“You will remember,” he said, “who protects your dower lands.”
Dame Margaret’s hands folded before her. “Aye. I remember all the things men hold over women because they lack better claims to loyalty.”
The hall breathed in.
Pickering turned to his clerk. “Write that.”
The clerk wrote as if his quill had caught fire.
Joan came next, trembling hard enough that Dame Margaret stood directly behind her with one hand on her shoulder. The girl spoke of overheard orders, of Belmaine saying Amelia must be moved before dawn, of Father Martin being instructed to counsel her and record obedience, of Crale entering Amelia’s chamber despite being told not to, and of Osric talking of murder.
“She threw ale at him,” Joan added, then clapped both hands over her mouth.
Pickering looked at Amelia.
Amelia lifted one shoulder. “He looked thirsty after his fraud.”
Alyson giggled into the shawl.
Thomas stared at the rafters and silently asked the saints for endurance.
Pickering rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Write the ale, but not the fraud.”
The clerk hesitated.
“Actually,” Pickering said, “write the fraud.”
Crale began to sweat.
Thomas watched him from across the hall.
The man had been placed on a stool near the lower table, with Hob behind him and two guards near the door. Hob had not touched him since they entered. He did not need to. He stood there broad and silent, hands resting on his belt, smiling now and again as if imagining several possible futures for Crale and liking them all.
Pickering turned to Crale at last.
“Edmund Crale of Alcester.”
Crale flinched at the sound of his own name spoken properly. “My lord, I was misled.”
“No one has asked you anything yet.”
“I know, but I thought to begin there.”
Huck muttered, “A conscience trying to flee before the door opens.”
Pickering ignored him. “Are you married to Mistress Amelia?”
Crale looked at Belmaine.
Thomas’s hand closed around the back of Amelia’s bench.
Pickering saw the glance. So did everyone else.
“Answer me,” Pickering said.
Crale swallowed. “I was told there would be no harm in it.”
The hall erupted.
