Later that evening, after a fine meal of poached salmon and vegetable pottage provided by Thorson’s plump and amiable wife, Bascot and Roget sat with the bailiff in his office over a jug of excellent Spanish wine and discussed the probability of Sven and Joan Grimson, along with the two sailors, being responsible for the recent murders.
“I still don’t believe that any of them, especially Sven or Joan, are capable of such grisly acts,” Thorson said, leaning back in his chair and lacing his fingers over his swelling paunch as he mused. “On the other hand, if it was a Templar knight that had been murdered, and it was known he was the one that killed Robert Scallion, I might say differently. Such revenge would be understandable. But killing two harlots and carving one of them up-no, I do not think so.”
“Well, if Grimson is telling the truth and they were all in Hull at the time the women were attacked,” Roget said, tapping the list of names the boat owner had given them of the people he had called on in Hull, “then they are in the clear. Lincoln is a far piece and they could not have been in two places at once, especially as the two harlots were murdered four days apart.”
Thorson looked down at his wine cup, and then said slowly, “Well, that’s just it, you see, Captain, while Sven and Joan might not have been in Lincoln, it is possible that Askil and Dunny were.”
“How so?” Bascot asked. “Surely Lincoln is too far from where they claim to be. Even if they obtained fast horses, it is still a long way from Hull.”
“Ah, well, it would seem so to a landsman, but not to one who is accustomed to travel by water.”
Thorson’s words took the Templar and Roget by surprise, as did his explanation.
“When I was a young man,” the bailiff began, “I worked on the fishing boats and spent a little time as one of the crew on the ferry that plies across the Humber estuary. It goes from Barton on the southern bank to Hessle on the north side and back again. Not too far from Barton is the mouth of the Ancholme River, which, with a small craft, is navigable as far as Bishopbridge. Now Bishopbridge is not too far from Lincoln-perhaps fifteen miles-and close to Ermine Street. Sven’s boat is large enough to tow a small skiff, or even take one on board-they are often laden for use in times of emergency, such as when a leak is sprung. If Sven were to anchor his boat on the southern shore of the Humber, near Barton, he and Joan could have taken the ferry across to Hessle and hired horses to ride to Hull. It is a very short journey, not above five miles. Once there, they could have visited the people whose names Sven gave us while, at the same time, Askil and Dunny took the skiff and sailed down the Ancholme to Bishopbridge. The two sailors could then have easily walked to Ermine Street and into Lincoln. It would not have taken them long; both men are fit and able to cover the distance in a few hours.”
Thorson paused for a moment to see that his listeners had understood the route he had described. To his gratification, the Templar and Roget grasped it quickly. Both knew the territory along the northern stretch of Ermine Street fairly well and that the village of Bishopbridge lay only a short distance from the main road.
Bascot nodded and expanded on what Thorson had suggested. “And, once the seamen had walked to Lincoln, they could have murdered the prostitute that was killed in our chapel and then stayed within the town until they took care of despatching the second harlot a few days later. It would then be a simple matter to return to Barton by the same route they had taken on the outward journey and wait for Sven and Joan’s return. Grimson’s story would still ring true, for he and his wife would, in fact, have visited the men he has named in Hull and there would be no witness to deny the two sailors were anywhere other than, as he said, on board his boat.”
It was not difficult to see how such a plan as Thorson suggested would have worked. A landsman would never visualise such a route but to a sailor, familiar with the many rivers and small tributaries that flow in the coastal region of Lincolnshire, it would be a logical one.
Thorson was careful to add a reservation. “I do not say that the Grimsons contrived with Askil and Dunny to do what I have suggested, only that they could have done. The two seamen would have had to make haste back to Sven’s ship after the second murder, which was only three days ago, but it is still possible. To sail from Grimsby to Hull, or vice versa, does not take long if the wind and tide are with you. And Grimson admitted he did not return until yesterday morning when the incoming tide was at its peak,” he added, gesturing at the tide table behind him. “I would suggest you try to find out where Sven docked his boat when he weighed anchor in the Humber estuary. While he could have gone directly to Hull and instructed Askil and Dunny to sail the skiff across the Humber to the Ancholme, it would be more expeditious for him to take his boat to the southern shore and he and Joan take the ferry to the main port. That way, there would not be any chance of the sailors being seen when they left Hull. There are many small craft that ply up and down the Ancholme; one more would have not been remarked upon and, when they returned, Grimson’s boat would be waiting for them on the southern shore.” He shook his head. “May God forgive me if I am casting suspicion where it is not warranted, but it is my duty to ensure that the sheriff is apprised of these facts.”
“I understand, Bailiff,” Bascot replied. “He will be grateful for your help.”
“Do you think we should arrest Grimson and the others after all, de Marins?” Roget said. “Now that we know there is a possibility they may have committed the crimes, Sir Gerard may want to question them further.”
Bascot shook his head. “No. It would be best if an attempt is made to verify Sven’s story first even if, as Thorson says, it would only indicate that he and his wife were in Hull, and not the two sailors. We should also try and find out if either of the seamen was noticed in Lincoln over the days they claimed to be in the estuary. Askil’s parti-coloured eyes are distinctive. I have seen the variance before, but usually in horses and cats. It is not common in humans and I am sure this rarity would be noticed by any who saw him, especially in the bawdy house where Elfreda worked. It might be worthwhile checking with Verlain again, and the other harlots in the stewe, as well as people in the neighbourhood of the house where Adele Delorme lived.”
There was another reason that Bascot wanted to delay the arrest of Grimson and the sailors. Thorson had mentioned that the ferry across the Humber went from the small town of Barton, and that was the village where the newly initiated Templar man-at-arms that had professed to be ill on the night of Elfie’s murder came from. Also, the other brother, Thomas, the horse-handler that had travelled from Temple Hirst to the Lincoln enclave, would have made many trips to the Humber estuary while carrying out his duty of taking the Order’s mounts for transport overseas. The animals were mainly loaded on vessels at Faxfleet, which was a town at the western end of the estuary and not a far distance from either Barton or Hull. It was quite possible that either of these Templars, especially young Alan, had known Robert Scallion, since the trader had used Hull as his main port of lading. Bascot could not tell either Roget or Thorson about his suspicions because the details about both Templar brothers would be considered information that was to be kept within the Order. Before he recommended the arrest of Sven and the others, he needed to obtain d’Arderon’s sanction to question Alan and Thomas and try to determine if there was a possibility it was they, and not any of the Grimson party, who were involved in the crimes.
Roget, voicing his agreement that a description of Askil and Dunny be circulated in Lincoln town, interrupted Bascot’s unspoken thoughts and pulled the Templar’s mind back to the conversation.
“But it will take some time for Sir Gerard to check on Grimson’s story; not only is Hull a far piece for a messenger to ride, there is also the time it will take the bailiff in the port to speak to each of the witnesses on Grimson’s list. While Sven and his wife may comply with your order not to leave Grimsby, I have doubts about Askil and Dunny. Now that Scallion’s boat has been brought home, they have no ties to keep them here. If they decide to leave the area, it would not be difficult for either of them to hire on as crew of an oceangoing vessel and soon be far away from England’s shores.”
“I will keep a careful eye on them,” Thorson promised, “and a word from me will ensure that none of the boats putting into our harbour will take them on board, as crew or otherwise. If any of them, including Sven and Joan, do not report to me exactly as you directed, I will place the others under arrest and lock them up in the town gaol to await Sheriff Camville’s pleasure.”
T HAT SAME AFTERNOON, SHORTLY BEFORE THE WORKING DAY in the scriptorium drew to a close, John Blund gave Gianni’s note to Nicolaa de la Haye, as he had promised. The castellan had just finished dictating the last letter of the day and was about to dismiss Blund when he handed her the piece of parchment on which the boy had written his speculations about the son of one of her tenants.
“Young Gianni asked me to give you this, lady,” the secretary said. “The boy feels there might be some connection between these recent murders and a person whose name was recorded in one of the documents he was copying.”
Nicolaa scanned the paper and looked thoughtful. “Have you read this, John?” she asked.
“I have,” Blund assured her. “The hypothesis may seem nebulous but, bearing in mind Gianni often observed facts that were of assistance to Sir Bascot when the Templar was investigating similar mysterious deaths, I thought it only right to bring his observations to your attention.”
Nicolaa nodded. “And you were quite right to do so, John,” she assured him. “As you say, his postulations are uncertain, and all of them would hinge on whether or not Roulan joined the Templars or some other monastic order. If it was, indeed, the Templars that he joined and, as my bailiff told Lambert, was forced by pressure from his family into taking holy orders over his licentious ways, it is quite possible, as Gianni suggests, that he left behind someone who was devastated by his leaving. A girl he had promised to marry, perhaps, and considered his desertion a betrayal. Especially if she was enceinte. The humiliation of bearing an unwanted child is a stigma that is not short-lived. It could easily foster hate in her heart, one that has festered, and is now directed both at the Templars for taking her lover away from her, and prostitutes for being the cause of his downfall.”
She thought about the notion for a moment before speaking again. “The more I consider the suggestion, John, the more viable it seems. We have good cause to remember that it was a woman who was responsible for wreaking havoc in Lincoln once before and caused a number of deaths before de Marins discovered her identity. It could have been a female that enticed Elfreda to the Templar chapel and also knocked at Adele Delorme’s door. Neither harlot would have been as wary of one of their own gender as they would have been of a man.”
She looked down at the paper and studied it further. Finally, she made her decision. “It is best to wait for de Marins and Roget to return from Grimsby before looking into the background of Jacques Roulan. If their journey has been successful, it may prove unnecessary. But if they return empty-handed, I will ensure Gianni’s suggestion is conveyed to the Templar as soon as possible. In the meantime, send an instruction to my bailiff at Brattleby. Tell him to report to me at once. It was from him that this rumour about Roulan came; perhaps he knows more details about the matter. If any are pertinent, I will add them to Gianni’s message before I pass it along to de Marins.”
As Blund prepared to leave, Nicolaa added, “And, John, convey to Gianni my commendation for his initiative. The boy has an intelligent and enquiring mind, we must do all we can to foster its development.”