‘Damn well coloured already, if you ask me,’ muttered Nat. ‘Face is as purple as Davey’s new doublet.’
‘No one is asking you,’ Davey pointed out. ‘Our Tybbs has been brutally attacked, and once I find out who did it, I’ll demand a reckoning.’
‘Did she really tell you she wanted someone killed?’ whispered Felicia.
Davey nodded. ‘Not exactly in my line,’ he said, keeping his own voice low. ‘But I shall do my best.’
‘If you don’t – I will,’ decided Casper. ‘Never been put off by a nice bit of blood-letting myself. Now, I’ve always said the best way – and too often overlooked by them as ought to know better – is right through the lug-hole. You gets a sudden rush of muck, of course, and needs step back right quick, but it does the job.’
‘Might be her husband did it,’ pondered Nat with a grumble. ‘I happen to know she has one. Wears her hair loose most of the time, but I’ve heard her mention a Mister Blessop. Maybe she went back to him, or maybe he ran into her by chance. Can’t blame a man for beating his wife, specially if she’s run away. Can’t go killing the poor bastard just for what he does to his own wife.’
‘I can if I want,’ scowled Davey. ‘I can do whatever I wish, and no need to ask you, you light-fingered bugger. Husband or no husband, bully nor coward, I’ve no friendship for a man I’ve never met and already don’t like. Tybbs wants the bastard dead? Well, I’ll see what I can do.’
‘Besides – weren’t her husband,’ added Casper. ‘I knows him.’
‘Oh hush, both of you,’ said Felicia. ‘This is silly talk. First we must find out what really happened and nurse the poor dear back to health.’
‘Specially since it’s her has the money,’ sniffed Nat, ‘and her that buys most of your food. You’ll be looking after your own best interests, no doubt.’
‘You’re turning into a right miserable bugger, Nat Tame,’ objected his brother. ‘The lass has given you plenty of free meals, too. You’re just sour since Drew stopped you groping her at Christmas. Cheer up, now, and let’s see what we can do to help and not hinder.’
The discussion had drowned out her attempts to explain herself, but now Tyballis struggled up a little and glared at them. ‘You all keep arguing over my head,’ she croaked. ‘But you’re not listening. I was kidnapped. Kept in a cellar and maybe even poisoned.’
Several faces stared down at her in evident disbelief. ‘Shock and too much wine,’ suggested Nat. ‘Lost her wits.’
Tyballis shook her head a little wildly and then wished she hadn’t. ‘I was at the docks. I was grabbed by three men including Baron Throckmorton. He’s a skinny little pig with bandy legs and red hair. He has – well, I suppose you could say – a reason to hate me as much as I hate him. They dragged me off in a cart and locked me up in the cellar.’
‘There was a full moon last night,’ remembered Nat gloomily.
‘I am not a lunatic,’ said Tyballis, taking a long and furious breath. ‘Look at my bruises. The bastards punched me and the baron wore big rings. Those hurt.’
‘You do look a touch – the worse for something,’ admitted Davey. ‘Don’t worry, it’s not too bad. The marks will fade soon enough.’
‘Don’t tell fibs, Davey Lyttle,’ said Felicia. ‘The poor dear is very badly bruised and looks terrible. Now, Tybbs dearest, tell us the rest.’
Half way through her story Elizabeth peeped past the open door of the chamber and, intrigued, joined the crowd around the bed. The noise also attracted Mister Switt who hovered in the background. Only Luke and Jon, the latter fast asleep in bed, remained absent.
Tyballis explained the previous baron’s sudden death and Borin’s arrest for the murder, his eventual release and her own resulting incarceration. Some of this was already known to the household, though not the full details, and she offered only a vague description of Andrew’s interactions with both barons Throckmorton.
‘Andrew Cobham is a money lender?’ gulped Felicia. Tyballis denied this quickly, then finished her story.
After a few moments, Davey broke the silence. ‘The story’s a little hard to follow, my lovely, but it’s clear something must be done.’
Casper, torn between old loyalties to Borin and new loyalties to everyone else, got the hiccups. Nat was simply confused. Widower Switt shook his head and sat down in a hurry. Ralph said, ‘But you’re here. And where’s Drew?’
‘I escaped,’ Tyballis said. ‘And I don’t know where Drew is.’
‘You were locked in a cellar? By a baron? Kidnapped by a load of armed men? And you escaped?’ objected Nat.
Elizabeth quickly pushed to the front of the crowd and scowled at everyone. ‘And why shouldn’t she escape?’ she demanded. ‘You think a woman too weak? Well, let me tell you, women are smarter and quicker – and any woman could escape a bunch of stupid men if she wanted.’
Tyballis smiled. It made her face hurt. ‘Thank you, Lizzie,’ she said. ‘I hid in an empty wine barrel and the man who came in was stupid. When his candle blew out, he started stumbling around like a drunken bear. I was accustomed to the dark already and I could see quite well so I kicked him and got away while he was still doubled over.’
‘Kicked him in his cods, I hope,’ said Elizabeth.
‘But unfortunately Throckmorton isn’t as stupid as his henchmen.’ Tyballis nodded to no one in particular. ‘All I know is, he owes Drew money and doesn’t want to pay. He was going to use me as bait to lure Drew in because he wants to kill him. Now he’s lost his bait, but he won’t drop his plans that easily. He will still try, I’m sure.’ Tyballis paused and took a deep breath. ‘So, we have to kill Throckmorton first.’
‘Ah,’ said Ralph. ‘Murder a baron? Might be a problem.’
‘Get Borin,’ Casper advised. ‘Not a bad man. Saved my life.’
‘Borin couldn’t kill a mouse,’ snorted Tyballis. ‘And it was him got me chucked in prison in the first place. Him and his vile mother and the revolting baron.’
‘Well,’ said Elizabeth, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed, ‘I’ll stab the bastard if you want. I’ll do all three.’
Which was when Mister Switt pushed forwards and, clasping his hands earnestly before him, looked down at Tyballis and said, ‘My dear young woman, may I make a suggestion? This appears to be a grave and sinister matter. You have clearly been put in great danger, and subjected to shocking violence. That you got away is certainly a credit to your own ingenuity, but ingenuity may not be enough. It seems we must all work together and devise a plan to keep our esteemed Mister Cobham free from harm. Amongst us there are many diverse talents, and I hesitate to speak for myself, but I venture to suggest that not one of us is entirely without wit. Personally, I shall do whatever is required of me. We owe Mister Cobham our allegiance. We must devise a plan.’
Everyone turned their head in surprise. It was Elizabeth who, after a brief pause, said, ‘Right as nine pence, George. So, ain’t no bugger of a baron will get the better of me. Less Drew comes back in the meantime, it’s down to us.’
The following morning they took over the grand table in the hall. Widower Switt declined the honour of sitting at the head, so Davey cheerfully claimed the place. Tyballis sat in the middle where they could all hear her explanations, since her voice was still hoarse. The children quickly gathered beneath the table and squabbled as to who should sit on their mother’s feet. It was, however, a faint shock to everyone when, at the moment of scraping of chairs, rustling of skirts and pouring of ale, Jon Spiers trotted down the stairs and abruptly sat at the table’s vacant end. A startled silence continued until Felicia cleared her throat and said mildly, ‘Dear Jon is feeling a little better today. And we would sorely miss his suggestions if he did not attend. I see no reason for everyone’s surprise.’