C. Sansom - Dark Fire

He grabbed the pot and swallowed what was left. He gasped and leaned back against his chair, sword still raised at Needler. I put a hand on the back of my chair, my head spinning.

'Stay up, sir!' Barak shouted. 'We must stay up!'

I took long, deep breaths. It was horribly frightening, knowing if we allowed ourselves to pass out now it could be the end of us. But my heartbeat was steadying a little. I pulled out my dagger. The old woman stood too, trembling, hands stretched out before her. 'David!' she called in a shrill howl. 'David! What is happening?'

Needler's nerve broke. He stepped away from his mistress and ran to the door. Barak started to follow, but staggered. The old woman turned to the sound of Needler's footsteps, her hands waving helplessly. 'David! David! Where are you? What's happening?'

Needler unlocked the door and threw it open. He ran down the steps and out of the house just as Barak leaned forward and vomited as spectactularly as I had. He sank to his knees, gasping.

The old woman turned towards the noise, panicky now. 'Where are you?' she shouted. 'David! David!' She stumbled, lost her balance and fell with a cry. Her head struck the wall and she collapsed to the floor with a moan.

I staggered to the open door of the parlour, down the stairs and through the front door which Needler had left open. I leaned on it for support and called 'Help!' in a cracked voice, making heads turn along the crowded street. 'Murder! Call the constable! Help!' Then my legs seemed to disappear beneath me and I fell into blackness.

I CAME TO WITH A START, jerking away from a vile smell under my nose. I gasped and looked round in confusion.

I was back in the Wentworths' parlour, but sitting in a chair now. A thickset man in a constable's jerkin stood watching me. Beside me stood Guy, holding the bottle he had just thrust under my nose. I stared around – the constable and Guy in his apothecary's robe both looked completely out of place amid the luxurious domesticity of the room. Barak sat sprawled in another chair, looking pale – but alive, the pupils of his eyes reduced to their normal size.

'The old woman-' I croaked.

'It's all right,' Guy said. 'She has been taken away. And her granddaughters. It was quick thinking to use the mustard to make you sick or you and Barak would both be dead by now. You've been unconscious nearly an hour. I was worried.'

I took a deep breath, aware that I had a mighty headache. 'It was you that told me about vomiting and poison.'

'I remember. You always had the best memory I know.'

'By Jesu.' I managed a hoarse laugh. 'I dread to think of the bill I will have for all you have done this last month.'

'You can afford it. Can you move your arms and legs?'

'Yes. I feel weak.'

'That should pass soon.' Guy reached to a bowl covered with a cloth on the table. He lifted the cloth and a sharp smell filled the room. 'I want you to drink this now,' he said. 'It will act against any poisonous humours remaining in your system.'

I looked at it warily, but suffered him to take my head and tip the stuff gently into my mouth. It was bitter. 'There,' he said, 'sit back now.' I did so, gasping.

The door opened and Joseph came in, his face ashen. But he smiled when he saw I had come to. 'Ah, sir, you are recovered. Thank God.'

I clasped Guy's arm. 'Did Needler get away?' I asked.

'Yes. There's a hue and cry out for him.'

'How did you get here?'

'You called for the constable.'

'Yes, I remember that. But nothing else till just now.'

'The constable found you, Barak and the old woman all unconscious. But you came round for a moment and asked for me.'

'I don't remember. Jesu, is my mind going?'

Guy laid a hand on my arm. 'It will come back to you. But you and Barak are both weak. You must rest.'

The constable spoke up. 'David Needler's been taken, sir, that's what I came to tell you. He tried to ride out through Cripplegate, but the gatekeeper took him. He didn't put up much of a struggle. He's in Newgate now.'

Barak looked at me seriously. 'Sabine and Avice have been taken there already with the old woman, though she hurt her head badly in the fall. The girls were hiding upstairs in their room; the constables had to pull them screaming from under the beds. I told the magistrate everything when I came round. They scratched like cats when they realized the game was up, but they've gone. Not to the Hole, though,' he croaked bitterly. 'The better quarters.'

I looked out of the window. The well was dimly visible in the dull late afternoon. 'Jesu,' I muttered. 'If Needler and the old bitch had had their way, we'd be down there too.' I turned to Joseph. 'I'm sorry. She is your mother-'

He shook his head. 'Always it was Edwin she loved; she had naught but contempt for the rest of us.'

'Barak,' I said, 'you must swear a statement, and the magistrate and constables. They must appear before Forbizer tomorrow…' I tried to stand, but fell back groggily. A thought struck me. 'What has happened to Sir Edwin?'

'He is in his room opposite,' Joseph said quietly. 'Poor Edwin, he's been hard hit. His son dead, his mother and daughters taken-'

I took a deep breath. 'Does Elizabeth know?'

'Yes. She set to weeping when I told her.' A ghost of a smile crossed his face. 'But she held my hand when I left. I will look after her now, sir. But I had to come here,' he added simply. 'My brother needs me.'

I looked at him. I saw clearly the reason I first took the horrible case on at all: it was for his goodness, such natural goodness and charity as few men have.

'I should go to Edwin,' he said.

The constable raised a hand. 'The magistrate's still with him, sir.'

Things kept floating into my mind. 'Cromwell!' I exclaimed. 'It's been hours, is there word from Grey?'

Barak nodded. 'This arrived here a short while ago.' He took a note with the earl's seal from his pocket and handed it to me. I read, in Grey's precise hand: Lord Cromwell has your message. He is seeing the king today and will contact you should you be needed. He thanks you mightily.

'Then it's done,' I breathed. I leant back, relieved. 'He sends us thanks too.'

Guy came over to me. He looked in my mouth and eyes, then did the same to Barak.

'You're both all right,' he said. 'But you should go home, sleep. You will be very tired and shaky for some days.'

'I'll not argue with you, sir,' Barak said.

'And now I ought to return to my shop. I have patients.' He bowed to us and turned for the door, exotic-looking as ever in his long hooded robe, with his oak-brown face, his curly grey-black hair.

'Thank you, old friend,' I said quietly.

He raised a hand and smiled, then went out.

'Odd-looking fellow,' the constable observed. 'When I came here I thought it was him I had to arrest.'

I did not reply.

The door opened again and a tall, thin man I recognized as Magistrate Parsloe entered. He was normally full of cheerful self-importance, but today he looked sombre. He bowed, then turned to Joseph. 'Master Wentworth, I think perhaps you should go to your brother.'

Joseph stood eagerly. 'I was going to, sir. Has he asked for me?'

Parsloe hesitated. 'No, but he needs someone with him, I think.' He looked at me. 'Master Shardlake, I am glad to see you are recovered. It was quite a scene that met my eyes when the constable called me here.'

'I can imagine. You have questioned Sir Edwin?'

'Yes. He says he knew nothing of his family's doings. I believe him; he is a stricken man.' Parsloe shook his head. 'Strange, though, that the old woman should work so closely with a mere steward.'

'Needler was her eyes, she said so herself. She needed him, she was vulnerable in that way if in no other.'