D. Wilson - The Traitor’s Mark

‘Wait till you hear what I have to offer,’ Black Harry replied.

‘I’ve no interest in your lies and schemes-’

‘Your precious archbishop and his friends would, I’m sure, like to get their hands on Master Brooke. He is the pivotal point of all that is planned against Cranmer.’

‘Those things are no concern of mine.’

‘As you please. But what would your friends say if they knew that you let Brooke slip through your fingers?’

‘He can’t get very far. As soon as I make my report there will be search parties out looking for him.’

‘Do you suppose he hasn’t thought of that and made plans to ensure his escape?’

‘How will he escape?’

He sneered. ‘That is the information I have to sell. I can tell you exactly where you will find him.’

‘And why would you do that? Is it that treachery comes as second nature to you?’

‘Does not the Bible you set so much store by tell you that ’tis better to be a live dog than a dead lion?’

‘So you think to trade your master for your freedom?’

That obviously annoyed him. ‘I call no man master,’ he snapped. ‘If I go free, so does your friend and you capture the one man who links together all the archbishop’s enemies. That is for you a good deal.’

‘And leave you free to continue your murderous career? I don’t think so.’

‘Of course, I would have to leave the country. There is still plenty of work to be done in Spain.’

I turned my back on him. Further along the boat Bart was leaning against the rail and looking wistfully out over the estuary. I thought of all he had already suffered and knew how much he and Lizzie longed to get their lives back. A few lines on a sheet of parchment could give them that. Then I thought of Adie, hovering between life and death. Turning again, I said to Black Harry, ‘When we land, you will be taken under guard to jail in Canterbury to await your trial for murder.’

His response was an infuriating smile. ‘Perhaps.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘If you won’t see sense, somebody will.’ He shuffled away.

When we arrived in Kent the party divided. I sent most of my men with Cranmer’s guards to convey the prisoners to Canterbury. In order not to slow them down, we hired a wagon in Gravesend to carry the captives and found a local complex of almshouses and hospital where the two priests could be nursed back to health. I set off with two companions to Maidstone, where I hoped to find Ralph Morice. It was not difficult to locate the place where Legh was conducting his inquiries. He had chosen the town’s principal inn and commandeered a large ground-floor room for his purposes. Quite a crowd had gathered outside of people eager to know the fate of those being examined.

We arrived during the commission’s dinner interval and I was able to locate Morice in the private room where he and his companions were eating. As soon as he saw me at the door, he stood up, excused himself from the company and hurried over.

‘Thomas, Lord be praised you’re back and in good time. How did you fare?’ He took me by the arm and guided me out into the street. ‘Let’s walk and you can tell me everything.’

As we strolled through the busy town centre, I gave a detailed report of the last two days’ activities. Morice listened intently, occasionally asking questions. When I had finished, he grasped my hand warmly. ‘Thomas, you have done splendidly! The whole gang rounded up and, I’ve no doubt, ready to tell all they know in hope of avoiding the gallows.’Then he fell silent and thoughtful.

We had stopped by a market stall selling pressed apple juice and we bought beakers of the sweet liquid.

‘You say Black Harry offered to help us apprehend Brooke.’

‘Yes, but he would have said anything to save his own skin.’

‘Even so, if we could bring in Chapuys’ agent – the one man connecting him to Norfolk …’

‘But the price is too high. To allow this monster to walk free after all the misery and suffering he’s been responsible for? Unthinkable.’

‘Perhaps.’

The word struck me with almost physical force. Black Harry had used that same word to cast doubt on my allusion to the fate that awaited him. Now I began to see that the villain might have reason for confidence in his bargaining position. To someone like me who had first-hand experience of his vicious career, there could be no doubt the world had to be rid of him. But others who fought in the political arena marked out by compromise and moral variables might see him in a different light.

Morice added, ‘I know how you feel about this papist rakehell and I, too, want to see him pay the price for his crimes, not the least of which was his murder of Master Holbein.’

‘Then there’s no more to be said!’ I shouted. Passers-by stared as I lengthened my stride making Morice half-run to keep up. ‘I’ll listen to no talk of deals. All I want to hear from you is that Black Harry is dangling at a rope’s end.’

‘No, just stop and think for a moment,’ Morice said. ‘Our noble German friend gave his life in uncovering a conspiracy against the archbishop and the reformed religion of England, It was he who led us to Ferdinand Brooke. If we allow Brooke to escape, Holbein’s sacrifice will have been in vain.’

I struggled with the implications of what he was saying. ‘Sweet Jesu, man! You can’t honestly think I should have accepted Black Harry’s request to negotiate his release! ’

‘I can see why you did not. He put you in a difficult position. You are a man of principle. He is a reprobate who has lost all understanding of good and evil. Believe me, Thomas, I do share your sense of outrage. His attempt to prey on your concern for your friend, Bart Miller, not to mention his readiness to betray his own nefarious colleague, places him beyond contempt. But-’

‘Aye,’ I said angrily, ‘I knew there would be a “but”. “But” is a shovel word with which men bury good deeds and right thinking. I suppose you are going to tell me I should consider the “bigger picture”.’

‘Yes, I’m afraid I am. That’s the picture I have to consider. It’s the picture his grace has to consider. He is responsible for preventing England falling back into popery. If you knew the number of times he has had to … stretch … his own principles in order to safeguard a greater good, I suppose you might censure him. But, I tell you this, without someone like his grace at the king’s elbow, the war against false religion would long since have been lost. It will still be lost if we do not crush his enemies completely.’

We retraced our steps to the inn in total silence.

As we stood on the threshold, I muttered, ‘Well, do as you wish. Thank God, I’m not a politician.’

He turned and grasped my hand. ‘Thomas, don’t let us part like this. You and your men have done an excellent job.’Tis up to us “mere politicians”, to make the best advantage of your achievement. Think about what I’ve said. I’ll discuss the situation with his grace. I’m sure he’ll want to thank you personally. I will keep you informed of what he decides.’ With that Morice hurried back into the building.

I did think about what he said. In fact, little else occupied my thoughts all the way back to Hemmings. When I arrived, however, other matters pushed Black Harry to the back of my mind. To my intense relief, Adie’s condition was improving. The fever had broken. She was taking food and talking with those who came to her room. The most important of her visitors was her brother, Ignatius, who had appeared that very morning.

It was Lizzie who reported all this to me. I found her in the brewhouse where I went to slake my thirst after the journey. She was drawing a jug of ale and we took it through to the parlour. She poured beakers for us both.