Page 104 of Cain His Brother (William Monk 6)

Monk turned to look at Ravensbrook, studied his face for a moment, then abandoned the idea and spoke instead to the remaining gaoler.

“What happened?” he asked. “Tell us precisely, and in exact order as you remember it. Start when Lord Ravensbrook arrived.”

He did not question who Monk was, or what authority he had to be demanding explanations. The tone in Monk’s voice was sufficient, and the gaoler was overwhelmingly relieved to hand over responsibility to someone else, anyone at all.

“ ’Is lordship came in wi’ permission from the ’ead warder for ’im ter visit wi’ the prisoner,” he responded.

“ ’Im bein’ a relative, like, an’ the prisoner lookin’ fit ter be sent down, then like as not, topped.”

“Where is the head warder?” Rathbone interrupted.

“Goin’ ter speak wi’ the judge,” the gaoler replied. “Dunno wot ’appens next. Never ’ad no one killed in the middle o’ a trial afore, leastways not while I were ’ere.” He shivered. He had taken the glass of water, theoretically for Ravensbrook, and it slurped at the edges as his hand shook.

Rathbone took it from him and set it down.

“So you opened the cell and allowed Lord Ravensbrook in?” Monk prompted.

“Yes, sir. An’ o’ course I locked it be’ind ’im, the prisoner bein’ charged wi’ a violent crime, like, it were necessary.”

“Of course it was,” Monk agreed. “Then what happened?”

“Nuffink, for ’bout five minutes or so.”

“You waited out here?”

“O’ course.”

“And after five minutes?”

“ ’Is lordship, Lord Ravensbrook, ’e knocked on the door an’ asked ter come out. I thought it was kind o’ quick, but it in’t none o’ my business. So I let ’im aht. But ’e weren’t through.” He was still holding the rolled-up handkerchief at Ravensbrook’s chest, and the blood was seeping through his fingers. “ ’E said as the prisoner wanted ter write ’is last statement an’ ’ad I any paper and a pen an’ ink,” he went on, his voice hoarse. “Well, o’ course I don’t ’ave it in me pocket, like, but I told ’im as I could send for ’em, which I did. I’nt that right, me lord?” He looked down at Ravensbrook for confirmation, but Ravensbrook seemed almost unaware of him.

“You sent for them. Who did you send?” Monk pressed.

“Jimson, the other bloke on watch wi’ me. The feller wot yer sent for the nurse.”

“And you locked the cell door?”

“O’ course I locked it.” There was indignation in his voice.

“And Lord Ravensbrook waited out here with you?”

“Yeah, yeah ’e did.”

“Did he say anything?”

Ravensbrook neither moved on his chair nor made any sound.

“Wot, ter me?” the gaoler said with surprise. “Wot would a lordship talk ter the likes o’ me abaht?”

“You waited in silence?” Monk asked.

“Yeah. Weren’t long, three or four minutes, then Jimson came back wi’ pen an’ paper an’ ink. I gave ’em ter ’is lordship, opened the cell door again, and ’e went in, an’ I locked it.”

“And then?”

The man screwed up his face in concentration. “I’m trying ter think as if I ’eard any think, but I can’t recall as I did. I should ’ave …”

“Why?”