Heartstone by C. J. Sansom

thin, grey-haired clerk in a dusty robe sat working at a desk. A younger, thin-faced clerk was arranging papers on the shelves that lined the walls from floor to ceiling. The older clerk looked up, the steady scratch of his quill ceasing, and came across to me. His lined face was expressionless, but his eyes were sharp and calculating. He bowed briefly, then laid a pair of ink-stained hands on the counter and stared at me enquiringly, quite unintimidated by my serjeant’s coif. The clerks held great power in all the courts, but usually they showed deference to barristers and serjeants. The Court of Wards, it seemed, was different.
    â€˜Yes, sir?’ he asked neutrally.
    I opened my satchel and laid Michael Calfhill’s summons on the counter. ‘Good day, master clerk. My name is Serjeant Shardlake. I wish to go on record in this case. I believe Master Warner, the Queen’s attorney, has written to Attorney Sewster.’
    He looked at the paper, then back at me, his expression a shade more respectful. ‘Yes, sir. I was told to allow a late entry on the record. But Master Sewster also told me to say, sir, that evidence to support the plaintiff’s case needs to be filed quickly.’
    â€˜I understand. Were you told the man that laid the Bill of Information has died?’
    â€˜Yes.’ He shook his head sadly. ‘The plaintiff dead, a lawyer instructed four days before the hearing, no depositions, no papers. Sir William will be placed in difficulties at the hearing. The proper procedures have to be followed. The interests of young children are at stake, you see.’
    â€˜I would be willing to show good appreciation for any help you can give me now. I hope to have fresh depositions shortly.’ I slipped my hand under my robe, to my purse, ‘Master -’
    â€˜Mylling, sir, under-clerk.’ He turned his palm slowly upwards. I glanced at his young colleague, still putting away papers. ‘Oh, don’t heed him,’ Mylling said. ‘Five shillings in the new money to see all the papers about the wardship, three in proper silver.’
    I blinked. The whole legal and government system was lubricated by bribes. Money or expensive gifts were passed to officials from parties to legal cases, merchants looking to supply the army, people wishing to buy monastic land. But usually these presents were made semi-covertly, described as gifts in token of personal esteem. And those who asked for too much too often, as rumour said Rich had done last year, got into trouble. For a clerk to ask a serjeant blatantly for money like this was remarkable. But this, I reflected, was the Court of Wards. I handed over the money. The young clerk went on with his filing, quite uninterested in what was clearly routine business.
    Mylling’s manner became friendly. ‘I’ll get you on the record, sir, and fetch the papers. But, sir, I tell you in your own interest, you need witnesses that can give some credibility to Master Calfhill’s accusations. I am being honest with you, as I was with Master Calfhill when he came.’
    â€˜Michael Calfhill saw you when he made the application?’ I asked.
    â€˜Yes.’ Mylling looked at me curiously. ‘Did you know him?’
    â€˜No. I only took instructions from his mother yesterday. What was he like?’
    Mylling thought a moment. ‘Strange. You could see he’d never been in court before. Just said terrible things had been done to this young ward, he wanted it brought before Sir William at once.’ Mylling leaned his elbows on the desk. ‘He seemed wild, distracted. I wondered if he was a bit brainsick at first, but then I thought, no, he is -’ he thought a moment - ‘outraged.’
    â€˜Yes,’ I said. ‘That fits.’
    Mylling turned to his assistant. ‘The papers, Alabaster,’ he said. The young man had been listening after all, for he immediately began rooting in the dog-eared