Sovereign (42 page)

‘We are due to meet Lady Rochford here,’ I told one of them.

The guard looked us over. ‘Her ladyship said a young man and woman only.’

‘The instructions have changed.’

As the guard looked me over I was uncomfortably aware that I was carrying a dagger, against all the rules. But he nodded, deciding I was not dangerous. ‘Second door on the left,’ he
said. He and his colleague raised their weapons and we passed through. I felt suddenly afraid. What if Lady Rochford was behind everything, and had associates ready to kill us? But that was
ridiculous; the soldiers had seen us come in and knew she was here, how could she ever escape discovery?

Beyond the arch a whole inner courtyard had been laid in marble, which the walls had also been painted to resemble. All smelled sweetly of new-cut wood. A number of doorways led off, each with
its own guard. I whispered to Tamasin, ‘Won’t the guards think it odd, Lady Rochford meeting us in here?’

‘Lady Rochford’s oddity is well known. And they will see no harm in it – the pavilions will stand empty till the Scotch King comes. Their concern is to prevent servants
entering to steal the tapestries and furnishings.’

We walked on to the door the guard had indicated, passing one that stood open, leading into a reception room decorated with brilliant tapestries. I glimpsed a buffet laden with gold plate,
servants strewing scented rushes on the floor. Two great chairs of state with purple cushions had been set there. So this was where the kings would meet.

The guard at the next door opened it as we approached. We entered a chamber that was smaller than the one we had seen, unfurnished but with a magnificent series of tapestries showing the life of
John the Baptist on the walls. stood at the far end. She wore a bright red dress, low-cut to show her upper bosom, which like her face and neck was white with ceruse; her dark brown hair was drawn
back tightly under a French hood lined with pearls. She had composed her features into a Lady Rochford haughty frown, which intensified as she looked at me.

‘Why have you brought this lawyer?’ Her rich voice rose. ‘God’s death, Mistress Reedbourne, if you try to set a lawyer on me I shall set something far worse on
you.’

I bowed, then looked her in the eye. I was intimidated, but I must not show it. ‘My name is Matthew Shardlake, my lady. I am the employer of Master Barak here. He and Mistress Reedbourne
sought my protection, after their encounter last night.’

Lady Rochford stepped forward to Tamasin. I feared she might strike her. ‘Who else have you told?’ she hissed. ‘Who else?’ And I saw that she, too, was sorely
frightened.

‘No one, my lady,’ Tamasin answered in a small voice.

Lady Rochford looked at me again, uncertainly, then turned to Barak. ‘That’s an odd name you have,’ she said. ‘Are you English?’

‘Through and through, my lady.’

Lady Rochford turned her stare back to Tamasin: she would concentrate her fire on her, I thought, a junior servant in her direct power. ‘And just what did you and this rude lump of a clerk
see, or think you saw, last night?’

Tamasin answered clearly, though a tremble underlay her voice. ‘Master Culpeper outside the kitchen door, the Queen in the doorway, and you behind, my lady. The Queen seemed to be taking
leave of Master Culpeper.’

Lady Rochford gave a forced, hollow laugh. ‘Stupid children! Master Culpeper had called late to see me, it was I that took leave of him. The Queen heard us and came down to see. Culpeper
is always playing jests on me, he is a naughty fellow.’

It was such palpable nonsense that Tamasin did not reply.

‘It was innocent,’ Lady Rochford went on. Her voice rose. ‘All innocent. Anyone who says differently will face the King’s wrath, I warn you.’

I spoke up. ‘If the King heard his Queen was seen in a doorway with the sauciest rake in the court, I think he would be wrathful indeed. However innocent, that meeting must have broken
every rule of conduct there is.’

Lady Rochford’s white bosom heaved, her eyes flashing. ‘You are the crookback the King jested over at Fulford. What is this, lawyer – do you seek revenge on your monarch
because he mocked your bent back?’

‘No, my lady. I seek only to protect these young people.’

Her eyes narrowed. ‘Lawyers ever speak with coloured doubleness. Is it money you want, to buy your silence and theirs?’

‘No, my lady. Only their safety. And mine.’

She frowned angrily. ‘What do you mean? Why should any of you be unsafe?’

‘People who learn naughty secrets by mistake often are. I work with Sir William Maleverer in connection with certain matters of security here, so I know that well.’

Lady Rochford’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Maleverer’s name. She made herself smile. ‘There is no secret, sir,’ she said in a tone of forced lightness. ‘None.
The Queen merely enjoys the company of the friends of her young days. It has been hard for her, this Progress, all the formal receptions, the endless journeys along the miry ways, hard for a young
girl. The King would not mind her meeting old friends, but people will ever gossip, so she meets them in secret sometimes. Were that to be known it would be an – embarrassment.’

‘Then all is well,’ I answered smoothly. It was interesting that she had changed her story. ‘We have no interest in gossip, all three of us wish only to return to London as
quickly as possible and forget all about this tiresome Progress.’

‘Then you will say nothing?’ Lady Rochford said, a touch of her old imperiousness returning. ‘Say nothing and all will be well, I promise you.’

‘That is our intention,’ Barak replied, and Tamasin nodded.

Lady Rochford looked at our serious faces. ‘Just as well,’ she said, her voice taking on a bullying tone again. ‘After all, one might ask what you young people were doing
abroad at past one in the morning. You, Mistress Reedbourne, should have been long abed. Mistress Marlin is too lax with you. I could easily have you both dismissed from the King’s service,
remember that.’

‘She will,’ I said. ‘By the way, my lady, does Mistress Marlin know anything of what happened last night?’

Lady Rochford laughed incredulously. ‘That sour prig? Of course not. No one else knows, or
will
know.’

‘Then as you say, all will be well. Though I should tell you, as a lawyer, that I must take precautions.’

Lady Rochford looked scared again. ‘What do you mean? You said you had told nobody!’

‘We have not. But certain writings may be left, should I die suddenly.’

‘No! You must not do that. If they came to light – you fool, do you think I would harm you? Think! Even if the Queen would permit that, which she would not, do you think I would want
to draw attention to any of you?’ She paused, then her voice rose to a shout. ‘I want you quiet, quiet!’ Her body began to tremble slightly.

‘My lady, unless you are quieter yourself the guard will know your business; he is probably listening at the door as it is.’

She put a hand to her mouth. ‘Yes,’ she said distractedly. ‘Yes.’ She looked at the door then back at me, so frightened I felt sorry for the beldame.

‘Quiet we shall be,’ I said.

Lady Rochford gave me a hard look. ‘It seems I must trust you.’

‘Then we will take our leave.’ I waited to see if she had more to say, but she only nodded, though she looked at me savagely. Barak and I bowed, Tamasin curtsied, and we left the
room.

I glanced at the guard outside, who stood poker-faced. But we said no more till we were clear of the pavilions, in the open space between them and the manor. Then I leaned against a cart and
wiped my brow with my handkerchief.

‘Thank you, sir,’ Tamasin said. ‘But for you I would have collapsed with fear.’

‘Ay,’ Barak added. ‘That was well done. You kept your composure.’

‘Years of dealing with bad-tempered judges teaches you that. But it wasn’t easy. Jesu, my heart is thumping now.’ I felt a little giddy.

‘Are you all right, sir?’ Tamasin asked. ‘You are very pale.’

‘Give me a moment.’ I sighed and shook my head. ‘These days I feel as though I were adrift in a boat in a storm, wave after wave crashing over me as the wind drives me God
knows where.’

‘Hopefully soon we will be on a real boat,’ Barak said. ‘And away from here.’

‘Ay. By God, Lady Rochford is terrified of what we might say.
Is
there something between the Queen and Culpeper? Or is she afraid for her own position?’

‘Jesu knows,’ Tamasin said. ‘All I know is that the servants say there is bad blood between Culpeper and Francis Dereham.’

‘Yes, Dereham,’ I said thoughtfully. ‘Another old friend of the Queen’s.’

‘Are Culpeper and the Queen and Lady Rochford all
mad
?’ Barak asked.

‘Lady Rochford seems – well, not quite normal. And Culpeper seemed a wantwit.’

‘A lecherous preening creature.’ Tamasin shuddered and I remembered Barak saying he had tried subjecting her to his attentions. ‘And Queen Catherine is a giddy girl,’ she
added. ‘But not so giddy surely that she would lie with Culpeper.’

‘What now?’ Barak asked me. ‘Do we keep quiet, or tell Maleverer?’

‘We keep quiet. I do not think Lady Rochford can be involved with the stolen papers, or even know what they are.’

‘I asked some questions of the servants,’ Tamasin said, ‘about Culpeper’s background. He has been at the court four years. He returns to his family home occasionally. It
is in Goudhurst, in Kent.’

‘Thank you, Tamasin.’ I spoke neutrally, but this was interesting news.

‘I must go now. Mistress Marlin will be wondering where I am.’ She curtsied and walked away, steadily enough.

‘She did well,’ I said to Barak.

‘Ay. Though all this has upset her. Do you know what she said yesterday? She said if only she could find who her father was, if he was a high official, he could protect us. I told her even
if he was you can’t go higher than the King. She loses her sense over that topic.’

I nodded. ‘And as we have said, it could be anyone. It was interesting what she said about Culpeper being from Kent. I wonder if Goudhurst is near to Blaybourne village, whether someone
called Blaybourne has links to the rebels.’

‘ ’Tis far from Kent to York,’ Barak said. He looked behind me. ‘But here comes one who has made that journey.’

I turned. Sergeant Leacon was walking rapidly towards us, his face set. ‘God’s death,’ I muttered. ‘What now?’

The sergeant came up and saluted. As at the refectory, his manner was cold, formal. ‘I have been looking everywhere for you, Master Shardlake,’ he said. ‘Sir William Maleverer
wants you right away. He is with Sir Edward Broderick, at his cell.’

‘Broderick?’ In the press of events since last night I had forgotten him.

‘There has been another attempt on his life.’

T
ELLING
B
ARAK
to wait for me at the lodging house, I followed Leacon as he marched rapidly into the
complex of monastic buildings. ‘What happened?’ I asked.

The young sergeant did not break his stride. ‘Radwinter took one of the exercise breaks Sir William allows him. He had just watched the prisoner eat. Ten minutes later the soldiers
guarding Broderick heard a retching sound and found him lying on the floor, gasping and vomiting. The man who found him called me and I ordered some beer and salt fetched. I mixed them and forced
him to drink, then sent a man to fetch Dr Jibson. He is there now, with Sir William. Sir William is in no good temper.’

‘You did well.’

He did not reply; again I sensed that for some reason Sergeant Leacon had become hostile to me. We walked down the corridor, our footsteps ringing on the stone flags. The door of
Broderick’s cell was open. It was crowded, although like the cell at the castle it was now filled with the stink of vomit. Two soldiers were holding Broderick in a sitting position on the
bed. He seemed half conscious. One of the soldiers held his jaw open while Dr Jibson poured a flagon of liquid down his throat. Radwinter stood looking on, his eyes full of fury; and something
else. Puzzlement? Maleverer stood next to him, arms folded, frowning mightily. He turned to me angrily.

‘Where have you been?’ he snapped.

‘I – I have been at Master Wrenne’s, Sir William.’

‘Come outside. No, you stay there,’ he barked at Radwinter as he made to follow. He led me back out of the cell. He folded his arms again and looked at me.

‘It’s happened again,’ he said.

‘Poison?’

‘Radwinter oversaw the preparation of his food in the King’s kitchen as usual today, brought it here and watched Broderick eat. Ten minutes later Broderick is writhing on the floor.
Radwinter swears his food could not have been interfered with. He prepared it himself. Sergeant Leacon bears out what Radwinter says. And in that case –’ he set his lips hard –
‘I cannot see how anyone but Radwinter can have poisoned him.’

‘But if he did, Sir William, why incriminate himself so obviously?’

‘I don’t know,’ he replied in angry perplexity.

‘And if not him, then who? Who knows Broderick is here?’

Maleverer shook his head angrily. ‘Quite a few, by now. Word has got around.’

‘Sergeant Leacon said Radwinter left right after feeding the prisoner,’ I said. ‘He went for some exercise. Could someone have got to him then?’

‘Past the soldiers? And forced him to take poison?’ he snapped. ‘Where else could the poison have been but in his food?’

‘Perhaps he was not forced to take it,’ I said. ‘Perhaps he wanted to.’

Maleverer turned at a commotion in the doorway. The soldiers were dragging Broderick outside now, the heavy chains securing his ankles clanking. They brought Radwinter’s chair and sat him
on it. Dr Jibson followed. The physician was in his shirtsleeves, his cuffs stained and his plump face red. ‘I can’t see properly in there,’ he explained.

I looked at Broderick. His face was ghastly and he breathed in ragged gasps. His eyes flashed at me angrily for a moment. Radwinter stepped out, and Maleverer called him over.

‘I have been telling Master Shardlake,’ he snapped. ‘I can see no answer to this but that
you
poisoned this man.’