C Sansom - Sovereign

‘And yet I cannot see her being behind these attacks,’ I said thoughtfully. ‘She does not strike me as a careful organizer.’ I considered a moment. ‘Tamasin, what do you think Lady Rochford will do now? About what you and Jack saw?’

‘The Queen would decide, surely,’ Barak said.

Tamasin shook her head. ‘The Queen will take Lady Rochford’s advice, I think.’ She looked at me. ‘If I were her, I think I would try and scare us into silence, or buy it.’

I nodded. ‘I think you are right. I think we wait and see if she approaches you. What we do after that can depend on what is said. If we are not approached, and especially if anything more is attempted against us, we go to Maleverer. On Monday. And meanwhile we stick to safe places.’

‘I think we should go to Maleverer now,’ Barak said.

‘No. Not without evidence. Not when you and I are in trouble already. Can you imagine how the King would react if this story were brought to him, and turned out to be untrue? It would be our heads in danger then.’

I turned to Tamasin. ‘We’ll walk you back to the manor. Will the soldiers let you in at this hour?’

‘Ay. There’s more than one girl sneaks out at night.’

I smiled wryly. ‘The morals of the court.’ I turned to Barak. He still looked dubious. Then he saw something behind us; his eyes widened and his lips set.

‘Too late,’ he said.

I turned quickly. Another troop of soldiers had come in, Sergeant Leacon at their head. We stared as he left his men and marched up to us, his pike grasped firmly. He looked at the three of us in puzzlement.

‘What’s amiss? You all look startled as dogs cast out of a window.’

‘Nothing, sergeant, we-’

‘You are supping late.’

‘We got to talking. We should go to bed.’

‘There is something I must mention to you, sir. In confidence.’ The sergeant inclined his head. I got up and followed him. His soldiers, I saw, were crowding round the servant, who had woken up and was serving them beer. I realized they had all just come off duty; they had not been sent to arrest us after all.

Leacon looked at me seriously. Always when we had met before he had been open and friendly, but now I sensed something wary, almost hostile, in his manner.

‘One of my men reported there had been some trouble outside Broderick’s cell,’ he said. ‘Between you and gaoler Radwinter.’

‘Ah,’ I said. ‘That.’

‘I should report it to Sir William Maleverer. But my man said that Radwinter provoked you.’

‘Yes, sergeant, he did. But I should not have let him.’

‘I will say nothing for now. I do not want trouble with Radwinter, and Sir William has enough to occupy him. But I must have your assurance nothing like that will happen again.’

‘It will not.’

He nodded.

‘How does Broderick fare? I should have visited him today.’

‘The same.’ He gave me another measured look, then made a little bow and went off to rejoin his men. I went back to Tamasin and Barak.

‘What was that about?’ Barak asked.

‘My fight with Radwinter. He says he won’t report me if I don’t let Radwinter provoke me again. Well, I have other things to think on now.’

We walked Tamasin back to King’s Manor. All was dark and silent; a gold half-angel ensured Tamasin was admitted by the guards. Barak and I walked back to the lodging house. I went to bed, but it was long before I slept.

SUNDAY MORNING dawned fine. I was dressing in my cubicle when Barak knocked at my door.

‘That cook’s outside, Master Goodrich.’

I finished dressing hurriedly and stepped out. He was standing by the door.

‘How is your son?’ I asked.

‘Better, sir, but he’s a nasty gash on his head. I’ve told him not to work again today.’

‘Thank God it was no worse.’

‘True. But, sir…’

He looked at me. I wondered if he was going to ask for money, and slipped my hand to my purse. The cook shook his head.

‘I only wanted to ask – who would do such a thing? Is my boy safe?’

‘I am sure he is, Master Goodrich. The person who struck your boy down was after me. Rest assured, we will find who is responsible.’

‘It ought to be reported, sir. With the King himself here…’ He cast a look of mingled awe and fear in the direction of King’s Manor.

‘Leave it with me. And my good wishes to your boy.’

I watched as the cook walked off towards the camp. Barak joined me. ‘Is he all right?’

‘Ay. Come, let us get some breakfast.’

We began walking to the refectory. Outside, among the animal pens, I saw that one pair of bears’ cages was being taken to pieces by some workmen under the bearward’s supervision. I stopped and looked.

‘He killed six dogs before the King and was left standing,’ the bearward said to me. ‘But then he died most honourably.’ He gave a satisfied smile. The other cage was still occupied; the surviving bear was awake, lying curled up in a corner on the floor, its back to us. The creature shifted its position and gave a low, whimpering groan. Its coat was slashed and stiff with blood in several places.

‘Will that one fight again?’ Barak asked.

He studied the bear professionally. ‘Ay, he’s fit for another bout. They’re strong brutes.’

I walked away, suppressing a shudder.

IN THE REFECTORY we ate in silence, among courtiers and servants breakfasting before church. I thought of the day before. Those quiet hours in Wrenne’s library seemed far off now.

‘I don’t like leaving Tamasin alone at the manor,’ Barak said at length. ‘It worries me.’

‘I believe this way is best, Jack, we mustn’t act precipitately.’

He shook his head. ‘I can’t think straight after last night. Are you going to church? They’re doing Mass in shifts at St Olave’s.’

‘No. I can’t face it.’

‘I don’t want to sit cooped up here all day.’ ‘I know somewhere we can sit and watch what goes on.’ I led him to the bench where Tamasin and I had talked two nights before. Crowds of people were going in to the first service at St Olave’s. The whole atmosphere at St Mary’s had changed now the King was here: people moved and talked quietly, sedately.

A little group of courtiers appeared, and I recognized some of the young men who had been at the camp two nights before. Dereham was among them; he flicked me a contemptuous glare as he passed. Culpeper, I saw, was not with the group.

‘I wonder where the King and Queen will be hearing Mass,’ Barak said.

‘Privately at King’s Manor, I should think.’ ‘For security? Keeping safe from the Yorkers?’ ‘Maybe.’ I sighed. ‘I don’t wonder they rebelled.’ Barak looked at me askance. ‘You’re not turning papist, are you?’

‘No. I mean, the way they’ve been treated for years. Like second-rate Englishmen.’ I saw Master Craike passing with a group of richly robed officials, and raised a hand in a wave. He hesitated, then came over to us.

‘Are you going into church, Master Shardlake?’ ‘Perhaps a later service.’

He smiled. ‘We have just been up the belltower. Priests are holding open-air Masses all over the camp, ’tis quite a spectacle. Well, I must go, or I shall be late.’ He bowed and hurried off.

‘That man has an uneasy air for all his pleasant words,’ Barak observed.

‘Ay, he does.’

‘We should find out what goes on at this tavern I saw him at.’

I nodded. ‘Ay. Let’s do that. There’s something Tamasin might find out, too.’

He looked at me askance. ‘I’ll not have her in danger.’