That had been at Swaffham. Now, Corbett knew, Edward and his young French queen, Margaret, would be at| Walsingham.
'I'll wait,' Corbett muttered to himself. 'I'll wait a little longer. If Monck doesn't tell me the truth, I'll ride to; Walsingham and demand it from the king myself!'
Corbett went and lay down on his bed. Closing his eyes, he drifted into sleep. Outside darkness fell and the rising song of the Dark Angel began to be heard above the roar of the sea.
Chapter 5
'Master!'
Corbett opened his eyes. Ranulf was bending over him.
'Master, the steward is summoning us to supper!'
Corbett swung his legs off the bed. He stared at Ranulf and Maltote, who were still swathed in their cloaks, the raindrops glistening in the flickering candlelight.
'We went to the Hermitage,' Ranulf said. 'Master Joseph was surprisingly friendly. He allowed us to come in. He, too, thinks he's seen me before, though he can't remember where.'
Corbett rubbed his face in his hands.
'Did you talk to any of the community?'
'Yes, although Nettler and Master Joseph were always in attendance. Everyone we spoke to said that Marina was a happy girl. But they all agreed that, in the days before she died, she became withdrawn.'
'And?'
'She had nightmares. The women – they sleep in one dormitory and the men in the other – heard her calling out the name Blanche in her sleep.'
'Who is Blanche?'
'A childhood friend of Marina's. She was the reeve's daughter, one of the first to enter the community. She left over a year ago.'
Corbett sighed. He got up and went to the lavarium, where he bathed his hands and face and dried himself on a towel. Ranulf and Maltote took off their cloaks and boots, slipped on soft leather buskins, washed and followed Corbett down to the main hall.