30 - King's Gold Read Online Free PDF Page B

that smaller band. They weren’t rioters and felons, he knew, and he bent his steps to join them.
    ‘Hello, Bill,’ he said to a short man with a thick, grizzled beard and bright brown eyes. ‘What’s all this?’
    ‘Those arses,’ Bill responded, pointing with his chin at the group near the fire.
    Alured nodded, but his attention was already on the body lying on the ground behind Bill and the others. ‘Who was he?’
    ‘Don’t know. The poor follow was already dead when we got here.’
    ‘You saw him die?’
    ‘No. I was watching that lot and tripped over his body. See them?’ Bill was a sturdy fellow, Alured knew, but even he was visibly shocked by the violence he had witnessed. ‘I saw them kill three men a while ago – one man on a good horse with a couple of guards riding at his side. No reason: all three dragged from their horses and then beaten on the ground. Kicking and battering at them . . . I saw that and ran back up here, before they had a chance to start on me. I’d guess this poor soul was felled here just before that. They killed him, then went back to their bonfire and attacked the other three.’ He lifted a shaking hand to his eyes.
    ‘Calm yourself!’ Alured said sharply. ‘Keep your wits about you, Bill.’
    He looked back towards the main group of rioters – but it was a mob of drunken men, women and even children – who already had their eye on him, Bill and the others.
    Before they came running up the road, Alured went to the body and rolled it over. The clothing was expensive, he saw from the fine wool tunic and linen chemise under the warm, felted cloak. Pulling the hood to one side, he saw a young, somewhat pale–faced man. His eyes were closed, and when Alured prised one open, he saw that they were green. There was blood on his chin and about his mouth, and some trickled from a deep gouge over his right ear. Alured studied the body for other wounds.
    ‘Stabbed in the back,’ he stated.
    ‘Yes – and clubbed about the head. Poor devil wouldn’t have stood a chance.’ There was a short cry, and Bill narrowed his eyes. ‘Look!’
    Alured went to his side and stared. He could make out a fellow being taunted by the rest of the crowd. Luckily, this fresh target appeared to have distracted them from attacking Alured and Bill.
    Hitching up his belt, Alured grunted, ‘Let’s hope there’s someone in among them who’s got a swyving brain,’ and drawing a deep breath, he began to stride towards the mob – but even as he set off, it was too late. The crush of people had begun to cheer as they poured up the road, and then into the back of the Bardi house.
    There was no point trying to prevent the mob’s entry. There were too many.
    ‘Come on, Bill,’ Alured sighed. ‘Let’s get the coroner.’
    Just then, there was a noise from up an alleyway – footsteps running – and Alured glanced along it. The alley led to St Benet Fink, he knew, and he threw a quick look over his shoulder at the fire again, before telling Bill, ‘Wait here a moment.’
    He darted up the alleyway, his staff in his fist, ready to slam the iron tip into the head of any man who dared obstruct or challenge him, but he reached the first dogleg corner without trouble. And then he saw the two bodies.
    The head of the girl was on the ground a matter of feet away, but the lad was still alive, just. Alured touched him, and rolled him over, and the lad’s mouth moved, but he could not speak. Only blood came from his mouth, making his face a ghastly mask.
    ‘Hold on, boy,’ Alured murmured, but even as he spoke, the dying lad gave a sigh and was still. There came a rattle farther up the alley.
    He took his staff and slipped quietly along, his back close to the wall, staff outstretched.
    ‘You won’t kill me, will you?’
    The cackling voice made him jump, and he almost brained the fool. ‘What are you doing there?’
    ‘Sitting!’
    It was a little, wizened old fellow who had the better part of a gallon