The Book of Fires by Paul Doherty Read Free Book Online

learned friar. Even better for Sutler, Ramyer declared how his family only made these goblets in batches of twelve. More damning, Ramyer described a recent sale of twelve such goblets to a man whom Ramyer later identified as the clerk, Reginald Vanner. Sutler returned to the hunt. He failed to discover any extra new goblets nor could he discover the whereabouts of the alleged goblet Mortice the buttery clerk had identified. All he really had were Buckholt’s allegations that a goblet was substituted whilst he was distracted and that the poisoned goblet his master must have drunk from had disappeared.’
    ‘The garderobe,’ Athelstan spoke up. ‘The murderer had secreted a second goblet. When Buckholt went down stairs to deal with Vanner, a second goblet was produced. Some of the posset was poured into it and put aside. The original goblet was sprinkled with poison and administered to Sir Walter. Once the old knight had drunk what was needed, the original goblet was hurled down the privy sinking into the filthy cesspit beneath that part of the house.’
    ‘Excellent, my little friar. Sutler reasoned the same. He brought out dung-collectors from Cheapside, the clearers of the laystalls and dung hills. He also employed masons to open the garderobe and the cesspit beneath.’
    ‘And they found the goblet?’
    ‘They certainly did.’
    Cranston was about to continue when Mine Hostess, still flustered and red-faced from her affray with the corpse-bearers, served the piping hot platter of ham, dishes of vegetables, bread and a pot of butter. Cranston ordered two cups of the best Bordeaux. Once the friar had blessed the meal Cranston fell on his food, determined to satisfy a hunger which, according to him, ‘still raged like a wolf inside his belly’. They ate in silence. Athelstan could only clear so much of his platter and the coroner devoured the rest. Once he had finished, Cranston leaned back, a cup in one hand and a piece of bread in the other.
    ‘So you can imagine the case, Brother?’
    ‘Yes, I certainly can.’ Athelstan used his fingers to emphasize the points. ‘Firstly, there is the altercation at the top of the stairs. Buckholt is distracted. Lady Isolda takes the cup. Buckholt finds the diversion was deliberately of no consequence. Secondly, by his testimony, Lady Isolda was the last person to give her husband any drink or food. Thirdly, why was the goblet thrown down the garderobe? The only explanation must be that Isolda wished to get rid of certain evidence and to create a pretence that all was well, hence her drinking from the same cup. Fourthly, the testimony of the buttery clerk that the cups were changed – the only person who could have done that was Lady Isolda. Fifthly, Sutler’s discovery that Vanner had bought a new set of goblets. Why did he do that? Why did he only keep one and why was that disguised as part of the old batch? Yes, yes,’ Athelstan nodded, ‘the case against Lady Isolda was most compelling.’
    ‘Sutler argued the same. Lady Isolda, because of her status, was committed to trial before the King’s Bench and a jury of citizens from Westminster hastily assembled. Sutler prosecuted the case before justices Tressilian, Gavelkind and Danyel. Believe me, Brother, three of the harshest and most grim judges, an unholy Trinity who have little love for their fellow men, and women in particular, high-born ladies especially. They regarded Isolda Beaumont as hawks would a coney. Little mercy was to be expected. The case against her was compelling. She was the last to hold the goblet, the last to feed her husband. Then there was the disappearance of the goblet, the purchase of a new one and the discovery of the old one in the cesspit. On these five issues, Sutler built his case then developed it with further evidence.’
    ‘And Lady Isolda’s motive?’
    ‘Freedom, liberty and the opportunity to seize her husband’s great wealth, not to mention her involvement with Vanner.’
    ‘Was