‘I understand.’
‘Have you heard any news, sir, of how long the King may be in York?’ She grasped her engagement ring, turning it round and round on her finger.
‘No, mistress. No one seems to know. I imagine it all depends on the Scotch King.’
She shook her head. ‘There is no word of him even being on the road. And there was talk at the manor last night of new raids by the border reivers.’ She looked around her. ‘Oh, I wish I were gone from here.’
‘I too.’
‘Bernard has still been neither accused nor released. Sir, you are a lawyer, how long can they hold him in the Tower?’
‘On the King’s authority, indefinitely. But representations can be made. What contacts do you have in London?’
‘Only Bernard’s lawyer friends. And some of them fear to get involved.’
‘Your constant spirit may save him,’ I said.
She looked at me again with those large, intense eyes. ‘I was sorry to hear how the King treated you on Friday.’
I shifted uncomfortably. ‘Thank you.’
‘I know what it is like to be mocked without just cause. The other women mock what you call my constancy.’
‘That too is cruel.’
‘I am sorry I associated you with Sir William Maleverer. He is known throughout Yorkshire as a dangerous, covetous man.’
‘He is no friend or patron to me.’
‘No. But may I ask, how did you come to be with the Progress?’
‘At the request of Archbishop Cranmer.’
‘Ah, they say he is a good man. He is your patron?’
‘In a sense.’
‘I – I am sorry I misjudged you.’ With that, she curtsied swiftly and walked away to the church, where the warden stood at the door, looking impatient. The door closed behind her. I returned to Barak.
‘What was all that about?’ he asked.
‘She apologized for her behaviour the other evening. She seems to have lost her opposition to your seeing Tamasin.’ I shook my head. ‘She is a strange woman. Under great strain, that much is clear.’
‘Did she say where Tamasin is?’
‘Tamasin told her she was ill and wished to stay in her room. Probably keeping out of the way.’ I looked at the closed door of the church. ‘If what you saw last night comes out, Jennet Marlin will be in a difficult position. Lady Rochford is her employer, Tamasin her servant.’
‘Nothing to the trouble we’ll be in.’
I nodded. ‘Let us go to Master Wrenne’s. Get us out of this damned place.’
We set off for the gate watchfully, past the empty pavilions with their guards, our eyes alert for danger.
Chapter Twenty-three
AS WE PASSED THE FRONT of King’s Manor I saw a man in a grey furred robe with a heavy gold chain round his neck descending the steps, accompanied by a little group of clerks. It was Sir Richard Rich. He caught my eye. My heart sank as he dismissed the clerks and strode rapidly over. I bowed deeply.
‘Master Shardlake.’ Rich smiled coldly. ‘And young Barak again. He is your clerk now?’
‘Yes, Sir Richard.’
Rich flicked Barak an amused look. ‘Has he enough learning?’ He smoothed his robe with his slim hands, and smiled. ‘I have been with the King,’ he said cheerfully. ‘When the spring conspirators were attainted, their lands passed to my department. We have been discussing how they might be best disposed of.’
‘Indeed, Sir Richard.’
‘The King will be generous to those who have been loyal in Yorkshire. Although with the constant dangers of foreign invasion he needs his lands to bring in all the revenue they can.’ He smiled thinly. ‘Which brings me to the other matter. Have you passed on what I told you about the Bealknap case to the Common Council?’
I took a deep breath. ‘That you think the right judge has been chosen? I have told them those who say they have a good hand early in the game are usually bluffing.’ It was a lie; I had not yet written, though I planned to. I wondered how Rich would react; to speak thus to the Chancellor of Augmentations would normally be impertinence, but we were talking now as lawyer to lawyer. Rich gave me an uneasy look. His eyes narrowed, and I saw that I had guessed correctly, he did not have a judge yet.
‘Come over here,’ he said sharply. He grasped my arm and led me out of earshot of Barak. He gave me a hard, fixed look. ‘You know I have been having dealings with your master here, Sir William Maleverer.’ His thin face was tense with anger now. ‘He is interested in buying more lands up here, and Augmentations has lands to sell. Do not forget, Brother Shardlake, that Sir William has many powers here, and that you are alone in York but for your boorish servant. And not liked by the King, it appears. Tread carefully.’ He paused significantly. ‘And do not send that letter about the Bealknap case to London; I know you have not sent it already.’ I looked surprised, and he laughed. ‘Do you think, sir, with the political trouble there has been up here, that the posts from the Progress go unwatched?’ He looked at me with those cold grey eyes. ‘Mark well what I say, and do not trifle with me.’ He turned and walked away with sharp, rapid steps.
Barak came over to me. ‘What did he want?’
I told him what Rich had said. ‘He always threatens much,’ I said. ‘He did last year.’ Yet I felt uneasy. More threats, more danger.
‘We need to get home,’ Barak said emphatically. ‘We and Tamasin.’
‘We can none of us go till we are ordered. For now we are trapped here like flies in jam.’
‘In shit, more like,’ Barak muttered as we headed for the gate.
WE WENT THROUGH TO the Minster precinct and down to Giles’s house. He answered the door himself. He looked much better; there was colour in his cheeks again. He welcomed us into the solar where Madge sat by the fire ticking at some plain beads. Madge rose and bowed, then went to fetch some wine for us. Master Wrenne urged us to sit. The greyfalcon on its perch inclined its head at us.
‘You look much better, sir,’ I said.
He smiled. ‘Thank you. My rest did me much good. And Dr Jibson’s prescription eases my pain. How do you fare, Master Barak, did you see the King yesterday?’ His manner was easy, he mentioned the King’s name in a light tone.
‘Yes, sir. When he entered the city. He is a man of great presence.’ Barak looked at Giles a little uneasily; I guessed he had never encountered a man who was dying slowly before. But if Giles noticed he did not show it.
‘Let none doubt the King has presence,’ he agreed, nodding wisely.
Madge brought in the wine and a plate of little cakes. She seemed to avoid my eye, I wondered why. Giles took an appreciative swig from his goblet. ‘Ah, good French wine, nothing better on a fine morning. And jumble cakes, help yourselves.’ He smiled at us. ‘Now, I have had a list from the steward’s office of the petitioners who will present themselves at the castle tomorrow. It will be the first of two hearings.’
‘You are sure you feel well enough to preside?’ I asked him.
‘Quite sure.’ He nodded emphatically. ‘They are mostly simple enough matters.’
‘What if the parties refuse to accept our arbitration?’
He smiled. ‘Then they may try their luck in the London courts. I doubt many will want to do that.’
‘Then we must be sure we do justice.’
‘Indeed. I have left the list in my little study next door, together with the knapsacks containing the petitions. I wonder if Master Barak might be set to marrying up the papers with the names, and our summary, then we can have a quick look through them together.’
‘A good idea. Do that, would you, Barak?’
‘And take your wine,’ Giles added. ‘Do not go dry to your task.’