‘Neither,’ said Michael, affronted. ‘Canons-elect do not accept bribes.’
Miller was as offended by the response as Michael was by the offer. ‘No canon – elect or otherwise – has refused them in the past, and I do not like my generosity rejected.’
‘We shall give you time to reconsider,’ said Langar, keen to avoid a confrontation that would serve no purpose. ‘And while you investigate Aylmer’s death, I shall look into Nicholas Herl’s. Both were members of the Commonalty, and we are determined to know what happened to them.’
‘His wife told us what you found when you inspected Herl’s body,’ said Miller to Bartholomew. ‘We are grateful for your help. Are you fastidious, like the monk, or will you accept a reward?’
Bartholomew heartily wished he had declined Sabina’s request. ‘There is no clear evidence of foul play,’ he said, avoiding the question. ‘Herl’s death may have been an accident.’
‘I concluded the same, in the light of your findings,’ said Langar. He gave a humourless smile at Bartholomew’s surprise. ‘Your monk is not the only one with the wits to unravel mysteries.’
Chapman grinned at the scholars. ‘Langar was a law-clerk, and knows many cunning tricks. It was his cleverness that made us what we are today – combined with Miller’s talents, of course.’
Bartholomew suddenly became aware that Langar was studying him rather intently. ‘You look familiar,’ said the lawyer. ‘I know you hail from Cambridge, but have you been there long? John Suttone told us his cousin was a fairly recent arrival, and I know from Tetford that Brother Michael has only been there a decade. But what about you?’
‘He and I became Fellows at almost the same time,’ said Michael, before Bartholomew could reply for himself. ‘He studied at Oxford first, then Paris.’
Langar was too clever to be misled, and regarded the physician thoughtfully. ‘No, I never forget a face, and you were in Cambridge when ten good people were accused of wicked crimes by a rogue called Shirlok. I was a clerk at the time, employed to keep records for the Justice. But Miller, Aylmer, Lora, Chapman and dear Nicholas suffered from Shirlok’s mean tongue.’
‘You forgot to mention Sabina,’ said Chapman, while Miller’s face creased into a bleak scowl. Bartholomew saw Tetford had been right to warn them against discussing the trial: it was still a sore point with the man. ‘Shirlok tried to indict her, too.’
‘I did not forget,’ said Langar coldly. ‘I just choose not to utter her name. Hateful woman!’
‘Shirlok named my poor brother, Simon, too – God rest his sainted soul,’ said Miller angrily. ‘And three others, also now dead. It was a wicked business, but right prevailed, and we were released. Thank God for English justice.’
‘Amen,’ said Bartholomew, drawing on his recent experience with the Gilbertines and ignoring the startled look Michael shot him. He intended to follow Tetford’s advice and stay well away from discussing the case with Miller, especially given his own suspicions about the ‘English justice’ that had been meted out that day.
Langar continued to stare. ‘It was a painful incident for Master Miller, so I am sure you can be trusted not to mention it to any guildsmen. They know what happened, of course, but there is no point in giving them cause to resurrect the matter.’
‘There is nothing to mention,’ said Michael soothingly. ‘It was a long time ago, and we are more interested in what happened to Aylmer this week. Do you have any idea who might have killed him?’
It was Miller who replied. ‘Dean Bresley might have done it, to prevent him from becoming a Vicar Choral. Aylmer was a bit of a thief, you see, and holy men take against thieves, which is unkind. After all, Jesus was crucified with two of them, and they all went to Heaven. Then there is Bishop Gynewell, who also objected to Aylmer on moral grounds.’
‘Gynewell would hardly have asked me to investigate, if he was the culprit,’ said Michael, deciding not to comment on Miller’s singular interpretation of the scriptures.
Langar gave a sly smile. ‘Or he might have asked you to investigate specifically to conceal his guilt. Do not take everything at face value, Brother.’
‘It was Hamo,’ said Lora with malicious satisfaction. ‘He disliked Aylmer being in his convent, and asked Prior Roger to eject him. Roger was going to do it, too, until we passed him a few coins.’
‘And there is another possibility,’ said Langar. ‘Prior Roger, killing an unwanted guest after Aylmer’s nonrefundable rent had been paid. Roger needs money desperately, but he also has a duty to preserve his convent’s integrity. And even Aylmer’s best friends cannot tell you he was a saint.’
‘Then there is the sanctimonious John Suttone,’ added Miller. ‘There is no way he can be as ethical as he would have everyone believe. It would be unnatural. And his fellow priests would kill their own grandmothers for a penny. Although I understand that position, because my grandam-’
