Mary of Bingham

During the early part of the period, there was no real enforcement agency until 1829 when Metropolitan Police was founded. Prior to that period, only the knights or the Lords commanded law and order. This is a tale before then when the King had to intervene with personal aides assigned to do such tasks. This is one tale of that aide who happeneds to be a lady named Mary of Bingham. She is a 'detective' and a vixen too....

"Alas, I would be late." I pushed my legs to walked brisk as I held my head down from the stares of any who may had laid their eyes on me. Its dangerous times which we live in now as orders ruled by the the elites and rich while we the poor ones are subject to their chaos. Many had died in the last plaque but I survived as I was smart to avoid the sick and kept locked in the manor lest I be exposed to the sickness that prevail outside. I cried my sins to the Fathers' and plead for my redemption of the sin, but my life meant more to me than its would ever be now. Its not often that you get a beau to love you for not your flesh but also your soul, and its he whom I run to seek now. The little wrapping I carry with me would be his tool to free me of my misery and also his to be restored to his previous standing among the elites. He needs it to clear his name and his family crest be erected back on its pedestal in the great hall of the manor.

Its the tunnel under the bridge, I am seeking and what awaits there would be my purpose of such a risky journey. I hurried to the side of the bridge and slide down the thickets on the slope. It may dirty my dress but its does not stopped me from my quest. I am down on the small stream that runs beneath it.

"Mary, bless be there for you are here. I was afraid you be forgotten and I was to leave." Its my friend and lover in this crime, Bruce of Lockshire. He is dressed in his uniform of the Royal Musketeer but due to his current standing he is a junior officer in the ranks. Brian was relieved of his inheritance as he is the bastard son of rich Lord but his mother is of the wrong descent.. His mother's country is now technically at war with England, making his life all the more difficult. So he was stripped of his rank and demoted to the lowest junior one. His only way to reclaim his rank and title was to prove his link to the father who was the Lord. But the old man has died and now the estate is under the rightful heir, Charles of Lockshire. It has been a bitter fight for the two as they journey to Court and demand justice be carried out.

I ran into his arms and he held me tight, while our lips were sealed in tight with the surge of passion that thrill down our spine. That moment of time, all of my concerns slipped away as I returned his passionate kisses on mine. He trails his kisses to my left cheeks and down my neck to nibble at my shoulder.. His tiny bites on my shoulder caused me to move my upper body to his caress as he trails his lips on below my jaw.

"Brian, we must stop....." but my words meant nothing to my heart as I longed for him to continue on his minstrel on my sensitive spots below my neck. His hands was not as rigid in their movements they tried to lower my bodice to maul my body further on. But my senses came to mind and I pushed him apart. "Brian, time is of importance. Here is what you needed. Do good with it and you may claimed me for yours. I must go as she may be awake soon."

"I am so sorry, Mary. My love for you has blinded me of my task on hand. I give you my solemn promise that upon the deliverance of these documents, I would be at your aside and claimed you for mine. Not in flesh but also in love as my wife." He was ever sweet in his choice of words but I know the throes of passion has to end for now. "I would be back as soon as I can."

I watched as the passionate man ran up the slope and mount his horse. He was riding on his stead while I adjust my clothes to look prim and proper. Then I took my own path back to the Manor and the dreaded life within its walls. But this time I came home not to a dreadful life but a more torturous one indeed.

"Mary of Bingham. I brought you here to live a life better than your previous ones, with food and shelter to provided on a needful and daily basis. The same needs which I gave you also saved you from the disease that ravage your family members. And this I am shown by your return of my hospitality; a treacherous steal of some of my personal effects and passing it to my half brother, Brian. You are a young fool to allowed him to liberty of you to do such foul acts. Tell me, do I speak the truth, Mary Of Bingham. And how may I tell the King of your treachery." The man who retorted me is Charles, the current rightful owner of this manor and estate. He is also the half brother of Brian whom he had acquired the other's share of the inheritance by acts of stealth and cheats.

I am who he said; a lady of a fine home raising until the plague claimed everyone leaving me an orphan. But his take on my inheritance was partially true. The family I was with is a fine home of a Lord that was close to the King. Upon my personal loss, I was to stay with the household of the King. As I have displayed my uncanny abilities in resolving many cases that confused the Kings' advisers, the King has given me this unique task to resolve. The King has admiration for the family and does not want the public bad of him when he judged on it. So he asked me to determine the truth of the matter. In order for me to perform the task, I was given refuge here in the manor as an orphan in need of love and family. But in my refuge I discovered more than the truth through my investigation as I find myself in love with the persons involved in the case. A sin which I have confessed at the booth every Sunday.

"Yes, what you said is correct. I did relief you of the documents to pass to your half brother, but its not what you may think. Brian is on the verge of taking over your estate with the emergence of the new will which you were not privy to. And my in depth and thorough investigation for the last year as the King's Special Investigator of the Court, I have perform treachery in this case. If you must know why, I would explain. I have failed to rebuke Brian's claim as there was none to disqualify the will. He is well defended by his birth mother who was your father's lover before. Its not a hidden but a known fact among the peers. Nevertheless, Brian needed that document which is in your care to consolidate his position, and I handed him that. A document you hold which tells of your father's association to the  French lady. That document boost his chance to be declared equal heir as his birth mother. But I have also a signed confession from the treacherous Baron Helmut which implicate your family in trying to overthrow the King. " I gazed into the man's eyes to see if he does understand me. Apparently he did not.

"A letter which would implicate me too; I am also his son. So by default, both Brian and myself are traitors. We would both hanged in the Tower of London." My master now pleads for his innocence.

"Yes, you impudent fool." I am annoyed at the poor reasoning thoughts of this man. "That document I gave him would be his final seal on this estate."

The lord, Charles of Lockshire who was clearly enraged now by my action. "You were supposed to stop this action as the Investigator. How can you let a job like this goes to waste after all the long planning we did."

"So my love, you still take me for a fool in this matter. I am not as you can see but a meticulous person of fine details. The King has been advised by another letter that you were not privy to the matter unlike your brother and his devious mother. They been manipulating your father without your knowledge. That cleared your name, and upon the death of both your parent, you are the rightful inheritor of the estate."

"A vixen indeed but I am glad you are mine. I could never had planned such a wide range of events and yet you did it yourself. I salute you as my wife, Mary of Bingham." He is now relieved and laugh his heart out.

"A skill which I hoped would be inherited by our future children. Maybe a fine detective could be born by then. Do you agreed with me, Charles Holmes of Lockshire?"

"With you as my wife, all I need to understand are the elementary parts. Mary of Bingham." The couple tossed a drink to the unwary lone rider who carried his own death warrant in the little wrapping.