D. Wilson - The Traitor’s Mark

Moyle turned to me with a shrug. ‘Not very helpful, I’m afraid. Obviously the girl misheard. She was under a lot of strain. I’ll make sure the whole county is alerted. A gang like that can’t go unnoticed for long. As for you, young Treviot, you deserve a rest. You’ve done a splendid job.’

‘’Tis Mistress Imray and the children who are the real heroes, but, yes, we all need some time to recover.’

Shortly afterwards Sir Thomas set out to return to Ashford. Before he left he insisted on paying the inn bill for all of us. When I had made sure that Adie and the boys were ready to travel, I put them in the charge of Walt and told him to see them safe home to Hemmings.

‘Are you not coming, Master?’ the groom asked.

‘I must report to the archbishop,’ I said. ‘He ordered me to keep him informed personally. I hope to be back tonight but if his grace cannot see me straight away I may be delayed.’

I reached Ford soon after noon but it was a couple of hours before Cranmer summoned me to his presence.

‘Come,’ he said, ‘let us walk in the orchard. Now that the weather has turned we should take advantage of it.’

Warm sunshine and a soft, caressing breeze gave the first intimation of autumn as we strolled among the trees where gardeners were busy gathering apples and pears in baskets.

‘I was highly alarmed to receive your note from Essex,’ the archbishop said. ‘I was ready to send a party of my own guard to your aid this morning when I had news from Sir Thomas Moyle that the crisis was over. I thank God that our prayers have been answered for the safety of Holbein’s boys. Now, tell me everything in detail.’

He listened intently to my report, sometimes stopping me to check a detail or clarify a point. His scholar’s mind would not permit of any vagueness or inaccuracy.

‘Clearly, it is of the utmost importance now to track down this Black Harry. Praise God he has not found Master Holbein.’

‘Has the painter made contact with you, Your Grace?’

‘Not a word.’

‘Then, I fear he may have fled. He has loyal friends at the Steelyard who would not hesitate to help him quit the country.’

Cranmer sighed. ‘That would be understandable. And yet I think better of him than that. He has proved himself very loyal over several years, first to Lord Cromwell, then to me, sometimes at no small danger to himself. I cannot believe he would flee without passing on the information he has for me.’

‘Perhaps, like Your Grace, he knows not who he can trust.’

‘Solomon the Wise warns us, “He who hates deceives with his lips: when he speaks graciously believe him not.” That is a lesson for all who live in kings’ courts – or in bishops’ palaces. There is so much hate abroad in England now that I sometimes hesitate to call it a Christian country.’

We walked a while in silence. Then Cranmer continued in the same vein. ‘I used to love this part of Kent – the orchards, the shallow, gentle hills, the oak woods. Now the serpent has entered Eden and nowhere seems safe or sacred.’

I felt the need to say something reassuring. ‘Your Grace’s commission will surely root out much of the evil. Saturday’s meeting at Ashford was useful. We have a plan of campaign for silencing inflammatory preaching.’

‘Yes, Ralph spoke well of it. Sir Thomas, I think, is a man who is strong-minded and industrious. I am already receiving reports from some of your neighbours and will be summoning certain clergy here in the next few days to give account of themselves. But there are still some who are protected by family and friends among the leaders of society. There is a league … yes, I think we may call it a league … between some of the cathedral officers and the county gentry. You must have formed some of your own suspicions. Whatever your reluctance to provide information about neighbours you’ve known for years, I beg you not to keep silent.’

I recalled Adie’s account of the conversation she had overheard. ‘It is possible that Black Harry may be seeking refuge with someone called Rook but I’m not very sure of the name. It is not one I recognise.’

Cranmer looked round sharply. ‘Could that not be Sir Andrew Rookwood?’

‘Now that Your Grace mentions the name I do recall hearing it. Does he not live in the south of the county?’

‘Yes, near Hawkhurst. He is related to the Duke of Norfolk and even more stubbornly conservative than his lordship.. I know his chaplain for a troublemaker. If he is now harbouring murderers …’ Cranmer turned abruptly. ‘Come, we must act quickly.’ He walked and half ran towards the house, calling to a servant to have his secretary sent to him immediately.’

Minutes later Ralph Morice and I were standing in front of the archbishop as he sat at his desk. Briskly, he gave his instructions.

‘I want summonses made out for Sir Andrew Rookwood and Gervase Honey, his chaplain. Bring them to me for signing and have a troop ready to deliver them straight away. Thank you, Thomas. This may be an important turning point. If we can catch …’

But I was not listening. My attention had been caught by one of the letters on Cranmer’s desk, or rather by the large seal with which it had been fixed. The sender had impressed an image of his own shield in the red wax.

‘Excuse me, Your Grace, might I ask whose heraldic device is on that letter?’

Cranmer picked it up. ‘This – a chevron between three moles? Terrible heraldic pun, isn’t it?’

‘But whose is it’ I demanded with rising excitement.

‘Why, ’tis Sir Thomas Moyle’s,’ the archbishop said.

‘But, Your Grace,’ I gasped, ‘that is the shield on the gate post at Fletcham.’

‘No, Thomas, you are clearly mistaken. One heraldic shield can look much like another. You must have been deceived by the poor light.’ The archbishop sighed. ‘The times are treacherous and uncertain but we must not allow insidious suspicion to turn us against our friends.’

I rummaged in my purse and took out the cup and cover design in the artist’s exquisitely precise hand. ‘Your Grace, Master Holbein sent this to me from his hiding place. I had no idea why but some impulse made me keep it.’ I placed the crumpled sheet of paper beside Moyle’s letter.

Cranmer looked from one to the other. He handed them to Ralph Morice, who also scrutinised them closely. ‘They certainly seem to be the same,’ the secretary said, ‘but ’tis not possible …’

‘Are you really sure you saw the identical shield carved on the gate at Fletcham?’ Cranmer asked.

‘The truth is easily proved,’ Morice said. ‘Sir Thomas has properties in Essex. It will be easy enough to discover whether he owns Fletcham.’

My mind was working fast. ‘It all becomes clear to me now. It must have been Moyle, not Thwaites who informed Black Harry that Adie and the boys were at Hemmings. Then, when he knew I had been to Fletcham, he could not come fast enough to see what I had discovered. Small wonder he was so keen to question Adie.’

The archbishop sat back in his chair with a hand to his brow. ‘No, no, this is ridiculous. I have known Sir Thomas for years. He has no reason to wish me ill. I cannot believe he is a covert papist. He worked closely with Lord Cromwell to bring down those little Roman nests, the abbeys.’

‘So did Dr London,’ Morice observed softly, ‘and now who is the chief hunter of so-called heretics?’

Cranmer was still struggling to be convinced. ‘What does this signify?’ He pointed to the drawing. ‘Why did Master Holbein send it to you, Thomas?’

‘If he guessed he was being watched, he would not have been able to communicate directly with Your Grace. He knew of my interest in tracking down the Aldgate murderers; though, at that time, I had not identified Black Harry. He wanted me to know there is a connection between the gang and one of the most important men in Kent. Perhaps he hoped that somehow, at some time, I might show this to you.’