Heartstone

'Is that all? Jesu. Imagine the Queen having to sleep with that.'

'I prefer not.'

'That I believe.' He ventured a smile and I smiled sadly back, glad the ice was broken.

We crossed the bridge to the mainland and rode quickly to the little town of Cosham. There one road continued north, past Hoyland and on to London, while another forked left to Portchester Castle. We halted. Barak said quietly, 'Let's ride on, get home.'

'No. I am still going to Portchester. An hour to ride there and back, an hour or two at the castle. I'll try and catch you up tomorrow.'

'I'm still not coming.'

'I understand. You think me mad, I know.' I tried to smile.

'I'll wait for you at the inn over there till three,' he said. 'But if you're not back by then I'll ride on.'

'Agreed.'

So I turned and rode west. I passed along the coastline for a couple of miles; slowly the high white Roman walls of Portchester Castle, set on a peninsula protruding into the head of Portsmouth Haven, became clearer. Twice I passed a company of soldiers heading in the opposite direction.

The castle, an almost perfect square of high stone walls surrounded by a moat, enclosed a site of several acres. In the centre of the walls was a large gatehouse, and at the western end an enormous square keep, immensely solid. A group of soldiers in half-armour, with swords and halberds, stood guard before the drawbridge in front of the gatehouse. I handed the letter I had written to Warner the previous night asking for an interview, to a young officer, a petty-captain I guessed. He looked at me interrogatively. 'I understand the Queen and her household have remained at Portchester,' I said.

'They're here.'

'I have been engaged on a piece of legal business for the Queen at Portsmouth. There has been a development and I need to speak with Master Warner.'

The captain stared. 'I'd have thought they'd be too busy there to bother with lawyer's quibbles.'

'This matter started before the present crisis. I think Master Warner will want to see me.'

He grunted disapproval, but beckoned a young soldier across, gave him the letter, and told him to find Warner. The soldier ran off to the drawbridge.

'Did you see his majesty enter Portsmouth?' the petty-captain asked.

'He arrived just before I left. He had a fine welcome.'

He jerked his head back at the castle behind him. 'We may have to defend this place from the French. They say there's thirty thousand of them.' He laughed bitterly, muttered 'Lawyer's quibbles,' again. We waited in silence, the hot sun beating down on us, till the young soldier ran back. 'He'll see the lawyer, sir,' he told the officer.

* * *

ONE OF THE soldiers took the horse, and the officer, with ill grace, led me across the drawbridge. We passed through the big gatehouse, guarded by more soldiers, which gave entrance to the castle and came out into a huge open space where there were yet more soldiers' tents. Men were drilling and practising with their bows on the cropped grass. Ahead of me was an enormous storehouse. The door was open and I saw it was near empty; most of the stores would have been taken to Portsmouth. A path ran straight across the enclosure to another gate on the opposite side, giving on to the harbour. Soldiers patrolled the walls and I saw the dark shapes of cannon; if the French managed to enter the harbour they might try to land here.

We turned left towards the tall inner keep; it was surrounded by a complex of smaller buildings, closed off by internal walls and protected by a continuation of the moat. The petty-captain had to explain his mission to the guards stationed there before he was allowed to lead me across the inner moat into a central yard. With the King away few people remained there. We passed through a high ornate door, then climbed a flight of steps to a great hall with a splendid hammerbeam roof. I was handed on to an official who led me down a narrow corridor into a small antechamber, telling me to wait. There were some cushioned chairs; I sat down wearily. It was quiet; a clock on the buffet ticked steadily. The sun streamed in through an arched window.

The door opened and Warner entered, my letter in his hand. He looked agitated. 'Matthew, what is this?' he asked. 'I hope it is urgent.'

I stood and bowed. 'It is. I need to speak with you, Robert.'

'Why are you still here?' he asked sharply. 'The Queen recommended you to leave. You know the King is here?'

'I saw him enter Portsmouth two hours ago.'

'Please tell me nothing more has happened at Hoyland Priory. The Queen was most concerned to learn of that woman's death.'

'A man has been arrested for Abigail Hobbey's murder, a local yeoman. I believe he is innocent.'

He waved a hand impatiently. 'The Queen cannot deal with that now.'

'And I have been warned to drop the Curteys case. By none other than Sir Richard Rich.'

I watched carefully for Warner's reaction, but he only looked surprised. 'What on earth has Rich to do with Hoyland?'