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Suffolk?’ asked John.
    â€˜Her father had had several manors and mines in the shire of Derby as well,’ replied the prior.
    Brother Ignatius diffidently murmured further details from alongside his superior’s chair. ‘The lands of Sir Roger Beaumont lay adjacent to the Glanville manors in Derbyshire, so it was convenient for him also to be appointed administrator of the escheated estate. The king agreed and Chancery drew up the deeds.’
    De Wolfe, cynical fellow that he was, felt the first twitchings of suspicion when he heard this. ‘No doubt there was some financial advantage for him in this arrangement?’
    The prior took up the tale again. ‘Roger Beaumont took half the income from the Glanville properties, the remainder going to the Exchequer on behalf of the king. It was reasoned that this was his due for sheltering Christina and the labour of running the very extensive estates, which were scattered over three counties.’
    John suspected that the labour involved would have been deputed to a bevy of bailiffs and reeves and that Roger would need to do little other than to sit back and rake in the profits from the farming of sheep and cattle. If Derbyshire was included, quite probably there would be lead-mining and quarrying as well.
    Thomas was wriggling a little on his bench, as his quick mind was looking further ahead. ‘Prior, what would have occurred when this young lady reached maturity?’
    Northam looked across at the little priest with interest. He had already formed the opinion that here was a sharp fellow and this last question confirmed his view.
    â€˜This is where motive rears its ugly head, I suppose. Whether Christina married or not, she would have recovered the ownership of her estates on reaching sixteen.’
    Robert poured some wine for them before continuing.
    â€˜Her father’s last will and testament plainly stated that when she came of age, she was to inherit the whole estate. The Curia Regis would no doubt have found a reliable steward to run the lands for her, though legally she would have been entitled to do what she wished with them. Of course, the king could have disregarded this and kept them for himself, but as both Glanville and his illustrious uncle had died fighting alongside the Lionheart at Acre, it would have been an unpopular act.’
    De Wolfe thought that the prior was going to say ‘churlish act’, but he avoided this potentially seditious remark in time. Instead, John’s bushy black eyebrows rose a little as he questioned the priest again.
    â€˜Sixteen? But she was about to be wed, so when would she have reached that age?’
    Robert Northam sighed again, his worried features telling of the stressful time he had recently endured. ‘She was to be married at St Paul’s on her sixteenth birthday, coroner. And that would have been the day after she was found dead!’
    There was a silence as the three visitors digested the significance of this news ‘Might we ask to whom she was betrothed?’ asked Thomas tentatively.
    â€˜A young man called Jordan de Neville, again from a well-known family. He was about five years older than the girl, the third son of the Nevilles, a rising family from the north country – Durham, I believe. The match was sponsored by several members of the Curia Regis and Hubert Walter was himself keen on the union, at the direct behest of the king, so I understand. King Richard, in a rare burst of interest in English affairs, decided that Jordan de Neville would make Christina an ideal husband and incidentally bring his manors as a useful addition to the Glanville lands. There must have been some covert petitioning going on in Rouen that I was not aware of.’
    â€˜And who inherits, now that she is dead?’ asked John bluntly.
    The prior shrugged, holding his hands palm upwards, after the fashion he acquired in France. ‘It is not settled – but unless the