Andrew Swanston - The King's Return

‘You are free to go. Mottershead will escort you,’ said Joseph.

‘And ’ome is where Mottershead is going to escort you, my dear. The only ’ome you’ve got now. ’Enrietta’s ’ouse. She will be pleased to see you.’

‘Fuck you, Mottershead. I don’t want to go back there. Just let me go.’

‘Can’t do that, Molly. These gentlemen want to be sure you’re in safe ’ands. Don’t want you walking the streets, do we? Come on now.’ Molly knew she had no choice and, still cursing, was led away by Josiah.

‘Poor wretch,’ said Thomas. ‘Not much of a life and a short one.’

‘There’s hundreds like her. If the pox doesn’t kill them, the hangman does. As soon as they’re too old to be whores, they have to steal. Sooner or later they get caught and end their days at Tyburn.’

‘Do you recall her talking about a visitor with a large backside?’

‘A big arse, I think she said.’

‘Quite. It might have been Squire.’

Joseph laughed. ‘There are not many bigger arses in London. It probably was.’

‘I wonder why she hates Josiah so much. I must ask him. What happens to Stoner now, Joseph?’

‘He’ll stay here at least until we’ve received the money. In due course, arrangements for his voyage to Copenhagen will be made. A month or two probably.’

‘It seems unjust. Murderer, thief, traitor and now off to Denmark.’

‘Unjust? I will find work for him and I prefer to think of it as expedient. The world of intelligence is like that.’ He paused. ‘And how is Madeleine?’

‘Much improved. You should come and see her.’

‘I shall, as soon as this business is over.’

‘What about Squire?’

‘I fear we are too late for him. He will have left England by now. I blame myself, of course. I never suspected him and if there were any signs of his treachery, I missed them. The king will not be pleased.’

‘Bishop missed them too, Joseph, and with or without Squire the spy ring is broken.’

‘Yes. I shall be sure to stress that to His Majesty.’

‘And I shall tell Madeleine to expect you soon.’

Joseph took a deep breath. ‘I suppose we had better see Morland. Are you feeling strong?’

‘Not very.’

‘Nor I. Still, it has to be done.’

The warder was despatched again and soon returned with Morland. Beside his fury, Molly’s was as nothing. He marched in spluttering with rage and thrashing about with his arms as if he had lost control of them.

‘This is monstrous,’ he shouted. ‘I am being held here on some ridiculous pretext and I demand to be released at once.’

Joseph’s voice was icy. ‘Be quiet, Morland. You will remain here until I decide to release you. Until then you would do well to guard your tongue.’

Morland pointed at Thomas and bellowed, ‘Why is this man here again? What authority does he have?’

‘Mr Hill has my authority to be here. He needs no other.’

‘I suppose you are going to tell me that he has decoded the intercepted letter and that my name is in it.’

‘Would you care to comment, Thomas?’

Thomas looked hard at Morland and spoke slowly. ‘The letter was, as I suspected, a cipher, each letter being represented by one or more numbers. I decrypted it by means of logical analysis and rational thought – two qualities to which you yourself lay claim.’

Morland looked sceptical. ‘And what, pray, did this letter tell you?’

Thomas looked at Joseph, who nodded. ‘That there is a ring of spies in London and that the Dutch and French are plotting against England.’

Morland stared at Joseph and scoffed. ‘Ha. There are spies everywhere. There is nothing new in that. But now you believe that I am one of them, or you pretend that you do.’

‘And are you one of them?’

‘That is absurd. You find my name on a scrap of paper and lose your wits. You would do better to interrogate this man.’ Again he pointed at Thomas. ‘Ask him if he invented a decryption to suit his own ends. Ask him if it is my position he is after. Ask him which master he serves.’

‘Now that is absurd,’ said Thomas calmly. ‘There is nothing I should like less than your position, as Mr Williamson knows. And I have shown him how I decrypted the letter. I did it within forty-eight hours, as I said I would. It was not difficult.’

Morland turned his fury on to Joseph. ‘This is a plot. A plot to have me removed from my post. I demand to be released immediately.’

‘So you have said. However, you will remain here while we continue to conduct our enquiries. You will be released only if your innocence is proven.’

Thomas thought Morland was about to explode. He shook his fists and spittle flew from his mouth. ‘That is despicable and illegal. The king shall hear of it and you will pay dearly.’ The warder was alarmed enough to draw his sword.

‘Take him away, warder, and guard him carefully.’ Still bawling, Morland was ushered out at the point of the warder’s sword.

‘Do you really still think he’s involved?’ asked Thomas, Morland’s threats ringing in his ears.

Joseph smiled. ‘No. But I think we can justify keeping him here until Squire is found.’

‘What about the king?’

‘We will risk the king’s displeasure.’

‘A risk worth taking for the pleasure of holding him in the Tower.’

Joseph turned his good eye on Thomas and grinned. ‘Quite so. My thanks for your assistance, Thomas. Are you quite sure you would not like Morland’s position?’

‘Quite sure, thank you. May I go home now? I have seen enough of this place today.’

‘Go. If we find anything at Squire’s house, I shall send word. And tell Madeleine I shall call on her soon.’

Thomas had never seen Mary so angry. ‘What on earth is Joseph thinking of,’ she thundered, ‘sending the man off to Denmark? Why isn’t he going to hang? That’s what happens to thieves and traitors, isn’t it? I’ve a good mind to go straight to Joseph’s house to tell him what I think of him.’

‘I agree with you, my dear,’ said Charles. ‘Justice is hardly served by allowing a traitor to trade the gallows for a life of ease among the Danes.’

‘Perhaps there are forces at work of which we are not aware. Joseph spoke of expediency.’

‘You are too philosophical, Thomas. Joseph should have sent Stoner to the gallows and he hasn’t. May the thieving wretch rot in hell.’ Mary was not in the mood for argument.

‘And don’t forget they haven’t caught Squire yet,’ pointed out Charles. ‘He’s just as guilty as Stoner. Joseph must be furious at himself for not seeing through the man.’

‘As we did not see through Stoner,’ agreed Mary. ‘I can’t think what possessed us to trust him.’

‘There is nothing to be gained from dwelling on it,’ said Madeleine firmly. ‘I am recovered and you can afford the loss of a few guineas and your pride. Lady Babb has suffered more.’ She paused. ‘Now, I am quite well enough to go home. Will you take me tomorrow, Thomas?’

‘Of course, if that’s what you want.’

‘It is. I should never have recovered without all of you, but now I miss my own bed.’

‘Quite right, my dear,’ said Charles with a grin. ‘I much prefer my own bed with my own wife. Nothing else compares.’ If Mary’s aim had been just a little better, the apple would have hit him between the eyes.

AT BREAKFAST THE next morning, neither Charles nor Mary looked as if they had slept at all. Mary’s face was red and puffy and Charles had black rings under his eyes.