Fitzosbert smiled and winked. ‘Of course, Sir John. No problem. I will carry out any order given to me by such an illustrious coroner of the city.’

Cranston pulled a face and he and the friar walked as fast as dignity would allow from that loathsome place. When the great gate of Newgate slammed behind them, Cranston leaned against it, gasping for clean air, his great body quivering like a beached whale’s.

‘Thank God!’ he spluttered. ‘Thank God to be out of there! Pray to your God and anyone else you know that you never land up in the power of Fitzosbert, in one of those Godforsaken cells!’

He looked up at the great tower soaring above him.

‘If I had my way, I would burn the entire place to the ground and hang Fitzosbert on a scaffold as high as the sky. But, come, Whitefriars and the Springall mansion await.’

Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

They collected their horses and made their way down Fleet Street towards the high white chalk store building of White-friars. As the press of people was so great, they walked their horses.

‘Do you think Solper was right about Springall?’ asked Athelstan.

Sir John nodded. ‘I suspected as much. Many men have such inclinations. Yet, you know the sentence for such crimes: boiled alive in a great vat over a roaring fire at Southwark. Not the usual end for a powerful London merchant! Hence the secrecy, and hence perhaps the vicious quarrel with Brampton, the rather effete manners of Master Buckingham, as well as the fact that Sir Thomas did not sleep with his wife.’ He looked slyly at the friar. ‘Such a woman, such a body! It fair makes your mouth water. Why should a real man lock himself away from such pleasures, eh?’ He stopped momentarily to watch a juggler. ‘Springall, like many a man,’ he said, pushing forward again, ‘had his public life and his private one. I suspect if the drapes were really pulled aside, we would find a stinking mess.’ He lifted his hand and gestured to the great houses on either side, soaring four storeys above them, blocking out the hot afternoon sun. ‘In any of these buildings scandal, sin, failings and weaknesses are to be found. They even say,’ he nudged Athelstan playfully, ‘that vices similar to Springall’s are found in monasteries and among friars. What do you think of that, Brother, eh?’

I would say that priests are like any other men, be they lawyer or coroner, Sir John, they have their weaknesses. And, but for the grace of God . . .’ Athelstan let his voice trail away. ‘But why are we here?’ he asked angrily, realising they were entering the area around the great Carmelite monastery.