I reckon that little red-head downstairs is the same girl Raffe was trying to protect then. Now it seems she's fallen foul of the other brother too.'
Ma's yellow-green eyes opened so wide they looked as if they might explode out of her head. 'What! And you persuaded me to take her in here! I'll have your bollocks roasted for this — while you're still wearing them.'
Talbot took a step backwards, his hands held up in protest.
'Wait, Ma. Don't you see? This could be good for us. Sheriff is always trying to line his filthy little coffers with taxes and fines. And with that bastard John demanding more and more money from Norwich and the other towns for his wars, it won't be long before the sheriffs round here again finding some excuse to fine us again. Osborn's got a long reach and he's a favourite of John. If anyone could persuade the sheriff to leave us in peace, he could. We just need to give him a reason.
'The lass has only murdered her brat, not like she's killed a nobleman, so we could tell her John would pardon her if she delivered a traitor to him. He'd probably hang her anyway, but what does that matter? Thing is, Osborn's got too much to lose to risk his brother being accused of treason. Once he learns what this little red-head knows he might be persuaded to keep the sheriff off our backs and even to contribute a generous sum to our little convent here, just to make sure we keep the lass quiet.'
Ma's fingers tightened round the neck of the goblet. 'Blackmail is a dangerous game, especially when it involves the likes of Osborn. It could see us all on the gallows.' She fixed Talbot with an unblinking stare. 'Now, you listen to me, my darling, and you listen well. We'll keep this girl safe till we see which way the wind is blowing. If the time's right we'll play your game, but if I think the risks are too high I'll sell her to Osborn myself. But I'll decide. Until then you keep your mouth shut, you understand?'
Talbot nodded. It was the best he could hope for from Ma.
He was almost at the door when she said quietly, 'That nobleman back in the Holy Land who would have hanged you for thieving, I seem to recall you telling me once his name was Hugh. Not the same Hugh, by any chance, was it, my darling?'
Talbot scowled at her. 'Everyone was at it, filling their pockets, the nobles were the worst. I only took their leavings. And that fecking bastard Hugh had me searched and, brazenly as you like, pocketed all I'd taken. Then he told his men to string me up for thieving. He was the bloody thief. It was him who should have been hanged. Those were my spoils. I'd found 'em. They were mere chicken scraps to a man like him, but that bit of gold and silver would have set me up for life. Could've bought myself a juicy little business and been me own man, I could, if it weren't for that swine.'
'Now we're getting to the real nub of it.' Ma smiled, showing her sharp white teeth. 'The Bullock's been a good friend to us and I'll take this girl for his sake, but if I find you putting me or this house in danger just to take revenge on this Hugh of yours, I swear I'll make your life so miserable you'll be cursing Raffe to the fires of hell for ever saving you from that noose.'
Elena lay rigid on her back, listening to the groans, snores and mutters of the sleepers around her. She heard the last of the customers stumbling drunkenly across the courtyard, some singing, some calling goodbyes in hoarse whispers loud enough to raise the saints from their perfumed coffins. Every now and then the door would open and another woman or boy would stumble into the room and pick their way across the prone bodies to their own little space, slip off their clothes and slide naked under the covers, sinking into sleep almost at once.
Just a few hours ago Elena had prayed to be saved from the gallows and now . . . now she didn't know what to pray. How long would it be before she was made to join them out there in those other rooms, and what would they make her do? All the jokes