Maleverer shook his head. ‘The Duke of Suffolk says no, and the King agrees. They talked of getting an expert up from the Tower dungeons but by the time he gets up here we’ll be well on our way back if we go by boat. Hopefully.’

‘If the Scotch King ever arrives.’ Rich’s mouth twisted in amusement.

‘If James doesn’t show his mangy arse in York soon the Scotch will smart for this.’

There was a knock at the door and the soldier led the bearward into the room. The big man cringed. Rich waved a hand in front of his nose. ‘God’s bones, you stink!’

‘I’m sorry, my lord,’ the fellow quavered. ‘Only I’ve just been getting the bruin’s carcass out of the church -’

‘How did it get out of its cage?’ Maleverer asked. ‘Were you careless with the latch?’

‘No, sir, I swear. It doesn’t open on a latch. The door is pulled upward from behind. There is a rope from the top of the door. For safety, you see. Someone stood behind the cage, raised the door and tied the end to the back of the cage. Then they ran, leaving the bear to get out.’

‘Anyone could do that?’ Maleverer asked, frowning. ‘Is the door not secured in any way?’

‘No, sir. Who – who would want to let a wild bear out?’

‘Someone who knew I would be walking along that path, late at night,’ I said. ‘I see what happened now. When I came into St Mary’s with Barak someone was in the yard and saw me. They ran down the side of the church, went behind the bear’s cage, then when I left the church they let it out. To kill me.’

‘Where was Barak?’ Maleverer snapped.

I hesitated. ‘I gave him permission to visit someone.’

‘That girl, eh?’

I did not reply. Rich gathered up his papers. ‘Well, Sir William, I cannot stand this stink another moment. If you will excuse me.’ He bowed to Maleverer and left the room. Maleverer glared at the bearward.

‘You should have taken greater care of that animal. What if it had got out when the King was abroad?’

‘But I-’

‘Shut your gob. Now listen, you say nothing about someone opening the cage. Say you forgot to secure the door properly. I don’t want rumours getting about. Understand?’

‘Yes, Sir William. I promise.’

‘You’d better. Now get out. Are there more bear-baitings planned?’

‘Yes, there’s one to entertain the camp on Tuesday. They’re bringing in new bears tomorrow.’

‘Well, keep them somewhere else, outside the manor. Any more escapes and I’ll have you put you in the ring with the bears instead of the dogs. Understand?’

‘Yes, Sir William.’

‘Right. Get out.’

The man left, still cringing. Maleverer sighed, then turned to me. ‘From now on you keep that Barak with you, you don’t go wandering anywhere alone. I’m surprised you did tonight, after nearly being spitted at the camp.’

I sighed. ‘That was careless of me.’

‘Who is doing this?’ he growled savagely. ‘It’s like dealing with a spirit of the air.’ He sighed, then waved a hand. ‘All right. Go.’ He gave me a sidelong look. ‘You’ve another enemy in Richard Rich, by the way. You’d be better off advising the London Council to drop their case. Better for your business, your reputation, everything.’

I did not reply. Maleverer frowned. ‘Obstinate, aren’t you? You’d do better to calculate where your own interests lie.’

As I descended the steps with my guard, I thought of Maleverer’s advice. You certainly protect your own interests, I thought. Getting hold of Aske’s lands that were forfeited to the King and passed to the Court of Augmentations. I wondered what Rich was getting in return.

BARAK RETURNED TO THE lodging house in the small hours. I called him into my cubicle and told him what had happened. I said Maleverer had ordered he must accompany me everywhere.

‘If it must be, it must,’ he said. He looked at me.

‘He guessed you were with Tamasin. You’d better arrange your trysts for when I am safe indoors.’

‘Why does he not just send us back? The petitions are almost done with.’

‘I’m not sure.’ I looked out of the little window of my cubicle. ‘I think I may be bait. To draw out the assassin.’

‘Who the hell is it?’ Barak asked.

‘As I said to Maleverer: someone who watches and waits in the dark for an opportunity. Someone was hidden in the courtyard when we came back from the inn, waiting for an opportunity. They ran round the church and behind the bear’s pen. They probably planned to let the bear loose on me anyway, and by going up to the pen I gave them a wonderful opportunity. This is someone very persistent, waiting for the chance of an ambush like a cat.’

‘One person?’

‘I think so.’

‘A professional?’

I looked at him. ‘What do you think?’

He shook his head. ‘No, this is an opportunist. A professional would have come up behind you and knifed you in the guts. This is someone from the manor, afraid of being seen and recognized. With me with you all the time, you should be safer. And when you’re alone here, he wouldn’t dare risk coming in and letting the clerks see him.’

I laughed bitterly. ‘Those people, my protectors?’ I walked over to the window. ‘Such persistence, such determination. And all because they think I know more about those papers than I do, unless there is something I am missing. If only I could find out more about them. I have turned the contents of that Titulus over in my mind a hundred times. It is so ambiguously worded in places.’

I looked out of the window. I remembered the dream I had had our first day here, that it was like Broderick’s cell in the castle. Then I thought of something, and drew in my breath sharply.

‘What is it?’ Barak was suddenly alert. ‘Someone outside?’

‘No. No, I have thought of something. That poison Broderick used. He had it in his cell at York Castle, but could not have brought it in and no one can have brought it to him. How did he get it?’

‘It’s a riddle.’

‘There must be an answer.’

‘Have you thought of one?’

‘Possibly. When we go to the castle to hear the petitions tomorrow, I want to take another look at that cell.’

NEXT MORNING we set out early for the castle. Another high wind had risen overnight, full of gusty rain. Aske’s skeleton still hung from the tower; the sight of it made me shudder. I looked at the tower where Broderick had been held; as soon as we had a break I intended to visit his old cell.

We entered the courthouse; the benches in the outer hall were filled with people, mostly tradesmen and poor farmers though a few men in more expensive clothes sat stiffly among them. All looked at me apprehensively as I entered in my lawyer’s robes.

Giles sat in a courtroom with dark panelled walls, at a table drawn up beneath the royal arms and covered with a green cloth. He seemed fully restored to health, and with his broad craggy face looked impressively judicial. Beside him sat a thin, dark-haired fellow in his thirties, wearing a dark robe with the badge of the Council of the North.

Giles greeted us cheerfully. ‘Matthew. And Barak, would you sit at the end here and take notes. There is ink and a quill sharpened for you.’ He waved to the man beside him. ‘Master Ralph Waters, representative of the Council of the North.’

I bowed. Master Waters looked amiable enough, a junior official by the look of him. ‘Master Waters is here to represent the council’s interests, for some of the cases this morning involve complaints against it. The compulsory purchase of a piece of land here, a requirement to provide food at low prices there. Master Waters has been instructed to be – accommodating.’

The official smiled. ‘Ay, so the King’s justice can be seen to be merciful. No try-ons, mind,’ he added, raising a finger. ‘I won’t have try-ons.’

‘Nor will we,’ Giles agreed heartily. ‘Eh, Brother Shardlake? We’ll send false petitioners out with their tails between their legs.’ He seemed to be enjoying the prospect of the day’s work. ‘Now then, let us make ready, look over the cases then have the petitioners in.’