Dead Man's Ransom - Plot Summary

Plot Summary

The story opens in February 1141 when Hugh Beringar, Deputy Sheriff of Shropshire, returns with the survivors of the Battle of Lincoln, bringing news of a disastrous defeat. King Stephen has been captured, and the future of England is uncertain. Beringar's superior, Sheriff Gilbert Prestcote, has been taken prisoner by Welshmen allied to Empress Maud.

Two days later, Sister Magdalen, from the nearby convent at Godric's Ford, reports the raid by Welshmen returning from Lincoln. They were driven off, leaving as prisoner a young man who had nearly drowned in their swollen stream. He speaks Welsh in the hands of his captors; Brother Cadfael, sent to treat his wounds, easily catches him out. Chastised and chagrined, Elis ap Cynan claims his rank as cousin to Owain Gwynedd. Hugh Beringar dispatches Cadfael into Wales to negotiate an exchange of prisoners: Elis for Gilbert Prestcote.

Cadfael proceeds to Tregeiriog in Gwynedd, the holding of Tudur ap Rhys and where Owain holds court. He meets Tudur's daughter Cristina, betrothed to Elis, and Eliud, Elis's foster-brother. He overhears Cristina and Eliud arguing, and mistakes their meaning. He thinks Elis neglects Cristina because she is jealous of the friendship between him and Eliud.

In Shrewsbury Castle, Elis meets Prestcote's daughter Melicent, and they fall completely in love. Melicent believes that her father will never consent to their marriage.

Einon ab Ithel, one of Owain's captains, brings Prestcote from Wales. Eliud accompanies them, as Einon's groom and as the hostage to remain in Shrewsbury while Elis returns to Wales. The ill and wounded Prestcote is taken to the infirmary at Shrewsbury Abbey. While monks and guests in the Abbey are at their midday meal, Elis tells Eliud of his love for Melicent and his plan to ask her father for her hand in marriage. Elis goes to Prestcote's room, only to be ejected from the ward by Brother Edmund, the Infirmarer.

As Einon prepares to leave, Eliud asks Cadfael to go with him to recover Einon's cloak, which he left behind in Prestcote's room. They find that Prestcote is dead, smothered in his sleep.

The Welsh will not ransom a live man with a dead man. Eliud, Elis and six other Welshmen of Einon's party must remain as suspects. After Einon departs for Wales, Melicent accuses Elis of murdering her father, as the only one known to enter the room. Elis protests his innocence. Cadfael recalls that an ornate gold pin which had fastened Einon's cloak was missing when Prestcote was found dead. Elis does not have it, so others have entered the room. Elis and Eliud share a cell in the Castle under their parole of honour not to leave. After her father's funeral, Melicent departs for Godric's Ford with Sister Magdalen, sorting out her own feelings.

Cadfael closely examines the body of Prestcote to recover richly-dyed woollen threads and some gold thread, which came from the cloth used to smother him. No cloth within the Abbey matches them. Suspicion next falls on Anion ap Griffri, recovering from a broken leg. Prestcote had ordered the hanging of his half-brother for his part in a fatal brawl, providing motive. Anion has fled, presumed to Wales.

Hugh Beringar takes half of his armed men to join forces with Owain Gwynedd to deal with raids by Ranulf of Chester in the northern part of the county. Cadfael wonders whether Einon took with him the rich cloth used to smother Prestcote. Cadfael returns to Tregeiriog, where Owain Gwynedd, Einon and Hugh Beringar will meet. There, Cristina tells Cadfael her father has freed her to marry who she loves. He realises his earlier mistake. Cristina and Eliud are in love with each other, but Eliud never spoke his love from loyalty to Elis.

At Owain’s court, Anion appears, as his father asks that this son be recognized as his lawful heir. This wish is granted by Owain after Anion explains how he took the ornate gold pin from Prestcote, thinking it his, to give to his father as galanas for the brother Prestcote hanged. The pin is returned to Einon.

Before dawn, Hugh Beringar arrives with news that the raiding Welshman from Powys are nearing Godric's Ford. He obtains fresh horses for their pursuit. In the bustle, Cadfael sees Einon's ornate saddlecloth and realises it was the murder weapon. He now knows who the murderer is, but tells no one. He asks Owain Gwynedd whether atonement for Prestcote's murder requires another death, pleading that atonement by penitence would be preferable. Owain agrees, holding that guilt is considered in degrees.

At the castle, Elis overhears the messenger deliver the news of the raid on Godric's Ford. Frantic for Melicent's safety, he breaks his parole, making his way there on foot. Hugh Beringar's lieutenant, Alan Herbard, sets out to intercept the raiders. He takes Eliud with him, under sentence of death if Elis proves false. As the raiders arrive to attack the convent, Elis confronts them in Welsh, telling them they are shameful to attack innocent holy women. A Welshman looses an arrow at him, but Eliud throws himself in front of Elis and the arrow pins them together, wounding both of them. Elis's intervention gave time for Beringar and Herbard to arrive; the raiders are routed and flee into Powys. Beringar has established his ability to hold his borders safe, working with Owain Gywnedd.

As Cadfael treats his wound, Eliud confesses to the murder of Prestcote. Before he met Elis at the Abbey, Eliud went to Prestcote's chamber to recover Einon's cloak, with Einon's saddlecloth on his arm. In a moment of hot blood in his love of Cristina, he smothered Prestcote with it, regretting it even as he acted. It is all for naught, as he learned minutes later, when Elis confessed his love for Melicent, not Cristina. Eliud left the cloak behind and later he asked Cadfael to accompany him to the room to ensure that the death was discovered. Melicent overhears the confession.

Hugh Beringar has no option but to hold Eliud for Prestcote's murder. Hugh sends the six Welshmen who are still at Shrewsbury to carry Elis back to Wales. Elis and Melicent conspire to substitute an unconscious Eliud for Elis, thus removing Eliud from Hugh's jurisdiction. Cadfael and Sister Magdalen are aware of this plan, never speaking of it.

Beringar cannot press any charge against Elis. Elis will return to Wales when he is healed, where he can properly court Melicent. Eliud and Cristina meet in Wales, where justice lies with Owain Gwynedd. Cadfael observes to Hugh Beringar that even God, when He intends mercy, needs tools to His hand.