The assembled magnates looked as puzzled as Aldred felt. Why was Wynstan underlining his own wickedness?

“And worse of all,” Wynstan cried, “these belonged to a priest!”

Yes, Aldred thought; they belonged to you.

Then Wynstan pointed dramatically and said: “Cuthbert!”

Everyone looked at Cuthbert.

Wynstan said: “Imagine my surprise—imagine my horror—when I learned that this foul crime was being committed under my very nose!”

Aldred’s mouth dropped open in shock.

There was a stunned silence in the crowd: everyone was astonished. They had all thought Wynstan was the culprit.

Wynstan said: “I should have known. I accuse myself of negligence. A bishop must be vigilant, and I failed.”

Aldred found his voice. He shouted at Wynstan: “But you were the instigator!”

Wynstan said sorrowfully: “Ah—I knew wicked men would try to implicate me. It’s my own fault. I gave them the opening.”

Cuthbert said: “You told me to forge money. I just wanted to make ornaments for the church. You made me do it!” He was crying.

Wynstan maintained his regretful expression. “My son, you think you will make your crime seem less if you pretend you were talked into it by your superiors—”

“I was!”

Wynstan shook his head sadly. “It won’t work. You did what you did. So don’t add perjury to your list of crimes.”

Cuthbert turned to Wilwulf. “I confess,” he said miserably. “I forged pennies. I know I will be punished. But the bishop dreamed up the whole scheme. Don’t let him escape blame.”

Wilwulf said: “Remember that false accusation is a serious matter, Cuthbert.” He turned to Wynstan. “Carry on, bishop.”

Wynstan turned his attention to the assembled magnates, all of whom were watching raptly. “The crime was well hidden,” he said. “Dean Degbert himself did not know what Cuthbert was up to in his little workshop attached to the minster.”

Cuthbert said piteously: “Degbert knew everything!”

Wynstan said: “Step forward, Degbert.”

Degbert did as he was told, and Aldred noted that he was now standing among the magnates, as if one of them, rather than a criminal they had to judge.

Wynstan said: “The dean admits his fault. Like me, he was negligent—but in his case the fault was worse, because he was at the minster every day, whereas I was only an occasional visitor.”

Aldred said: “Degbert helped you spend the money!”

Wynstan ignored that. “I have taken it upon myself, as bishop, to punish Degbert. He has been expelled from the minster and stripped of his title of dean. Today he is a simple, humble priest, and I have brought him under my personal supervision.”

Aldred thought: So he moves from the minster to the cathedral—no great hardship.

Could this possibly be happening?

Den shouted out: “That’s no punishment for a forger!”

“I agree,” said Wynstan. “And Degbert is no forger.” He looked around. “Nobody here denies that it was Cuthbert who made the coins.”

That was the truth, Aldred thought ruefully. It was not the whole truth, not by a long way, but it was not actually a lie.