'I am sorry.'
'I was at school at Kelso Abbey then. I wanted to go far away and the fathers paid for me to go to an English school. I owe everything to the Church.' His mocking eyes for once were serious. 'The religious orders stand between the world and bloody chaos, Commissioner.'
Another refugee, I thought, another beneficiary of Brother Guy's international community.
'What made you take orders?'
'I tired of the world, Commissioner, of how people are. Children forever fighting and avoiding lessons unless ye keep them well whipped. The criminals I helped catch, all the stupid greedy men. A dozen more waiting to be caught for every one tried and hanged. Ach, man is a fallen creature, far from grace and harder to keep in order than a pack of dogs. But in a monastery at least God's discipline can be kept.'
'And that is your vocation on earth? To keep men disciplined?'
'Is it not yours? Do ye not also feel outrage for that man's murder? Are ye not here to find and punish his killer?'
'The commissioner's death outraged you?'
He stood and faced me. 'It is a further step to chaos. You think me a hard man, but believe me the Devil's reach is far and even in the Church men like me are needed to keep him at bay. As the king's law seeks to keep order in the secular world.'
'What if the laws of the world and the Church conflict?' I asked. 'As they have in recent years?'
'Then, Master Shardlake, I pray some resolution may be found so Church and prince may work in harmony again, for when they fight they allow the Devil in.'
'Then let the Church not challenge the prince's will. Well, I must return to the infirmary. I will leave you here, you will be returning to the church. For the funeral of poor Novice Whelplay,' I added meaningfully.
He answered my gaze. 'I shall pray for that lad to be admitted to heaven in God's time. Sinner as he was.'
I turned away, peering through the snowflakes to where Goodhaps was tottering along; Mark had given him his arm. I wondered if he would make it to the town, make his escape.
In the infirmary hall Alice was still tending the old dying monk. He was conscious again and she was gently spooning gruel into his mouth. Attending to the ancient her face had a new softness, a gentleness. I asked her to accompany us to the infirmarian's little kitchen. I left them all there while I fetched the book the bursar had given me. They all looked at me expectantly as I held it up.
'According to the bursar, this is the book poor Singleton obtained just before he died. Now, Dr Goodhaps, and Alice Fewterer, I want you both to look at it and say whether you have seen it before. You will notice it has a large stain of red wine on the cover. It occurred to me in church that those who had seen the book should remember that stain.'
Goodhaps reached across and took the account book, turning it over in his hands. 'I remember the commissioner reading a book with a blue cover. It might have been this. I don't know, I don't remember.'
'With your pardon.' Alice leaned across and took the book. She studied the cover, turned it over, then said decisively, 'This is not the book.'
My heart quickened. 'You are sure?'
'The book Brother Edwig handed the commissioner had no stain on it. I would have remarked it; the bursar likes everything so clean and tidy.'
'Would you swear to that in a court of law?'
'I would, sir.' She spoke quietly and seriously.
'So now I can be sure the bursar played me false.' I nodded slowly. 'Very well. Alice, I thank you again. All of you, keep this quiet.'
'I will not be here,' Goodhaps said smugly.
I looked from the window; the snow had stopped. 'Yes, Dr Goodhaps, I think you should be on your way. Mark, perhaps you could aid the doctor on his road to town?'
The old man cheered up. 'Thank you, sir. An arm to lean on would be welcome, and I have my bags at the abbot's house. My horse is here, if it could be returned to London when the weather allows…'