliffe and have a word with Margaret.’
    ‘In heaven’s name, why?’
    I grinned. ‘My love, there’s precious little that’s gone on in this city for the past fifty years that either Margaret or one of her cronies doesn’t know about. I’ll own myself extremely surprised if one of them can’t tell me more about the Linkinhornes than the family even knew about themselves.’
    Adela laughed. ‘You’re probably right. If my cousin or Bess Simnel or Maria Watkins have nothing to say, there’s most likely nothing to tell.’ She added, ‘Take the dog with you. He needs the exercise.’
    Hercules was stretched out by the fire and I stirred him with my toe. He opened a bleary eye, farted loudly, rolled over and went back to sleep once more. My wife, however, was having none of that. She fetched the rough leather collar I had made for him and the length of rope we used as a leading string and handed them both to me with an imperious gesture. Ten minutes later, while she and the two elder children settled down with their hornbooks for an hour of lessons, I trudged up Small Street yet again, at my heels a reluctant hound who was making his displeasure plain by dragging at the rope and stopping to investigate every smell that caught his fancy. In the end, exasperated, I picked him up, tucked him under one arm and carried him the rest of the way, down High Street, across the Backs and Bristol Bridge and into Redcliffe.
    I was in luck.
    My former mother-in-law was not only at home, but was enlivening a dull April morning by entertaining Bess Simnel and Maria Watkins to small beer and oatcakes, the three of them sat around the table, their heads close together, emitting sudden snorts and cackles of laughter as they busily tore some poor neighbour’s character to shreds. Indeed, they were so busy gossiping that they didn’t even hear me knock, and only glanced up when the draught of my entry into the little room fluttered their caps.
    ‘Dear Lord,’ Maria Watkins grumbled, flashing her toothless gums, ‘look what the cat’s dragged in.’
    ‘Don’t you mean the dog?’ giggled Bess Simnel and promptly doubled up at her own witticism.
    Margaret Walker demanded suspiciously, ‘What’s wrong? Is Adela or one of the children ill?’ With a mixture of pride and ill-usage, she added to her friends, ‘They can’t get along without me, you know.’
    The other two exchanged fleeting grins and made to rise from their stools.
    ‘We’ll be off then,’ Goody Watkins said. ‘Come along, Bess.’
    ‘No, no!’ I expostulated. ‘I need all three of you. There’s nothing wrong at home, Mother-in-law. I just need some information.’ At the magic word, the two elder women resumed their seats with alacrity, fixing me with their bright, beady blue eyes. ‘It’s about the girl whose body was found in the old Magdalen nuns’ graveyard a few days ago. Isabella Linkinhorne, I’m told her name was. I’m wondering if you know anything of her, or her parents’ history. If you know anything at all, that is.’
    If they knew anything! The mere suggestion that they might not was an