[Roger the Chapman 04] - The Holy Innocents Read Online Free Page A

She kept it a secret from everyone but me, for fear that she might be branded a witch.' There was silence for a moment or two while I munched my way through yet another oatcake.  
    When I had swallowed the final crumb, I said, 'Now it's my turn to pose a question. What grudge does that villain hold against you?' I thought for a moment that she might refuse to answer, or tell me that it was none of my business; that breaking bread with her did not give me the fight to pry into her affairs. I believe, indeed, that she did momentarily entertain the notion, for she closed her lips tightly and shot me a speculative glance from beneath lowered lids. But almost immediately, she relented, opened her eyes wide and smiled.
    'When my father died five years ago, I allowed Innes Woodsman, somewhat against my better judgement, to live here, in return for his work about the holding. As I told you, he had helped my father in his latter years and knew the running of the place. I had not lived here myself since my ninth birthday, shortly after the death of my mother. Understandably, I suppose, Innes thought himself well set up for the rest of his days, and, indeed, I should probably have left him here, undisturbed, if only because I was too lazy to dispose of the property.' She took an oatcake from the dish and began to nibble it, absent-mindedly, her face grown suddenly sombre. 'At least... Perhaps that was true for a while, But of latter years...'
    Her voice tailed away into silence, and she stared past me, lost in thought, lost to her surroundings.
    'Of latter years?' I prompted, when my curiosity could no Ionger be contained.
    Grizelda started. 'I'm sorry, Chapman, my wits were wool-gathering. What was I saying?'
    'That you let Innes Woodsman stay here as tenant because you were at first too lazy to get rid of the holding, but that after that... ?'
    'Ah, yes. After that,' she added, deliberately lightening her tone, 'I think I must have experienced one of your premonitions, or something like. It was almost as if I knew that one day I should need to return here again.'
    'Which you did.'
    'Yes. Some three months since, it became necessary for me to do so.' The smile she gave me was palpably false, and the slight quaver in her voice indicated suppressed emotion. 'I had, therefore, to turn Innes Woodsman out, and I'm afraid that I did not do it very gently. I was not in a... a gentle mood at the time. He found himself forced once more to sleep rough, bereft of the shelter he had come to take for granted.' I could see that she felt guilty about what had happened and hastened to offer what comfort I could. Leaning my elbows on the table, I said, 'But the holding belongs to you, as it belonged to your father? It is not held in fief from some landlord?'
    This time, her smile was genuine. 'Do I say yea or nay to that? Yes to your first question, no to your second.' 'Well, then!' I encouraged her. 'You were within your rights. There is nothing to blame yourself for.'
    She shook her head, still smiling. 'As I said just now, I could have treated Innes with greater kindness, shown more consideration for his plight.' She rose from the bench to' fetch me a mazer of ale from the barrel which stood in one corner.
    'You are too severe on yourself' I answered. 'There was nothing you could have said or done which would have made him less resentful. All in all, it was probably kinder to be blunt with him than try to sweeten the unpalatable.' She laughed, returning to the table and setting the brimming mazer down in front of me. She did not resume her seat, but stood at the end of the table, watching me while I drank.
    I was thirstier than I knew and drained the bowl in one go, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. 'That's good ale,' I said, when I had finished.
    Grizelda took the mazer to refill it. 'Oh, you'll get none of your inferior brews here, and no sallop, either.' She glanced disparagingly around her. 'This place may look what it is, Chapman, a