Anxious to make up lost ground, Drogo went off to find his master as soon as he had something to report. Mauger Livarot was at the rear of the house, testing a new shield he had had made, engaging in mock combat with one of his men and fending off his adversary's sword with deft use of the shield. The steward waited until the clang of iron ceased and the two men stepped apart. He wished that he had not come upon his master when the latter had a weapon in his hand. After dismissing his man-at-arms with a rod, Livarot put down the shield and turned to his steward.

*I hope you've brought no more bad tidings,' he said.

*No, my lord.'

*Next time one of your spies is caught, leave him to rot where he lies.'

*Yes, my lord. I'm sorry that I brought Clamahoc back here.'

*What have you done with the man?'

*Sent him on his way with food and a little money.'

*More fool you!' sneered the other. *You're too soft-hearted, Drogo.'

*That's not a complaint you'll be called on to make again,' promised the steward. *But I've other news. I spoke to the man who trailed the two commissioners. They tracked down Jocelyn Vavasour somewhere near the coast.'

*Why?'

*That I can't say, my lord. It was impossible to get close enough to overhear them. But the visit had an unexpected result, it seems.'

*Unexpected?'

*Yes, my lord,' said Drogo. *The lord Jocelyn left with them.'

*But he vowed to live as an anchorite.'

*Something they told him made him abandon his hermetic life for a while.'

*We must find out what it was, Drogo.'

*They'll be dining at the castle this evening. I've a man there who might overhear what we need to know. He's among those who'll be serving the guests.'

*Is the lord Jocelyn at the castle as well?'

*Apparently not,' said the other. *The commissioners returned without him. They parted company with the anchorite on the way.'

*Where did he go?'

*We don't know as yet.'

*What of the lord sheriff?' asked Livarot, sheathing his sword.

*He and his men haven't ridden into the city yet. As soon as they do, I'll have a report on where they went and what they found. Meanwhile,' said Drogo, allowing himself a smirk of self-congratulation, *I've search parties of our own in action. They, too, should be bringing back news before long.'

*What I want brought back to me is two gold elephants.'

*You'll have them, my lord.'

*I hope so,' said Livarot. *I need them to honour a promise I gave once again this afternoon. I don't care to disappoint a lady, Drogo. That means we must recover the missing animals before anyone else does. There are too many hounds in this chase - the lord sheriff, his deputy, royal commissioners, Richard de Fontenel - and my fear is that one of them may run the elephants to ground before us. That mustn't happen!'

*We're doing all we can.'

*At all events, they must never be returned to the lord Richard. Take note of that. My plans will be ruined if they are. They're the key to everything.'

*I understand that, my lord.'

*Good.' He cleared his throat and spat on the ground. *It's such a pity that Clamahoc was caught. We need an eye on the lord Richard.'

*We still have one,' said Drogo, ready to part with what he thought would be the most intriguing piece of information. *There's a lorimer in the main street below the castle whom I pay to watch who comes and goes. He can be useful at times. While he makes spurs for his customers, he keeps the whole street under surveillance. This afternoon, he saw someone call at a shop not far from his own.'

*Who was it?'

*Richard de Fontenel.'

*What was he doing in Norwich?'

*Visiting a goldsmith.'

Mauger Livarot raised his eyebrows in surprise. The steward gave a sn.i.g.g.e.r.

*I thought you'd be interested to hear that, my lord,' he said.

Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret were still in the hall when Eustace Coureton joined them. Having taken off his armour, he now wore a fresh tunic and mantle. Though he had a contented smile, he moved rather stiffly and was grateful to lower himself on to a bench near his colleagues.

*My old bones are starting to creak,' he said with a chuckle. *I had difficulty climbing the stairs to my chamber.'

*Have you been asleep?' asked Ralph.

*No, I refreshed myself by reading for a little while.'

*Horace, no doubt.'

*Cicero, actually. A more cunning politician.'

*Too cunning for his own good in the end,' noted Gervase. *He was executed.'

*Not before he wrote some sublime speeches and essays.'

*Spare us any quotations from them,' said Ralph, holding up his hands. *Gervase and I have been comparing what each of us found out today. It's mystifying to me.'

*What is?' asked Coureton.

*The more information we gather, the further away we seem from the man we're after. As for those tiny elephants, we might as well search for an ant in a cornfield. They're so easy to conceal. They could be anywhere.'

*I was musing on them as well, Ralph. We came to Norwich to settle a dispute between two human elephants. At least, that's how Richard de Fontenel and Mauger Livarot seem to me. Big, strong, ungainly creatures who trample everyone in their way and who bellow aloud while they're doing so. Instead of which,' he said, resignedly, *we're spending our time in pursuit of two small fourfooted elephants and I'm coming to the view that it might be safest for everyone if they're never found.'

*Why do you say that?' asked Gervase.

*I'll tell you later. I don't wish to upset Ralph.'

*With what?'

*Another Latin quotation.'

*Oh, go on,' sighed Ralph. *I'll steel myself to bear it.'

*Aurum irrepertum et sic melius situm.'

*Cicero?'

*Horace.'

*I feared that it might be. Will someone tell me what it means?'

*I'll try,' said Gervase. *My translation would be, "Gold undiscovered, and all the better for being so." Is that close enough, my lord?'

*I can't fault it,' said Coureton. *I know that those elephants were blessed by the Pope and brought all the way from Rome but they're leaving havoc in their wake. Our friend, the anchorite, must be regretting he ever bought them.'

*They're holy treasures.'

*That hasn't stopped them being stolen.'

*Twice, my lord. First from the abbey and then from the lord Richard.'

*Did you tell him they'd have to be returned to Abbot Alfwold?'

*Yes,' said Gervase. *A look of panic came into his eyes. There's no way that he can use them as a wedding gift now. Indeed, if we can prove that he ordered them to be stolen, he won't be in a position to marry anyone.'

Gervase went on to tell Coureton about his earlier visit, abbreviating detail that Ralph had already heard. The old soldier heard it all with philosophical calm. The three men were discussing the implications of what they had learned when the door opened and Roger Bigot came in. Hot, dusty and tired from several hours in the saddle, he gave them a weary greeting and stood with his hands on his hips.

*I hope that your day has been more fruitful than ours,' he said.

*Very fruitful, my lord sheriff,' said Ralph, cheerily. *We not only found Jocelyn the Anchorite, we spurred him into joining the search for those elephants.'

*It was Gervase who made the most crucial discovery,' said Coureton. *When he called on the lord Richard, he found out who stole the objects from the abbey.'

Bigot was startled. *The lord Richard confessed?'

*On the contrary,' explained Gervase. *He swore that he bought the wedding gift from a merchant in France. But he unwittingly gave me the name I wanted. It wasn't Starculf who spent the night at the abbey and made off with their treasures.'

*Then who was it?'

*Hermer.'

*He used a false name?'

*Yes, my lord sheriff. So that no trail would lead to his master. I don't think that Starculf went anywhere near the abbey of St Benet.'

*He did, Master Bret. That's the one thing we did learn.'

*Oh?'

*Several sightings have been made of him in the county. Starculf is here without any doubt. I feel it,' he said, ruefully. *Someone is hiding him.'

Chapter Eleven.

Gervase Bret was slightly concerned about his wife. When the visitors dined with their hosts that evening in the hall, Alys was unusually subdued and had little appet.i.te for the rich fare that was served. Though she a.s.sured her husband that she was well, he sensed that she was putting on a brave face in order to conceal some malady. Once back in their chamber, however, Alys seemed to recover her spirits at once. She was bright, talkative and almost exuberant. Seeing the anxiety in his eyes, she gave him a kiss and squeezed his arms by way of rea.s.surance.

*Stop worrying about me, Gervase,' she said. *I feel fine.'

*You didn't appear so in the hall.'

*That was only because I was so shy. You must remember that this is in the nature of an adventure to me. I've never stayed in a castle before as the guest of a sheriff and his wife. I know they've both been very hospitable but I feel a little overwhelmed.'

*You've no need to be, Alys.'

*I'm taking time to get used to the honour.'

*It's no more than you deserve, my love,' he said, fondly. *Make the most of it in the same way that Golde does. She's always completely at her ease.'

*I do admire her for that, but I'm more reserved than Golde. It was the same when we visited the lady Adelaide. Golde was quite relaxed while I found it an effort to join in the conversation.'

*Why?'

*The lady Adelaide has that effect on me, Gervase. She's so beautiful.'

*Beside you, she's practically invisible,' he said, loyally.

Alys laughed. *That's not what Ralph thinksa"or any of those men who were at the banquet on our first night here. The lady Adelaide enchanted them all in a way that I could never match. It's very sweet of you to flatter me,' she said, beaming gratefully, *but I won't pretend that I can compete with her. And it wasn't just the lady herself. It's the house where she lives. It's sumptuous, Gervase.'

*Golde found that ostentation rather tasteless.'

*It overpowered me. I felt so small and insignificant.'

*Well, you're neither of those things to me,' he said, enfolding her in his arms. I'll admit I had grave doubts about asking you to join me on this visit but they've all faded away now. I'm so glad that you came.'

*Are you?'

*Very glad, my love.'

*Does that mean I can ride out with you tomorrow?'

*Tomorrow?'

*Yes,' she said, smiling. *Golde has offered to go with you to the Henstead hundred and I want to come as well.'

Gervase hesitated. *That might not be such a good idea, Alys.'