‘It hurts,’ he said. ‘The doctor stitched me up.’
Hobbey said, ‘David was brave. He did not cry out once, did you, my son?’ He took a deep breath. ‘Master Shardlake has come to tell you he will say nothing of what happened to your mother.’
Tears welled up in David’s eyes. ‘I think I was mad, sir. I shot at you and then I killed my poor mother. I seemed able to think of nothing else but shooting at people, all the time. I had to keep our secret, keep Emma with us. Even if I had to kill – ’ He had been talking fast, almost gabbling, but suddenly he paused, looked at me, and asked in a passionate voice, ‘Sir, can God ever forgive such a sin as I have committed?’
I looked into his wild eyes. ‘I am no cleric, David, but if someone truly repents, they say He will forgive even the greatest sin.’
‘I pray ceaselessly, sir,’ he said through his tears. ‘For forgiveness and for my mother.’
‘That is all you can do, David,’ his father said, going forward and taking his hand. His words reminded me of what Catherine Parr had said to me a few hours ago. I looked down at the floor.
‘What news of Emma?’ David asked tremulously.
‘Master Shardlake saw her in Portsmouth. She is truly sorry for what she did to you.’
‘I deserved it,’ David said. He looked at me, and I saw that even now he loved her. I shuddered to think of what had gone on in his mind these last six years, warping it utterly. ‘Where is she now?’ he asked.
Hobbey hesitated. ‘We are not sure. But we believe her safe.’
‘Will I see her again?’
‘I do not think so, David. If she goes to anyone it will be Master Shardlake.’
David looked at me again. ‘I loved her, you see, I loved Emma all these years.’ I nodded. ‘I never thought of her as Hugh. That was why, when I feared we might actually be exposed, I think – I think the devil took hold of me. But I loved her. I loved my poor mother too, I realized as soon as I had – I had killed her.’ He burst out sobbing, tears streaming down his face.
Hobbey hung his head.
‘I wonder – ’ I said. Hobbey looked at me. I hesitated, for I had brought enough nightmare cases to Guy. Yet he thrived on the most difficult patients, perhaps he even needed something like this now. And it would be a way for me to keep an eye on the Hobbeys. I said, ‘If you come to London, I know a physician, a good man. He may be able to help David.’
Hobbey said eagerly, ‘Might he help him walk again?’
‘I cannot promise that.’
‘I do not deserve to,’ David burst out passionately.
I said, though again only to comfort the poor creature, ‘Leave that to God.’
AN HOUR LATER Barak and I rode out of Hoyland Priory for the last time and turned on to the London road. Before I left I had done one more thing; I went into Emma’s room and took the little cross from where it still lay in the drawer by the bed.
‘Home,’ Barak said. ‘Home at last. To see my son born.’ I looked at him, noticing the paunch he had begun to carry in London was gone. He followed my gaze. ‘Soon have the weight back on,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Rest and some good beer, that’ll do it.’
Yet there was a delay. We passed the turning for Rolfswood, and I had looked up the road to Sussex between the steep banks. Then a couple of miles further on we found three soldiers standing across the road, blocking it. They told us that up the road a bridge had collapsed and was being repaired. It was late in the afternoon, and the soldiers told us we would have to find somewhere to stay for the night.
Barak was angry. ‘Isn’t there any way we can get past? There’s only two of us and my wife in London has a baby due soon.’
‘Nobody goes across till the repair’s completed. There are soldiers and supplies waiting to go to Portsmouth.’
Barak looked ready to argue, but I said, ‘Let us make a virtue of necessity, Jack, and go to Rolfswood.’
He turned away from the soldier’s stare. ‘Come on, then,’ he muttered, waiting till we were out of their hearing to follow the comment with a string of oaths.
ROLFSWOOD was quiet again, peaceful in the summer evening. We passed Buttress’s house. ‘What will you do about that rogue?’ Barak asked.
‘As with Priddis, I doubt there is anything I can do. If I try to raise the issue of whether he and Priddis got together to forge Ellen’s signature, it just opens up the story of the rape. And I do not think that would be in anyone’s interest now.’
‘At least Rich has had his wings clipped.’
‘A little. And we can leave West’s mother to believe her son died a hero.’
‘I wonder what the inquest on poor Master Fettiplace will decide.’
‘Murder by persons unknown, I am sure. Let us leave it there.’
We rode on to the inn, where we found a place for the night. We ate dinner, then I left Barak alone, for I had a visit to make.