Marrott pressed his head down close to hers. She smelled the wine on his breath and his spittle flecked her cheek. ‘Listen to me, little whore,’ he said. ‘This house is outside the city, it is owned by my friends, it is not watched by outsiders and your screams would not be heard. How I usually behave is not your business, nor are you capable of understanding. I have been hounded, accused, my property confiscated and my life under threat. I, one of the most powerful – most popular – am now denigrated and despised through no fault of my own. A valued friend of his highness’s closest family – an ally of those rightful claimants to power – and yet I am forced to flee, to hide, to act the pauper. So, understand this, mistress whore: my patience is at an end. Annoy me further, and I will have you stripped and beaten before giving you to my men. You’ll get no respect from me, and you’ll get civility only if you answer my questions. Now – where is Feayton?’
She believed him. She looked down into her lap, where the dark pointed toe pressed against her. ‘I have no idea, my lord. He is a busy man. I have not seen him today.’
‘So, after violating sanctuary, deceiving Mistress Shore and impersonating a lady, for which you could be arrested, who was it then, who killed my man Lacy? Was it Feayton? You? Who else?’
Her expression immediately betrayed her. She knew it. So she said, ‘If you mean the unpleasant young man who followed me from Westminster and then attacked me, I can tell you that a friend of mine killed him in my defence. My friend – Davey Lyttle – was simply protecting me. And I may ask, sir, why you sent your man to attack me when I had hurt no one at all?’
Marrott sneered. ‘You’ll answer questions, not ask them, strumpet. And you’ll tell me everything you know of Feayton’s dealings, Gloucester’s plans, and anyone else involved. How long have you been spying for Feayton? What has he discovered?’
Tyballis shook her head. ‘You go too far, sir. I do as I’m told, but I’m party to no private meetings. I’ve no information regarding my Lord Feayton’s business, let alone his grace of Gloucester’s. You insult me and call me whore. Do you also suppose me a master of espionage?’
He was silent a moment, then removed his foot from her skirts, turned and walked over to the other man. ‘Keep at it, Piggot. It’s obvious she knows more than she’s saying. But it’s true the trollop’s unlikely to have access to anything important. Had she been the Lady Feayton as we thought … but a tumble in bed doesn’t mean he tells her his secrets. But for the moment, she’s all we’ve got.’
Piggot nodded. ‘Insisted her name was Tyballis Blessop, my lord.’
Lord Marrott glowered, coming back to stand over her. ‘But it’s not your name I’m interested in now. So, let’s find out how much you do know. Feayton – has he been called to Gloucester’s special meeting? There’s every damned lord and bishop in the land attending the council chamber tomorrow – orders of the Protector. Why? What do you know of that, wench?’
‘Simply that you do not appear to have been summoned, sir, and are therefore no longer included amongst the great lords of the land,’ said Tyballis, lifting her chin.
His palm slashed across her face with such force that she was thrown backwards, and the chair wobbled. Involuntarily she put her fingertips to her cheeks, shocked and stung. ‘You might well cry,’ Marrott spat. ‘But you’ll have far more to cry about if you continue to thwart me.’ He turned back to Piggot. ‘Forget courtesy, man, since the slut herself has no notion of manners. Get what you can out of her, and do it any way you wish.’
He slammed the door behind him, and Tyballis stared at Piggot. She had no knowledge of any great meeting at Westminster Palace, but knowing nothing might now prove more dangerous than knowing something. She clenched her teeth and her hands and waited, but this time there was no hidden knife stitched within her sleeve. ‘Unfortunately,’ Piggot was already saying, ‘it seems you are no lady after all, mistress. In which case, the offer of eventually returning you to your own home becomes less essential. Indeed, it seems you may never see your home again. Everything, of course, depends on what you tell me now.’
Tyballis abandoned pride and wiped her eyes. ‘I know nothing,’ she whispered. ‘I do what my lord tells me. That’s all.’
At least this man kept his hands to himself. ‘Whether you’re a whore as his lordship informs me, or whether you’re the simple widow you claim, clearly you’re no fool; you act the lady well enough, you speak well and you’re high spirited. Certainly you know more than you’re admitting.’ Piggot shook his head. ‘Now, listen to me,’ he said. ‘You’ve nothing to gain in keeping silent, for, trollop or no, I’ll treat you as one if you anger me. But be wise, tell me everything you know, take my orders instead of Feayton’s – and I’ll treat you with the respect I promised. You have everything to gain from helping us, and abandoning your Lord Feayton, a man who cannot even be bothered protecting his mistress, and simply uses her for his own ends.’
Chapter Sixty-Six
‘But my lord,’ stuttered the assistant constable, ‘I’m well acquainted with Mistress Blessop, as you know, sir – ever since we were young. And her husband, too – before he was done down. And she’s had a mighty hard time of it. But what you’re telling me now, my lord, well, it doesn’t make sense.’
‘You’ll remember your civility, Mister Webb,’ interrupted the sheriff. ‘If his lordship says he’s affianced to Mistress Blessop, then that’s how it is.’
The assistant constable hung his head. ‘I’m right pleased for her, sir. And it’s not that I doubt your word, not for one minute. But though I’ve always thought her a lady at heart, for my Tyballis to marry a lord – well, it’s unexpected, and a mite hard to swallow.’ He looked up suddenly and smiled. ‘But she deserves no less, sir that I can promise. And it explains why I saw her a month back, dressed as grand as a duchess and watching the new little king come riding into town.’
Andrew stared down his impressively prominent nose. ‘My good man, your opinions are no doubt of supreme national significance, but at the moment I believe I can dispense with them.’ He looked back to the sheriff. ‘I repeat, sir, my future bride appears to have disappeared. I have already investigated those places where she might have freely chosen to visit, and she has not been seen. Since lately I, and Mistress Blessop, have been unofficially involved in the removal of the Woodville faction from their usurped power, the enmity of their adherents has accelerated. I suspect foul play. You will therefore treat this matter with the utmost urgency.’
‘I shall, I assure you, my lord.’ The sheriff remained agitated. ‘But my authority is not without barriers, sir, and if your lordship would approach one of the city dignitaries? Sadly, my means are at present limited –’
‘Mine are not, sir,’ Andrew interrupted him. ‘And I shall ensure that those with greater authority are also informed. I intend to alert every representative of the law, up to and including his lordship the mayor. But in the meantime, I expect you to do whatever lies within your – limited – means, sir. I can be contacted at the annexe to Crosby’s Place if you discover anything of interest, and I shall let you know if you can help me further.’
He promptly turned on his heel, and left a bemused Robert Webb staring at the sheriff.