A Conspiracy of Wolves

He was not as immune to her charms as he’d thought. Stepping away from her he forced himself to focus. ‘Do you know the owner of the property?’

‘Alas no, but I might inquire for you.’ She placed a cool hand on the back of his neck.

He took the hand, kissed it, and gave her his most charming smile. ‘I would be grateful.’

‘Grateful!’ A throaty chuckle, her smile teasing. ‘Worry not. I know you are devoted to your apothecary wife, and I am glad for her. And for you. Lucie Wilton is wise, competent, and beautiful. But my offer holds. Come round in a day, and I hope to have a name for you, at the least.’

‘I’d like to hear more about Bartolf as well.’

A nod. ‘I am more than happy to spend more time in your company, Captain. I promise I’ll keep my distance. You know you can trust me – or do you not recognize me out of the garb of a lay sister of St Leonard’s?’

The moment she reminded him, he remembered. Honoria de Staines. She’d been a good friend to Bess Merchet’s late uncle, and, yes, a lay sister at St Leonard’s Hospital. But there had been secrets in her past …

‘Dame Honoria, of course.’

She smiled and gathered her skirts, about to withdraw to her seat, when she held up a hand. ‘I have remembered something I overheard. It is several weeks now. Otto and Rat – yes,’ she laughed, ‘he looks like one. The two of them are unlikely sorts to grace my house, but they did, showing me they had good coin. When they were in their cups and ready to ascend to the bedchambers they spoke between them of a young woman murdered a long while ago, Gerta, the daughter of a charcoal-burner in Galtres. Their money had to do with that in some way. I thought it odd, so I made a point of remembering it.’

‘And now I benefit. I am most grateful.’

She kissed the tips of her fingers and touched them to his cheek. ‘I am repaid by bringing out that dimple. May God watch over you, Captain.’

Stepping out into the alleyway, Owen took a deep breath.

‘Captain?’ George Hempe strode toward him from the direction of St Andrewgate, frowning. ‘A bawdy house?’

‘Looking for witnesses,’ Owen assured him. ‘You’ve heard of the attack at Poole’s?’

‘Man and wolf fleeing here,’ Hempe glanced round, ‘where I’ve no jurisdiction. Nor have you. Though if Thoresby were alive–’

‘–I would be free to chase them down in here, yes, I’ve thought of that. But he’s not. Still, I know of no law against asking whether a man and a dog passed by, and where they went, and we will continue to ask so that folk know it’s not safe to hide them here, for in time we could convince the dean to allow us to take them.’

They both turned as Geoffrey Chaucer hailed them. ‘God’s blood, I’ve run the gauntlet only to find you so close to hand. Lucie sent me, to tell you all that we have discovered, and that the Riverwoman is at Poole’s.’

Magda was here. God be thanked. ‘But not Poole? He’s not returned?’

‘No.’

‘Let me set some of my men to walking the Bedern while we hie to the Poole home,’ said Hempe. ‘They say Alisoun Ffulford shot one of the two men, but you’ve not seen him, have you, Owen? It needs your eyes.’

‘I have. No one I know. A woman saw them come this way. The man she described – he could be Galbot, Paul Braithwaite’s man. And a man and a wolf were rumored to have been seen entering a house down the way a few nights ago.’

‘Let my man check it, the one who’s watching this alley on your orders.’ Hempe grinned. ‘He’s glad to have you as captain.’

Geoffrey made a rude sound.

‘First to Gisburne’s on Micklegate,’ said Owen. ‘Walk with me a way, Geoffrey. Tell me all you know.’

‘I should accompany you – and bring some of my men,’ said Hempe.

Owen agreed.

Once Geoffrey had told them all he knew, Owen sent him off on a mission. First to Brother Michaelo, to ask him to walk through the minster yard, in case there was talk of a man and a dog, or, even better, a sighting. Then to the Swann home, to tell Muriel, Olyf, and the Braithwaites all he knew, and see whether Ned needed assistance. And then to Owen’s home, to bide there a while, have an ale, tell Jasper all that he’d seen and heard so far. The lad would never admit it, but Owen thought he would be grateful to have another man in the house for a time. Geoffrey had begun to protest, but Owen had not been too proud to beg, winning his agreement.

‘A stranger comes to the city with a hound and a friend to attack a blind widow,’ Owen said to Hempe.

‘You make him a riddle,’ said Hempe. ‘I’d say he was hired for the job.’

11 An Old Enemy