The Devil's Domain (33 page)

‘What am I to do, Father?’ he pleaded. ‘I have got no home to go to.’

Athelstan dug into his purse and brought out one of the coins Gaunt had given him. He flicked this at Godbless, who deftly caught it.

‘This is your home, Godbless. By the power given to me by Holy Mother Church,’ he raised his hand in blessing, ‘not to mention the provisions of Canon Law, I forget which clauses, I now make you
custos
, guardian, of God’s acre, of our cemetery here at St Erconwald’s. Your official residence will be the death house. I’ll get those two reprobates Watkin and Pike to build a new one near the wall.’ Athelstan rubbed his hands. ‘Aye, the dead will be able to sleep in peace now. Your task, Godbless, and Thaddeus, will be to guard that cemetery with your life.’

The beggar chortled with glee, hugged Thaddeus and kissed the goat between its ears. Athelstan glimpsed a furry movement down near the porch, lithe and quick.

‘Oh, and go tell Ranulf,’ he said, I think I know where his ferret is hiding!’

The Abrin seed is not a figment of the writer’s imagination. It contains a very toxic protein which causes nausea and very serious, and rapid, damage to vital organs. The seeds have a very hard coating and only become poisonous when they are chewed. This property was used in the past for trial by ordeal, particularly in Venice. The suspected persons were given paternoster peas to swallow: those whom the authorities wanted to escape were secretly warned not to chew them!

1. THE NIGHTINGALE GALLERY

2. THE HOUSE OF THE RED SLAYER

3. MURDER MOST HOLY

4. THE ANGER OF GOD

5. BY MURDER'S BRIGHT LIGHT

6. THE HOUSE OF CROWS

7. THE ASSASSIN'S RIDDLE

8. THE DEVIL'S DOMAIN

9. THE FIELD OF BLOOD

10. THE HOUSE OF SHADOWS

11. BLOODSTONE

12. THE STRAW MEN

13. CANDLE FLAME

14. BOOK OF FLAMES