Lord Feayton invariably conducted his business alone and rarely appeared in company with others. This time, however, he came accompanied by one William Catesby, lawyer to the great Lord Hastings; and although not personally known to the baron, he had certainly heard of him. These gentlemen were further flanked by a small armed guard, and for a moment Harold Throckmorton feared for his life and liberty. His pale and hollow face became hot and pink as he indicated to Bodge that the visitors must be kept waiting. He then hurriedly summoned John Hammon and cancelled the careful and secret orders previously applied to Lord Feayton’s eventual reappearance.
‘The damned man’s not on his own,’ Throckmorton hissed. ‘Catesby indeed. One of Hastings’ men. It would be disastrous to try and touch either of them now. You’d better watch from a distance and stay hidden.’
Lord Feayton and William Catesby were then admitted. Andrew strolled in with a wide smile, swept off his hat and gazed down at the baron standing quaking before him. ‘Well, Harold,’ he said, ‘I’ve spoiled matters by bringing someone with me. You’ll have to try to kill me off another day.’
Throckmorton blushed. ‘Insult me as you wish, my lord,’ he said, with a stiff and infinitesimal bow. ‘It is true, of course, that I’ve been expecting you this week past. But I have nothing for you, sir, nothing at all.’ He looked curiously at Catesby. ‘I can only assume that business is no longer your purpose in coming here?’
‘Now, why would you suppose that?’ Andrew smiled. ‘You assume I’d not demonstrate my habits of blackmailing my acquaintances in front of my friend William?’ Without being invited, he dragged two small chairs from the shadows and sat on one, indicating the other for Catesby. ‘I must inform you that Mister Catesby, being amongst other things my lawyer, knows a good deal of my business. No secrets, Harold, no secrets. However, I’m not at all surprised you can’t pay me. I indicated as much the last time I was here. You expected to receive special monetary appreciation because of your part in putting Mistress Blessop in gaol, accused of your brother’s murder. But Mistress Blessop was freed without charge. You then tried to please your masters and free yourself from my watchfulness by incriminating me at court with Geoffrey Marrott – or was it Baron Hastings – catching me peddling packages of suspicious powders. But you have failed yet again, Harold. Your hidden benefactor will not be pleased, and so you, my dear, must therefore continue to be sadly unappreciated, after all. My only surprise is to find you still alive.’
William Catesby also sat, although Throckmorton remained standing. Catesby said, ‘I’m amazed you haven’t dispatched him yourself, my lord.’
Andrew nodded. ‘Dispatched – dispatches. Now, there’s an interesting subject, Will. You see, in a quite remarkable manner, it so happens that some of dear Harold’s dispatches have recently come into my possession. Merely by chance, you understand. And some of them are quite intriguing.’ He turned to Throckmorton again. ‘Do you know, my dear baron, the full consequences of high treason these days?’
Throckmorton felt his knees give way and quickly found another chair. ‘Nonsense, my lord,’ he managed to say. ‘I would never indulge – that is to say, would never wish … I am a most loyal subject of our beloved king. Past family loyalties aside, it is a long time since those battles when my father fought against the Yorkist factions. And my family has suffered for this – suffered greatly as you know, my lord. The Throckmorton estates are almost all confiscated.’
‘I’ve no time for this self pity, Lord Throckmorton,’ Catesby said, tapping his heel. ‘We are come about a certain letter once in your possession – and now safely in ours. Let me simply say, the letter is written in French.’
‘Hardly an unusual circumstance,’ Throckmorton said, growing rigid and nearly biting his tongue. ‘Most court papers are still written principally in French, as you are obviously aware. And if this letter you refer to is no longer in my possession, then how can you be sure it ever was?’ With a determined exhibition of confidence, he straightened his shoulders and clicked his fingers in Catesby’s face. ‘Proof, sirs, proof. Evidently you have none. You imply a libellous letter – a treasonous letter. In which case I assure you it was never mine.’
Andrew Cobham leaned forwards and spoke very softly and directly to Throckmorton’s eyes. ‘I’ve no need of proof, Harold. Mister Catesby may be a representative of the law, but I do not deal in the limitations of legal requirements. I deal in natural justice. Your actual guilt is of great interest to me, and will be to others. So, I have come to tell you this: I know exactly what you are up to. You hoped to implicate me in smuggling poisonous powders into court, and you set a trap of ridiculous naivety. When you heard you had failed, you then returned to your previous plan and arranged to have me taken and slaughtered as soon as I set foot on your property. Naive again, Harold. You have been corresponding with one Dominico Mancini, a known French spy, with Venetian traders in poison, with Lancastrian traitors, and even been unwise enough to abduct Mistress Blessop, attempting to use her against me. But you fail constantly. Now let me warn you one last time. I am growing weary of your cruelty and your spite.’
‘You are utterly mistaken in everything, my lord,’ Throckmorton insisted. ‘No such plan, no such plot –’
‘Enough.’ Andrew raised one finger. ‘Listen to me. If you become further embroiled with the French, their spies and their schemes, you will die quickly. Either I shall kill you myself, or they will. The French leave no witnesses to their designs, for King Louis is both implacable and devious. There also remains another enemy still planning your destruction for the motives I explained earlier, as friends turn to enemies when you consistently fail them, Harold. You must know this. But there is one other likely fate, which you should consider most carefully. Under accusation of high treason, you may be arrested and thrown into the dungeons of The Tower. Since you deal with the French, you should know something of those masters in torture and persuasion. The use of torture is generally thought unacceptable in this country, but I assure you, once treason is suspected, the dungeons tell no tales.’
William Catesby stood, scraping back his chair so suddenly that Throckmorton quivered and shrank back. Catesby said, ‘This is tedious, my lord. Why bother warning the fellow? Let’s kill him and be done with it.’
Andrew’s mouth twitched. ‘Patience, patience, William,’ he said. ‘I have a use still for the wretch.’ He turned back to the baron, who had once again turned quite white and was wondering how he might unobtrusively call for John Hammon, and whether one man would be of any use defending him against two. Andrew meanwhile sat forwards with a genial smile. ‘Now, Harold,’ he said. ‘There is something I want you to do. Naturally you have no choice in the matter. This is not exactly complicated, but since your level of intelligence is clearly limited, you had better listen carefully while I explain.’
William Catesby and Andrew Cobham left Throckmorton Hall some two hours later and held their laughter in check until they were at a considerable distance from Bradstrete.
Catesby said, turning up his collar against the increasing cold, ‘I’m not in the least surprised the duke trusts you so particularly, my lord. I imagine he finds you invaluable. I trust I may become as indispensable to my Lord Hastings, but I confess my own interests and career take a good deal of my time.’
Andrew smiled. ‘Under the circumstances, Will, you should say no more. I am not perhaps the most suitable ear for confessions. I suggest Bishop Stillington?’