The Song of the Nightingale Read Online Free PDF

– we’ll break the news that Little Helewise is to stay, and I hope, Leofgar, that you will eat and drink with us before you return home? I will arrange for something to be sent out to your man here, and—’
    â€˜A kind offer, Josse, but no,’ Leofgar interrupted. ‘I would prefer to set off homewards immediately. Rohaise worries,’ he added quietly.
    Josse nodded his understanding. All the family knew that Rohaise worried.
    Little Helewise was reaching up to take the paired leather panniers off her horse’s back, and Josse hurried to help her. Thinking she might like a moment to say a private farewell to her father, he said to her, ‘I’ll take these into the house; come in when you’re ready, we’ll be eagerly waiting for you.’ He took Leofgar’s hand in a quick, firm grip, muttered, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of her,’ nodded to the burly attendant and set off across the yard to the house.
    The members of Josse’s household were as delighted with their guest as he had predicted; it was as if, he thought as the afternoon wore on and they all went on sitting round the big dining table long after the meal was finished, chatting cheerfully, they hadn’t seen anyone from the world outside the House in the Woods for weeks and weeks. Which, when he came to think of it, they hadn’t.
    He could happily have stayed there for the rest of the afternoon, watching the welcome return of Meggie’s smile and the expression of quiet happiness on Helewise’s face. But, as the sun put in a brief appearance before beginning its slide down into the west, Will appeared silently at his side and muttered that someone wanted to see him.
    â€˜Who is it, Will?’ Josse asked as, getting to his feet, he walked with Will towards the door.
    â€˜It’s him that’s sheriff of Tonbridge, that Sir Gervase de Gifford,’ Will replied, keeping his voice low.
    â€˜Then you should have invited him to come inside and join us!’ Josse exclaimed.
    Will looked affronted. ‘I did, only he wasn’t having it. Said he needed to speak to you private, like.’
    Josse was instantly contrite. Of course Will would have asked Gervase to come in! He knew the rules of hospitality as well as anyone, and abided by them. ‘Sorry, Will.’
    Will gave a sort of snort, which Josse took to signify his apology had been accepted.
    Gervase was waiting for Josse in the stables. Like Leofgar earlier, he too had a guard with him. Also like Leofgar, he gave the impression of being a man in a hurry.
    An impression which was borne out by his opening words: ‘Josse, I can’t stay – I’ve other outlying manors to visit yet, and it’ll be getting dark soon.’
    He had spoken softly, as if he didn’t want to be overheard. Josse, going to stand close beside him, said, ‘What is it, Gervase?’
    The sheriff looked around him quickly, then, observing that nobody could overhear, said, ‘Three bodies have been found, all male, in a shallow grave up on the forest fringes over towards Hawkenlye Abbey. Not a place much frequented, and I imagine they’d have stayed buried, only some wretch sneaking out to do a bit of poaching with a highly illegal hound came across them, or rather the hound did. It smelt the rotting flesh, and no doubt it was as hungry as every other living creature in this benighted land.’
    Noting, but not commenting on, his friend’s uncharacteristically bitter tone, Josse said, ‘Rotting flesh? The bodies have lain there some time, then?’
    Gervase gave a grim smile. ‘Apart from informing you about the discovery – you’ll understand the implications without my telling you – that’s why I’m here. You know about bodies, Josse.’
    The implications
, Josse thought; meaning, no doubt, that Gervase had come to warn him there was a murderer, or murderers,