Greenwood Knight

Chapter 52

"Have you seen any of the letters that go back and forth? You say there have been many."

"There have been many. And as often as not, the messenger delivers a message verbally. I am not privy to any of those messages. However, and this is why I sent for you, after the Bishop's last missive, Norbert was more anxious than ever I have seen him. He kept to his rooms for three days and sent out several letters, of which I was not privy."

"And then?"

"Nothing. Norbert seemed less anxious when he came out from his rooms. If not less anxious, then at least he was anxious of a different matter entirely. It was more anticipation than anxiety, I think. He was waiting for replies to his missives. And after each came, he seemed greatly disappointed. He became..."

"He slept little and ate less?" Erec asked, suspecting he understood at least part of what was meant.

"Just so." Lady Alexandi nodded. "But then another messenger came. He carried a leather pouch over his shoulder. It was about so big..."

Here the lady used her hands to indicate a pouch that was two-and-one-half hands square and one hand in thickness. Erec knew it. When he was away on campaign the king's messenger often carried a similar pouch as it held several missives in it.

"And it was bulging. The ties that held it closed were tied near the end, it was so full. When the messenger left, the bag was limp and empty. I waited two days for Norbert to leave the room and when he did, I looked for those letters."

"Did you find them?"

Her shoulders sagged under the weight of her failure as she shook her head.

"None of them? Then why..."

"But I found this and ...and I think it has to do with you?"

She handed him three sheets.

The first was a quick note unsigned and undated that indicated the included sheets were copied from papers found in Bishop A's personal papers without his knowledge or consent.

The second page was a short letter of admonishment, asking Father G. to set to rights a certain grievous error on his part and it was signed by Bishop Anouk. Erec looked at it, but did not see the relevance.

The third page was a receipt dated withing the last year. It was for monies received from Lord Duplechain to be kept and invested in trust for his grandson until further instruction was given. The receipt was written by a different person than the one that signed it as the writing was notably different, but this was not unusual when scribes were used.

Erec frowned.

"Bishop Morchat's letter said the name of my mother's family was Duplechain. This was dated within the last year...so he lives? My grandfather lives? And he knows of me?" Erec frowned.

"That is so but..."

"But what has this to do with the Bishop?"

"Look at the first note again. It said both were taken from Bishop Anouk's personal things. The second was a letter signed by him, so I assumed it was in written by him as well."

Erec's frown deepened.

"Look at the writing on the last two documents."

Erec blinked in shock as the significance of what the lady just said sank in. Slowly he moved the two pages so that they overlapped and he could compare the writing.

It was the same.

Lord Cleve Joseph Duplechain was his grandfather...and Bishop Anouk was Lord Cleve Joseph Duplechain.