Jean Plaidy - The Murder in the Tower - The Story of Frances, Countess of Essex

The next day Frances called on Sir Thomas Monson in the Tower of London. Sir Thomas was the Master of the Armory and since he had come to Court had been a minor favorite of the King. This had meant promotion which had culminated in the recent bestowal of a baronetcy and the post he now held at the Tower.

He was delighted to see the Countess of Essex because he knew that she was trying to obtain a divorce from her husband and that when she did so would marry Viscount Rochester.

There was one person at Court with whom a man must be on good terms if he hoped for promotion, and that was Viscount Rochester, who was now constantly at the King’s side, and it seemed that any applications for any Court post must have his approbation. Naturally if one would please Rochester, one must please the Countess; and Monson could not help being pleasantly excited by a visit from this beautiful young woman who smiled at him so affably.

“I am greatly honored to received a visit from my lady,” he murmured, kissing her hand.

“Well, Sir Thomas, I have heard so much of you from my uncle Northampton and my lord Rochester that I wished to speak with you.”

Monson’s delight was increased.

“I hear that you perform your duties with great skill and that Sir Gervase Helwys is delighted with his Master of Armory.”

“Is that so, Lady Essex? I am delighted.”

“And so you should be. I often think of the poor prisoners shut up in this place and shiver for them.”

“You should not distress yourself. Most of them deserved their punishment.”

“I know. But it must be hard to be a prisoner. You have a man here who once served my lord Rochester. How different life must be for him now!”

“You refer to Sir Thomas Overbury?”

“That is the man. My lord Rochester is working for his release.”

“Then I am sure he will soon be free.”

She laughed. “Oh, not too soon.” The man must not think that Robert could not bring about Overbury’s release tomorrow if he wished it. It must not even be presumed for a moment that he was losing his influence with the King. “I can see you are a perceptive man, Sir Thomas, and that is why I have come to you. I feel—and my lord Rochester feels—that you will readily understand.”

The man looked so gratified that Frances almost laughed aloud.

“You must realize, Sir Thomas,” she went on, “that Overbury became a little overbearing. I fear he was inclined to think himself more important than he was.”

Monson nodded.

“And my lord Rochester feared for him, because he was making enemies.”

Monson again nodded.

“Therefore, for his own good, this seemed a painful necessity. But I do assure you that it is one which troubles my lord Rochester as much as it does his one-time servant.”

“My lord Rochester is known to be of a kind and generous nature.”

“It is true that he has the kindest and most generous nature in the world. That is why he is so concerned for his friend. He wants to assure himself that he is well cared for, and to send him a servant who, we can assure ourselves, will look after his comforts while he is in the doleful prison.”

“An excellent thought.”

“A man of your sensibilities will grasp the fact that my lord Rochester does not wish Overbury to know that it is he who is sending the servant. If he did he would understand that this imprisonment is … not to be taken seriously. You understand me?”

“Yes, Lady Essex.”

“We should be grateful to you if you would write to Sir Gervase Helwys and tell him a man named Richard Weston will come and wait personally on Sir Thomas Overbury. You might mention … not in your letter … but perhaps hint it … that it is the wish of my lord Rochester that this Richard Weston should be allowed to wait on Sir Thomas Overbury. Would you do that … for us?”

Would he? He would do everything in his power for the sake of pleasing the most important man at Court.

He said: “Lady Essex, you may rely on me to serve you with all my heart.”

“I knew it,” she replied, smiling sweetly. “I told my lord Rochester that this matter could safely be left in your hands.”

Now that Richard Weston was established in the Tower as servant to Sir Thomas Overbury, Frances was eager to get to work, and Anne Turner arranged a meeting with Dr. Franklin.

There was no longer any subterfuge, and Frances clearly stated her desires.

“What we need,” she said, “is a poison which will not instantly kill. It must be a slow process so that it seems that the man is dying of some wasting disease. Then no one will be surprised when in a month or so—I think it should be as long as that—he dies.”

“I believe aquafortis to be effective,” said Anne Turner.

Franklin shook his head. “It would work quickly,” he explained, “and since the plan is that he should appear to be suffering from a wasting sickness, it would be useless.”

“I have heard of white arsenic—” began Frances.

But again Franklin shook his head. “That would have a similar effect to aquafortis . It might be apparent that his sickness was the result of something he had eaten. We must avoid that at all costs. There is powder of diamonds … which is most costly.”

Frances shook herself impatiently. Why would they keep talking of the cost! Had she not told them that money was of little account, as long as they gave her what she wanted.

“Then get some.”

“My lady. I am not exactly a poor man for my practice is a good one, but I have not the capital to make experiments with such materials.”

Frances immediately took out a purse which she had brought with her and gave to him. “Buy the powder of diamonds and see if it can be of use, and above all do it quickly.”

“I am at your ladyship’s service,” Franklin declared.

And Frances left Hammersmith in better spirits.

When Franklin had his concoction ready the problem was how to get it into the Tower to Weston without arousing suspicion. It was Anne Turner who remembered that Weston had a son, Willie, who might be useful to them. Willie was an apprentice to a haberdasher who was patronized by Court ladies and Frances herself bought fans and feathers from him. Willie could pass information to the Countess when she called at the haberdashers; he could also visit his father in the Tower without attracting a great deal of attention, for what was more natural than that a son should visit his father?

So to the haberdashers went Anne Turner, taking with her a small bottle, the contents of which were to be put into Overbury’s food in order to start him on that mysterious illness which in a month or so would prove fatal.

Willie performed his duty with efficiency and reported to Anne that the bottle had been given to his father when they were alone and that his father knew what was expected of him.

Richard Weston felt very honored to have been selected for this post. He was a humble man but good fortune had come his way at last. Since he had been in the Tower he had begun to dream of power and riches. He did not see why, when he had finished this task, he should not have his own establishment. Why should he not be another Dr. Franklin or Forman? To think of the money they had made filled him with a tingling excitement. There was power too in guarding the secrets of the great. And here was he, being of use to the Countess of Essex, a very grand lady, and a member of the Howard family. He had never seen anyone pay so handsomely for a man’s services.