The Queen's Head

'I was deceived by that at first,' he admitted. 'It was intended that I should be. I would hazard a guess that Redbeard placed the book at the lodging for me to find. It linked Ben with the attack on me and with the killing of Will Fowler.' He shook his head. 'No, Anne. This is not the work of Ben Creech. We are up against a much more cunning adversary. He has been clever enough to hide his trail and ruthless enough to murder his own accomplice.'

'Redbeard?'

'My belief is that he was killed by his friend.'

She was aghast. 'His friend?.'

'Yes,' he argued. 'Who else would get close enough to a man like that to stab him in the back? Redbeard lived in foul dens and dark alleys. That was his world. Nobody would ever gain an advantage over him there.'

'Unless it was someone he trusted.'

'His accomplice. The man who hit me from behind.'

'Oh, Nick!'

The memory of the assault made her cling to him for a long time. He had to soothe her with kisses and caresses. Three people had now been murdered in gruesome circumstances and she was convinced that he would be the next victim. Nicholas was equally persuaded that he was quite safe. His life had already been spared once and he now realized why.

'He will not kill me, Anne,' he decided.

'How can you be so sure?'

'Because he needs me alive. He needs me in the company.'

'For what reason?'

'I have not fully divined it yet,' he confessed. 'But it has something to do with our appearance at Court. Perhaps that was the desired end all along. Once it had been achieved, Redbeard had served his purpose. He could be cast aside with a dagger in his back.'

'But why here? Outside my house?'

'So that I would be aware of his death. So that I would be misled even further. So that I would think all danger had passed.'

'I cannot make sense of this, Nick,' she complained.

He pulled her down to him and embraced her warmly. Then there was a long silence as he tried to puzzle it all out. She began to think that he was dozing off but his mind was racing as he evolved a plan.

'Who is your best hatmaker, Anne?' he said abruptly.

'What?'

'At the shop. Who is your most skilful craftsman?'

'Preben van Loew.'

'Can he make other things than hats?'

'Preben can make anything,' she said confidently.

'Could he make a dress?'

'Of course.'

'This would be a very special and elaborate costume.'

'You have your own tiremen in the company,' she pointed out. 'Could not they handle this commission?'

'It would not be politic,' he said. 'This is a secret that must be shared by as few people as possible. Master Firethorn will have to be involved but the rest of the company must be kept in ignorance. Apart from the boy, that is.'

'The boy?'

'It will all become clear in time,' he promised.

'Nick, what are you talking about?'

He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear.

'Play-acting.'

*

When he got to The Queen's Head next morning, the first person he sought out was Samuel Ruff. They went off to a corner of the yard to be alone together. Nicholas told him what had happened the previous night. The actor was astonished to hear about Redbeard's death, but that astonishment quickly convened to anger.

'Where is he, Nick?'

'He was taken away by the officers.'

Find out where. I wish to see him.'

'Why?' asked Nicholas.

'Because I want to look on the face of the cur who killed Will Fowler.' Sarcasm took over. 'I want to pay my respects!'

'Stay well away, Sam. That is my advice.'

Ruff punched the palm of his left hand.

'If only I had got to him first!' he said ruefully. 'I hoped to avenge Will's death myself. Redbeard escaped me.'

'He came to a deserved end.'

'I wanted to plunge the dagger into him!'

'It is too late for that now,' observed Nicholas.

Samuel Ruff inhaled deeply and fought to control his temper. When he calmed down, he nodded sagely.

'You are right,' he agreed. 'I suppose that we should just be grateful that his wretched life is now over. At least we have no more to fear from the villain.'

'Not from him, Sam. But we still have a mortal enemy.'

'Who?'

'The man who struck Redbeard down. His accomplice.'

'Accomplice?' echoed the other in disbelief. 'That cannot be, surely? Why should he kill a friend?'

'Because that friend was no longer of any use,' suggested Nicholas. 'Indeed, he was starting to become a problem.'

'In what way?'

'Redbeard was too intemperate--we saw evidence enough of that in Bankside. If he was given free rein, there was always the chance that his wildness would lead him to make a serious mistake. And that would endanger the whole enterprise.'

'What enterprise?' asked Ruff with interest.

'The destruction of Westfield's Men.'

The actor pondered. He found much that was plausible in Nicholas's line of reasoning. A name eased itself into his mind.

'Ben Creech!'

'What of him, Sam?'

'He was Redbeard's accomplice.'

'I think not.'

'He was, Nick,' argued the other. 'Ben stabbed him in the back. He paid Redbeard off.'

'No,' countered Nicholas. 'Ben Creech has much to answer for but he is not a murderer. He could never devise the sort of plan that lies behind all this. Ben is not shrewd enough. He had nothing whatsoever to do with Redbeard.'

'How do you know?'

'Because he could never control someone like that. Still less could he kill him off when the time was ripe.'

'I am not so sure,' murmured Ruff.

'Ben was working for Banbury's Men,' continued Nicholas. 'He was responsible for all the thieving. His task was to unsettle the company but he could only do that while he was a member of it. Now that he is gone, that threat has vanished.'

'Yet we still have an enemy, you say?'

'We do, Sam.'

'Inside the company?'

'No. He attacked from outside. With Redbeard.'

'Do you have any idea who the man is?'

'None,' said Nicholas. 'All I know is that he will be more dangerous than ever now.'

'Why?'

'Because he failed in what he set out to do. His intention was to cripple Westfield's Men and Will's murder was his first blow against us. But we survived.'

'Instead of being laid low, the company has prospered.'

'Exactly, Sam. Our appearance at Court is proof of that. But it is bound to stir up his envy even more. I believe that he will do his best to snatch that honour away from us.'

'Not while I have breath in my body!' vowed Ruff.

'We must be Vigilance itself,' insisted Nicholas. 'He will strike when it is least expected.'

'We must be armed against him!'

'I shall say as much to Master Firethorn. The whole company must be on guard from now on. Nothing must be allowed to rob us of our appearance at Court.'

'Nothing will,' said Ruff grimly.

Nicholas patted him on the shoulder and they strolled across the yard together. The book holder remembered someone.

'This news might be welcome in St Albans,' he mused.

'St Albans?'

'I was thinking of Susan Fowler. She will be interested to learn that her husband's killer has met his own death.'

'Interested and gratified, too.'

'Oh, Susan will take no pleasure from it,' said Nicholas. 'Here is not a vengeful nature. But I hope she may draw some modicum of comfort from it. Poor girl! She will need all the comfort she can get in the days that lie ahead. Susan will have to bring up her daughter without the love and support of a husband.'

'God protect them both!' added Ruff.

'Amen!'

*

Lord Westfield's Men continued their regular round of performances but it was their visit to Court which dominated their thoughts and their conversation. December came and Christmas hove into sight. Their excitement increased with each day that passed.