The Shattered Rose Page 0,39

the other hand, she didn't strike him as a naturally honest sort, either.

Biddy clearly couldn't remain where she had become so unpopular, so he sent her to Heywood to be employed there. He promised that if she behaved she could have a place, or he'd find her a new husband. If she stole again, she'd be whipped and driven out to fend as best she could.

As Gil and others wanted to have Jehanne whipped.

As the churchmen would doubtless want to have her whipped if they became involved.

But the Church would be more merciful than the civil courts, who would probably want her burned to death.

People at all levels had a relentless desire to see justice done.

The next case brought forward for judgment was a complaint against Tom Fetler, who had allowed his animals to escape and get into the corn before harvest.

That was simple enough, Galeran levied a fine.

Then the village headman laid complaint against the miller, that he took more than his share. Nothing new in that, and it couldn't be proved, but Galeran made sure the man understood that if he were caught at it, he'd rue the day. From an incautious remark the miller made, Galeran suspected that Lowick had been willing to take a cut of the extra profits in return for protection.

So, Raymond of Lowick had been filling his purse at the expense of Galeran's people, had he? It was not uncommon, but Galeran was pleased to hear it. He knew Lowick had many good qualities, but he wanted reasons to despise him thoroughly.

Before leaving the village, he inspected the millrace to be sure it was properly maintained, and checked some hedges and a footbridge the village was responsible for, then he rode on, wishing he were not such a coward and was home in bed with his wife.

* * * * * It was at the end of the third day that the woman was brought before him, babe in arms. He thought his heart would stop.

She was nothing like Jehanne, being stocky and dark, but something in her fearful defiance made him think of his wife waiting for him in the hall, and he was not surprised when told she was an adulteress.

Here, however, the case was different, for the woman would not say whose child it was. She had tried to claim that it was her husband's, but he - a quite elderly man - swore he'd never had his wife.

The local priest had been brought into the matter and had preached long and hard at the woman, begging her to name the father. Now Father Swithin repeated his exhortations, explaining to the woman that if her husband could not fulfill his duties, the marriage could be annulled and she could marry the true father of her child.

She remained stubbornly silent, and everyone looked to Galeran for judgment.

Once he would have been impatient with such a silly business, but now he wondered if there were as many complicating factors in this case as there were in his own.

hi this village he was sitting on a bench near the inn, under the shade of a spreading beech tree. Raoul and his men were off to one side, enjoying a hearty meal of ale, bread, and cheese.

Taking a draft of his own ale, Galeran called the women to sit on the bench with him. She came, hesitantly, still carrying her bundled baby.

"What's your name?" he asked, offering her some raspberries from the dish that had been set alongside his bread.

"Agnes, Lord." She took a few berries warily, but then shoved them in her mouth.

"Do you know who the father is, Agnes?"

She swallowed the berries in silence, and he thought she wouldn't answer, but under the pressure of his gaze eventually she nodded.

"Is he married?"

She looked down, scowling. "Lord, I'd rather not say."

"Why should he avoid his responsibilities? At the least he owes a fine and should support his child."

"Edric always said he wanted a child of me. Why shouldn't he support it?"

"Edric's your husband?"

"Aye, Lord." She flashed a scowl at the sinewy white-haired man, who scowled back.

Galeran beckoned the man forward. "Edric, do you have any children?"

"Nay, Lord. My first wife never caught."

"Not surprising," muttered Agnes.

"Be silent, woman," said Galeran sharply, and Agnes set-fled warily to eating the raspberries. Her babe suddenly stirred and turned to her, and she lowered the loose neckline of her tunic to put him to the breast. The tiny, dark-thatched infant latched on and suckled greedily.

Galeran looked up