Chains of Folly Read Online Free Page A

savory fish stew. With a broad smile, Letice filled her bowl with that and put some smoked salmon and some vegetables on her trencher. Then she fixed her eyes on Bell and as soon as she caught his, she made a sign for him to continue.
    Bell chewed and swallowed, glanced at Ella, and sighed. “You know my lord has been at Winchester for some weeks past. Yesterday afternoon, late, we rode into London where he stopped at St. Paul’s to talk to Father Holdyn, the episcopal vicar, and then went on to his house. He had, of course, sent the servants and the carts ahead, but when we arrived, instead of finding all ready, the house was in turmoil.”
    “Oh, I hope no ill has befallen Father Wilfrid,” Magdalene said. The old clerk who remained in London to attend to any minor problems with Winchester’s property had always been fair and reasonable when considering her requests—which was not always true when churchmen dealt with whores.
    “No, no. He is well, except for feeling that he had somehow failed the bishop. When the servants went up to set up the bishop’s bed, you see, they had found a woman…ah, in the bishop’s chair, seated at his table, and…ah…it was impossible to…er…ask her to rise and leave.”
    Letice and Diot stared at him; both then glanced at Ella, who was busy picking pieces off the slice of smoked salmon she had taken, pushing aside the pieces of beef that Letice had cut up for her.
    “I suppose she had a reason,” Diot said.
    “Yes. The poor woman seems to have been badly beaten and a day or two later she somehow…ah…damaged her neck…ah…permanently.”
    Letice’s eyes opened wide. She signed one finger going down several others, then sliding, then lying bent on the table, then getting up and climbing the stair again. At which point she shook her head vehemently.
    “Yes, just so. The bishop and I went up at once to look at her and it was clear that she could not have climbed up to Winchester’s bedchamber on her own. Moreover I found marks on the windowsill that showed she was pulled up by a rope.”
    Diot shuddered, made sure Ella was concentrating on her food, and put her hands around her own throat. Bell shook his head.
    “I will explain that later,” he said, glancing at Ella. “But what brings me here in particular, is that she is dressed as one of your sisterhood. Obviously, since the servants who found her cried out in alarm so that everyone in the house rushed up to see what was wrong, there is no way of keeping this secret. Plainly it was intended to embarrass the bishop, but he has no idea who would do such a thing—”
    “Nonsense,” Magdalene said. “Anyone who wished to make the conclave the bishop has called into a travesty might try to show Winchester as sorely stained with secular vice.” She frowned. “That is not fair. Winchester has his faults, but he has kept his vows of abstemiousness and chastity.”
    “No, it is not fair, but his opponents do not play fair. So, will you help us, Magdalene? The bishop hopes you will be able to find out who the woman was and to whom she was connected.”
    “Yes, of course. I will try, at least. I do not know every whore in Southwark, but what does she look like?”
    “Alas, very ordinary. Brown hair, brown eyes, a pleasant face—well, it would have been pleasant if it were not slack and fallen in. Oh, yes, she had a mole right here.”
    Bell touched the edge of his right brow. Magdalene shook her head but, oddly, both Diot and Letice frowned.
    “It might be that I know her,” Diot said uncertainly, and Letice nodded agreement. After a glance at her sister whore, Diot added, “I would have to see her.” And again Letice nodded agreement, but she did not look at all happy.
    “It is too late now,” Magdalene said. “Our guests will be arriving very soon. Tomorrow morning?”
     

Chapter 2
     
    Bell had not returned to share the evening meal with the women of the Old Priory Guesthouse despite Ella’s warm