Heartstone

'That sounds sensible,' I said. 'But horses will be difficult to hire just now. There will be much demand for them.'

'Then we must pay above the normal rate.'

I hesitated. If we found nothing all those costs would be paid by Bess. Or, rather, by the Queen. But my horse Genesis was only used to short rides and this would be a long one. I had ridden him to York four years before, but that was by slow stages and he was younger then. I nodded agreement.

'Will you bring a bodyservant as well as your clerk?' Dyrick asked.

'Probably.' I was thinking about the man Warner had promised me.

'I will not. Feaveryear can do my fetching and carrying. We should travel as light as we can to make speed. I must send a letter by a fast rider to Master Hobbey, so at least he has some advance warning of this nonsense. I suggest we meet in Kingston on Wednesday. As early as possible—I will send you a note.'

'We agree on the practicalities, then,' I said, trying to lighten the discussion. After all, I would be stuck with Dyrick for well over a week.

He leaned in close again. 'Be assured, you will find nothing. And when we come before the court next month I will make you regret this nonsense. That is, unless the French land and we find ourselves cut off in a battle zone.' He sighed deeply, then looked at me. 'You could still pull out. Go after your client and advise her she will be bankrupted, which she will. Unless I find evidence the case is being maintained by the Queen, in which case Mistress Calfhill could find herself in prison.'

I met his gaze. I knew he was bluffing, he would never dare bring the Queen into this. He gave me a final vicious look and turned away. 'Come on, you,' he said to Feaveryear.

Barak and I were left alone in the vestibule.' Now,' I said, 'come. There are things we must discuss.'

Chapter Eleven

I TOOK BARAK to a tavern. 'That was a clever idea,' he said, 'getting my name on the order. But will it override Goodryke's orders?' The hand that held his mug was trembling slightly.

'Yes. It is an order of the court, instructing you personally to accompany me. Sir William Paulet has more power than any whiffler. Go back to Wards this afternoon and fetch the signed order, then take it round to Carver at the Guildhall. He can show it to Goodryke. And the day after tomorrow we will be gone.'

'Goodryke will know what you've done.'

'He won't be able to do anything about it. Paulet himself will be gone to Portsmouth and the clerks at Wards won't be interested.' I smiled bitterly. 'There's no money in it.'

'Did the idea just come to you in court?'

'Yes. Thank God Dyrick did not object.' I looked serious. 'I know I didn't want you to come, but it seems the only way to keep you safe. I'll tell Warner I don't need a clerk now, though a stout bodyservant would still be useful.'

Barak looked at me. 'Tamasin knows nothing about the attack on you, that warning from those apprentices.'

'Then don't tell her. I'm less worried for my own safety than I was. Dyrick knows I have the Queen's patronage, and I have no doubt he will tell Hobbey when he writes. If the danger came from them, they're not going to risk trouble from that quarter. Though I am less and less sure they set those boys on me. Dyrick is a nasty piece of work, but I don't think he'd do something that could cause him trouble at the Bar.'

'Didn't like the look of him at all. What's his history?'

'I've asked around Lincoln's Inn. He's a London fellow, his father was some sort of clerk. He did well at his examinations and chose to specialize in land litigation and the Court of Wards. He's a strange one; it's as though he knows no other way of being than aggression. Yet from what he said he'll miss his wife and children.'

'If not him, then who was it set those boys on you? And I still think there is something suspicious about Michael's suicide.'

I considered. 'There is no evidence for that. All we have is an empty room.'

'I suppose if those boys really wanted you out of the way they would have killed you, or hurt you badly.'

'Yes.' I looked at him. 'When we go south you are not to go chasing trouble. This man Warner has promised me can come with me to where Ellen lived when I go there.'

'You're still going to look into that?'

'Oh, yes.'

He raised his eyebrows. Then he said quietly, 'Tamasin must have the final word on this. Will you come home with me?'

* * *

HALF AN HOUR later we were back at Barak's house, in the little parlour. Tamasin sat opposite us. Through the window bees hovered over her pretty flower garden.

'You must decide, Tammy,' Barak said.

She sighed deeply. 'Oh, Jack, if only you had dealt with that man civilly in the first place—'

'Tammy, I am more sorry than I can say.'

'With luck,' I said, 'we may be back in under two weeks. Well in time for the birth.'