Dark Fire (23 page)

‘It was a terrible scene,’ the old woman said.

‘We told Ralph to keep out of her way after that,’ Sir Edwin went on. ‘But the boy loved the garden, as why should he not, and she often sat there.’

‘They may say Elizabeth is mad,’ the old woman said. ‘If she won’t speak, no one can be sure. But I say it was wicked jealousy, jealousy because her cousins were more
accomplished than her and our household a better one than the home she’d lost.’ She turned her face to me. ‘I felt and heard it all, the growth of her unreasoning hatred and
violence, for I stay at home while Edwin is in the City and the girls go visiting.’ She paused with a sigh. ‘Well, Master Shardlake, you have heard us. Do you still doubt Elizabeth
threw Ralph down that well?’

I avoided a reply. ‘You were here on that day, madam?’

‘I was in my room. Needler ran up and told me what had happened. It was I ordered him to go down the well. I felt Ralph’s poor dead face when he brought him up.’ She waved a
bony hand in the air, as though touching that dead face again. Her harsh features softened for a moment.

I turned to the girls. ‘You agree with what your father and grandmother have said?’

‘Yes, sir,’ Avice said.

‘I wish to God it were not so,’ Sabine added. She passed a hand over her eyes. ‘Grandam,’ she said meekly, ‘my vision is blurred. Do I have to use the
nightshade?’

‘Belladonna is good, child. By expanding your pupils, it makes you look more comely. But perhaps a smaller dose.’

I looked at the old woman with distaste. I had heard of drops of deadly nightshade being used in this way for cosmetic purposes, but it was poisonous stuff.

I thought a moment, then stood up. ‘I wonder if I might see Elizabeth’s room, and perhaps the garden, before I go? I will only take a few minutes.’

‘This is too much—’ Sir Edwin began, but once more his mother interrupted.

‘Get Needler to take him. Take Joseph too, then afterwards they can both leave.’

‘Mother—’ Joseph had risen and taken a step towards the old woman. She tightened her grip on her stick and for a moment I thought she might strike him, but she only turned her
head abruptly away. Joseph stepped back, his face working. Sir Edwin gave him an angry look, then rang a bell. The steward appeared, so quickly I wondered if he had been listening at the door, and
bowed low to his master.

‘Needler,’ Sir Edwin said heavily, ‘Master Shardlake wishes to visit the room that was Elizabeth’s and then the garden. Show them, then show them out.’

‘Yes, Sir Edwin.’ Needler’s manner was obsequious. ‘And cook says he has a dish of blackbirds for tonight, if that pleases you.’

‘Not too much sauce in it this time,’ the old lady said sharply.

‘Yes, madam.’

Neither Sir Edwin nor his mother made any move to say farewell, and the girls lowered their heads, though not before I saw Sabine glance at Needler and redden. I wondered if she could have a
fancy for the boor: there was no accounting for young girls’ fancies.

The steward led us out, closing the door with a snap. I was glad to be out of that room. Joseph was pale. Needler looked at us enquiringly.

‘The murderess’s bedroom, is it?’

‘The accused’s room,’ I replied coldly. ‘And mind your tongue, fellow.’ Needler shrugged and led us up a further flight of stairs. He unlocked a door and we passed
inside.

Whatever else had happened to her in that house, Elizabeth had had a fine room. There was a four-poster bed with a feather mattress, a dressing table with a mirror of glass, and chests for her
clothes. There was good rush matting on the floors that gave off a pleasant scent in the warm air. Several books stood on a shelf above the dressing table. I read the titles with surprise:
Tyndale’s
Obedience of a Christian Man
, the Coverdale New Testament, and several devotional works as well as
The Castel of Health
and Latin poetical works by Virgil and Lucan. A
learned little library.

‘Is Elizabeth a religious girl?’ I asked Joseph.

‘A good Bible Christian like all the Wentworths. She liked to read.’

I examined the Testament. It was much thumbed. I turned to Needler. ‘Did Elizabeth speak much of religion?’

He shrugged. ‘Perhaps she reflected on her sins, the way she was treating her family, and asked for God’s help.’

‘She does not seem to have received it.’

‘There is still time,’ Joseph murmured.

‘Did Elizabeth have a maidservant? A woman to help her wash and dress?’

Needler raised his eyebrows. ‘Wouldn’t have one, sir. Said the servants mocked her.’

‘And did they?’

‘Perhaps – at her odd ways.’

‘What happened to Grizzy?’ Joseph asked suddenly. He pointed at a basket in the corner, filled with straw. ‘Elizabeth’s old cat,’ he explained. ‘She brought
it from Peter’s house.’

‘It ran away,’ Needler said. ‘Cats do when they come to a strange house.’

Joseph nodded sadly. ‘She was devoted to it.’ So she was deprived even of that company, I thought. I opened one of the chests; it was full of dresses, neatly arranged. I indicated I
had seen enough and we left the chamber. The smell of the warm rushes clung to my nostrils; I thought of the contrast with the foul stink in Newgate Hole.

Needler led us downstairs again, through a side door and into the garden. It was a peaceful place in the sunshine, insects buzzing lazily round the flowers. He led us across the lawn, the grass
dry under our feet. He paused at the well and pointed to the bench, shaded by the large oak. ‘That’s where she was sitting when I came out after I heard the young mistresses screaming.
Mistress Sabine and Mistress Avice were standing by the well, wringing their hands. “Ralph’s gone,” Mistress Sabine screamed at me. “Elizabeth’s put him in the
well.” ’

‘And Elizabeth said nothing?’

‘Just sat there with her head bowed, a dark look on her face.’

I went over to the well. Joseph hung back. A round wooden board was fixed over it, secured by padlocks to metal rings driven into the brickwork.

‘This looks newly done.’

‘Yes, sir. The master had the cap put on last week. Bit late really: it should have been done before.’

‘I would like to see inside. Do you have keys to those locks?’

He looked at me evenly. ‘Sir Edwin ordered them thrown away, sir. Nobody will be using that well again. The water’s been poisoned for years. Not that there was any when I climbed
down, we’ve had so little rain this spring.’

I bent down. There was a space of an inch or so between the wood and the rim on one side. I bent close and then pulled back at the smell that came from the gap; it was the stench of something
dead, rotting. I remembered what Joseph had said about the smell on Ralph’s body – like a cow’s head left out in the Shambles a week. I looked across at him; he had taken a seat
on the bench and was staring up at the window of the room we had left. His treatment from his family must have upset him greatly. I turned to Needler, who stood looking on impassively.

‘There’s a mighty stink coming from that well.’

‘Like I said, the water’s poisoned.’

‘How did it smell when you went down there?’

‘Bad enough.’ He shrugged. ‘But I wasn’t worrying about smells, I was feeling for poor Master Ralph’s body and hoping the rope ladder I’d let down
wouldn’t break. If that’s all, I ought to be supervising the lunch.’

I stared at him a moment, then smiled. ‘Yes, thank you, I have seen all I need.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘Is there anything you’d like me to tell the master? Perhaps you won’t be representing the girl now?’

‘If I’ve anything to tell him I’ll contact him myself, Needler. Now, Joseph, we should go.’

He rose wearily and followed me back to the hall. Needler opened the front door and we went out to the street. Needler said he would have my horse brought round, then closed the door with a
snap. As we stood waiting on the step, Joseph gave me a direct look.

‘Do you believe Elizabeth is guilty now, as my mother said?’

‘No, Joseph, I think more and more that she is innocent.’ I frowned. ‘There is something wrong in that house.’

‘My mother is an uncommon woman. Stronger than most men. She was beautiful when she was young, though you wouldn’t think it now. She always loved Edwin most, thought me a poor
creature to be content with the farm.’

I touched his arm. ‘It was a brave thing you did, subjecting yourself to that for Elizabeth’s sake.’

‘It was hard for me.’

‘I saw. Tell me, when she was younger, did Elizabeth ever show any signs of trouble in her mind?’

‘None, sir. Never. She was merry before she came to this house.’

‘It is interesting she only seems to have become hostile if a family member approached her. Otherwise she wished only to be left alone.’ I hesitated, then said, ‘Joseph, I
think there is something down that well.’

‘What? What do you mean?’

‘I don’t know yet. But I remembered what you said about how Ralph’s body smelt. I smelt something similar, coming from down the well. A sewage smell you might expect if there
was bad water at the bottom, but Needler said there was no water at all when he went down.’ I hesitated. ‘I think there is something else down there. Something dead.’

His eyes were wide. ‘What? What could it be?’

‘I don’t know, Joseph. I don’t know. I’ll have to think.’ I put a hand on his arm.

‘Oh, dear God, what has happened to us?’

I saw from a church clock it was well past twelve and touched his arm again. ‘Once again I fear I must leave you, my friend. Another appointment I cannot miss. I will think what to do
next. Can I reach you at your lodging house?’

‘Ay, I’ll be there until this matter is resolved,’ he said firmly.

‘What about your farm?’

‘I have an arrangement with my neighbour. Things are in a poor way, there has been so little rain, but I cannot make it rain in Essex by being there, can I?’

The boy appeared round the side of the house, leading Chancery. He looked at us nosily as I gave him a farthing. I straightened my satchel and mounted.

‘I will be in touch, Joseph, very soon.’

Joseph shook my hand. I looked after him as he walked away down Walbrook Road, something oddly indomitable in his big, heavy figure. Well, I must be indomitable too. I mounted Chancery for the
short ride to Guy’s. As I did so my heart jumped for a moment at the sight of a tall, pale figure among the people passing, but it was only an old man. He entered a shop. I shuddered
slightly, then turned the horse south.

W
HEN
I
ARRIVED AT
Guy’s shop there was no sign of Barak’s horse outside. Wondering
whether he was still with Cromwell, I tied Chancery to the rail and went in.

Guy was at his table, grinding herbs in a pestle, and looked up in surprise. ‘Ho, Matthew. I did not expect to see you today.’

‘Guy, I have a favour to ask, some information. By the way, I am due to meet someone here. A young fellow with brown hair and an insolent grin. I don’t suppose you’ve seen
him?’

He shook his head. ‘I have seen no one. It is my morning for preparing my herbs. Is this to do with the Wentworth case? How goes it?’

‘We have a stay of execution. I have just come from the family’s house, in fact. But it is something else I wanted to ask you about. I am sorry I have not asked you to dinner as I
promised, but another matter has stolen up on me; between that and the Wentworth case I have scarce had time to breathe.’

‘It does not matter.’ He smiled, though I knew he was lonely and looked forward to coming to my house; with his dark skin he got few invitations to company. I slipped the satchel
from my back, wincing a little at a stab of pain.

‘Have you been doing your exercises?’ he asked.

‘These past few days, no. As I said, I’ve scarce had time to turn around.’

‘You seem strung tight as a bowstring, Matthew.’

I sat down, rubbing sweat from my brow. ‘Not surprising, as someone has just tried to kill me.’

‘What?’

‘You’d get it out of me in the end. I can’t tell you all, but Lord Cromwell has spared Elizabeth Wentworth from the press for two weeks provided I undertake a mission for him.
Nothing to do with the monasteries this time, but murder again and roguery—’ I broke off, looking through the window. ‘Young Barak, who I see tying his horse up outside, has been
deputed by Cromwell to assist me.’

‘Then the help you want is for Cromwell?’ Guy looked at me seriously.

‘To help to catch a brutal killer. I am not allowed to say more – I should not even have mentioned Cromwell’s name. It is too dangerous.’ I sighed. ‘I will not
press you if you feel you cannot in conscience help.’

The door opened and Barak came in. He looked uneasily at the bottles and jars lining the walls, then at Guy with his dark face and apothecary’s robes. Guy bowed.

‘Master Barak, I pray you are well.’ He mispronounced the W in his lisping accent as he always did. I realized how strange and foreign he must seem to Barak.

‘Thank you, master apothecary.’ Barak stared around. I guessed he had never been in an apothecary’s shop before; he looked like he had always known rude health.

‘Would you like a little beer?’ Guy asked him.

‘Thank you,’ Barak answered. ‘It is a hot day.’

Guy went out to fetch it and Barak came over to me. ‘The earl’s worried. He’s had Kytchyn taken to a place of safety till this is over.’

‘Thank God for that.’

‘He says you’re being too slow. He’s concerned you won’t be seeing Lady Honor till tomorrow. There are only ten days till the demonstration, and the king’s told him
he’s looking forward to it.’

‘Perhaps he should seek a miracle worker then.’

Barak stepped away as Guy returned, bearing two cups of small beer. I drank gratefully, for I was very thirsty. Guy stood at the end of his table and studied Barak carefully a moment; I was
pleased to see Barak look uncomfortable under that penetrating gaze.

‘Well, then,’ Guy said quietly. ‘What help do you both wish from me?’

‘We have to deal with alchemists,’ I said. ‘I know nothing of their trade, and would welcome your advice.’ I opened the satchel and laid the alchemical books on the
table. Then I carefully took the bottle from my pocket and held it out. ‘Have you any idea what this strange stuff might be?’