Susanna Gregory - The Piccadilly Plot

Chaloner shook his head firmly. ‘She would never embroil herself in such an affair.’

‘I agree,’ said Williamson. ‘But that will not stop people from accusing her, should the tale become public. People dislike her, and it provides an opportunity to send her back to Portugal in disgrace. Or worse. Our country does have a habit of lopping the heads off unwanted monarchs.’

‘And if that happens, Portugal will break off diplomatic relations with us,’ added Lester. ‘We shall have to return her dowry, which includes the ports of Tangier and Bombay, jewels, money, and all manner of trading rights. It will cripple us for decades.’

‘In other words, it will be an enormous disaster,’ summarised Williamson. ‘The French and Spanish will leap to take advantage of our weakened state, and the Dutch will declare war on us.’

‘Pratt does not seem overly worried by the plot, though,’ said Lester, while Chaloner’s mind reeled at their revelations. ‘He probably thinks Fitzgerald can protect him.’

‘Protect him from whom?’ asked Chaloner. ‘Who is behind this plot? The Adventurers?’

‘We do not know,’ replied Lester. ‘However, Fitzgerald may think so — it would certainly explain why he roasted Turner and Lucas, and may also account for Proby’s “suicide” and Congett’s “accident”. We cannot forget Captain Pepperell of Eagle , either. Brinkes killed him, and Brinkes is Fitzgerald’s henchman. Perhaps Pepperell was an Adventurer, too. He did sail to Africa a lot, after all.’

Chaloner frowned. ‘So Fitzgerald has declared war on the Adventurers?’

‘We suspect he has taken against some of them,’ said Williamson. ‘However, if we are right, then they are fighting back. Reyner and Newell are dead, and Pratt may soon follow …’

‘I am still hoping that the relationship between Pepperell and Elliot will provide answers,’ said Lester. He shrugged at Williamson’s dismissive expression. ‘You think I am wasting my time, but we have no other leads to follow, and I would like to know the truth about their deaths.’

‘Are you sure Elliot is dead?’ Chaloner asked him.

Lester looked startled. ‘Of course! The wound he received was mortal. He died the same day.’

‘Were you with him?’

‘No. The surgeon was drunk, so I left to see whether Wiseman was available. Unfortunately, I could not find him, and by the time I returned, Elliot had expired.’

‘What was this surgeon’s name?’

‘Jeremiah King of Axe Yard.’ Lester was puzzled. ‘Why do you want to know?’

‘Because Cave’s “brother” buried him rather hastily, thus depriving him of his elaborate funeral, and the descriptions of Jacob sound remarkably like Elliot.’

‘Then it is coincidence,’ said Lester firmly. ‘Because Elliot is buried himself. I saw him laid to rest in St Giles-in-the-Fields yesterday.’

‘That was Friday,’ said Chaloner. ‘But Cave was collected from the charnel house on Monday night, and buried on Tuesday. Elliot could have done it.’

‘He died on Monday,’ said Lester shortly. ‘Besides, he had no reason to tamper with Cave’s funeral arrangements. What a terrible accusation to make!’

‘His reason for tampering would be the same as the one that led him to fight Cave in the first place,’ replied Chaloner. ‘Brilliana.’

‘Well, he is innocent,’ stated Lester uncompromisingly. ‘I am sure of it.’

‘I understand why Cave’s brother acted as he did,’ said Williamson quietly. ‘The Chapel Royal choristers were organising a wildly expensive affair, and Cave was not wealthy. Payment would ultimately have fallen on Jacob, and I do not blame him for declining to be beggared.’

Lester nodded agreement, but Chaloner thought he would reserve judgement until he had visited ‘Jacob’ in Covent Garden and heard the tale from his own lips.

Unsettled and confused by the connections that were emerging, Chaloner followed Williamson and Lester out of the coffee house, hearing the bells of Westminster strike three. The day was passing, and he still had much to do. He took a deep breath. The air reeked of soot and blocked drains, but its coolness was refreshing after the fug of the shop.

‘So, to summarise,’ he said, ‘you believe there is a plot underway to discredit the Queen by implicating her in the murder of a prominent architect. The result will be a diplomatic crisis, resulting in the loss of Tangier, untold money and trading rights. Meanwhile, the Piccadilly Company and the Adventurers are at each other’s throats, and members of both are dead.’

‘ Some Adventurers are involved,’ stressed Williamson. ‘Not all of them.’

‘The Piccadilly Company includes Fitzgerald, Meneses, Brilliana, Harley, the Janszoons and Pratt,’ Chaloner went on. ‘And Brinkes is their henchman.’

‘Among others,’ acknowledged Williamson. ‘It also includes a number of upstanding merchants, and several knights. They are not all sinister, and some may very well think their sole aim is to export fine glassware to New England and bring gravel back.’

‘Meanwhile, the Adventurers also boast dozens of rich and influential people,’ Chaloner continued. ‘Leighton, the Duke of Buckingham, the King-

‘And four members of your employer’s household,’ interjected Williamson pointedly. ‘Brodrick and Hyde are open about their association; Dugdale and Edgeman keep it quiet.’

‘Kipps is not a member, though,’ said Lester. ‘I cannot imagine why, because he is exactly their kind of fellow — rich, brash and interested in extravagant parties.’

‘He was rejected, although I have been unable to ascertain why,’ said Williamson. ‘I would say it is because he works for Clarendon, whom most Adventurers hate, but if that were true, then Hyde, Brodrick, Edgeman and Dugdale would not have been accepted, either.’

Chaloner addressed his next question to Lester. ‘Have you heard of a ship called Jane ?’

Lester nodded. ‘She is a privateer trading out of Tangier. A smuggler, in essence. I remember her well, because she has a peculiarly curved bowsprit. Why?’

Chaloner hesitated, but was acutely aware that he and Thurloe could not thwart what was happening alone, and the Queen was in danger. ‘Harley may have a connection to Jane . It has been suggested that I use it to blackmail him for answers.’

‘Then do it: smuggling is a hanging offence, and the threat may loosen his tongue.’ Williamson smiled, although it was not a pleasant expression. ‘Does this reluctant sharing of information mean you have decided to work with us?’

‘I will think about it,’ said Chaloner, reluctant to capitulate too readily.

‘Very well,’ said Williamson stiffly. ‘You know where to find me.’

The discussion over, Lester accompanied Chaloner along King Street, while Williamson returned to his offices. Chaloner glanced at the sky as they went, and saw it was too late to question Addison, Jacob, Harley or the witnesses to Newell’s death before visiting the Queen. And he dared not be late lest Hannah took umbrage and declined to let him in. Irritably, he supposed he would have to postpone his other enquiries until afterwards.

‘I really am sorry about the way you were brought to us,’ said Lester, seeing his annoyed grimace and misunderstanding the reason. ‘Doines is a lout.’

Chaloner glanced at him. ‘Are you happy working with Williamson?’

‘Not at all! However, I shall continue to do so until this crisis is resolved — it is my duty as a sea-officer. Yet I cannot rid myself of the notion that he might incarcerate Ruth in Bedlam anyway, just for spite. And she does not belong there. She may be fey-witted, but she is not insane.’