The Midsummer Crown by Kate Sedley

told you.’
    â€˜Only the barest outline,’ I protested indignantly. ‘Give me the details. This Gideon what’s-his-name . . .?’
    â€˜Fitzalan! Try to pay attention.’
    I ignored the rider and proceeded, ‘This Gideon Fitzalan, then, arrives in London in the company of the Duchess of Gloucester, accompanied by his tutor . . .?’
    â€˜Gregory Machin.’
    â€˜And his nurse . . .?’
    â€˜Rosina Copley.’
    â€˜And is taken to Crosby’s Place for the night. So I assume that the Fitzalans are a family loyal to the duke?’
    Timothy nodded. ‘Completely. Their home, Fitzalan Hall, is in Yorkshire, near Sheriff Hutton. As I told you, young Gideon is the youngest of a large family of brothers, and two years ago, Francis Lovell was granted his wardship, since when the boy has been living at Minster Lovell, in Oxfordshire, training for knighthood. The duchess stopped there on her way south from Middleham to collect him.’
    â€˜Also his tutor and nurse.’
    â€˜Yes. As I mentioned, the lad is of a delicate constitution.’
    â€˜And the following day, he is taken not to the royal apartments in the Tower, but to Baynard’s Castle. Why?’
    â€˜I wish to God you’d pay attention!’ Timothy exclaimed violently. ‘I told you just now that one of his uncles, Godfrey Fitzalan, is in London to attend the young king’s coronation and is temporarily a member of Francis Lovell’s household.’
    â€˜Francis Lovell is also at Baynard’s Castle?’
    â€˜He’s there to support the duke. My lord is very sensibly gathering his closest friends around him.’
    â€˜Sweet Virgin!’ I said. ‘That place must be crammed to the doors. Has Duchess Cicely arrived yet?’
    â€˜Yes. That’s why my lord went to stay there. He’s a devoted son, as you know. But now that Duchess Anne is settled at Crosby’s Place, he’ll naturally join her.’
    â€˜Very well, so tell me some more about this murder in a locked room. Locked from the inside, you say?’
    â€˜Bolted,’ Timothy amended. ‘The top bolt only. There was one lower down but that was still open.’
    â€˜You must realize,’ I pointed out, ‘that murder in a locked room is impossible. You are quite sure about this, aren’t you?’
    The spymaster took a deep breath, his chest swelled and his eyes threatened to pop out of his head, like a frog’s. ‘I told you, they had to break the fucking door down to get in there!’ he shouted, once again doing damage to his knuckles by pounding the window seat. This time I winced for him, but, for the moment, he seemed oblivious to the pain. That, I reflected with inward satisfaction, would come later.
    â€˜You’re certain the door wasn’t just stuck?’ He made a gobbling sound as if he were about to choke and I began to be seriously concerned for his sanity, ‘All right! All right!’ I murmured soothingly. ‘I’ll accept your word for it that the door was bolted. At least,’ I couldn’t resist adding, ‘that was how it seemed.’ I settled more comfortably in my chair. ‘So tell me everything you know,’ I invited.

FOUR
    This time, I thought he might have a seizure.
    â€˜What do you mean?’ he demanded furiously. ‘I’ve told you! Young Fitzalan has disappeared – vanished into thin air – and Gregory Machin’s been found dead – stabbed – in a locked room. What more do you need to know?’
    It was my turn to sigh and look superior. ‘I need to know when both were last seen and by whom. Were they sighted together or separately? How long was it before either of them was missed? Had the tutor made any enemies among the other members of Francis Lovell’s household? Had he any enemies at Baynard’s Castle?’
    Timothy jerked forward on the