Heartstone

Josephine looked between me and Guy. Tears came to her eyes. 'You are so kind, sirs, both of you.' She rose, knocking a stoppered bottle of ointment off the table. Guy caught it deftly and handed it to her. 'Keep this safe,' he said.

'Oh, thank you, sir. I am so clumsy. I am so sorry.' She curtsied, then left the room with her hurried little steps. Guy looked at me seriously.

'That burn is three or four days old. She says her father told her to go on working. She must have been in agony handling things.'

'He is a brute. Guy, are you sure you are willing to have charge of him while I'm away?'

'Yes.' He smiled. 'I think so.'

'Handle him as you think fit. I will arrange for a new steward as soon as I return, then he can go.' I hesitated. 'Though I am concerned for Josephine.'

'She relies on him so utterly.' He looked at me. 'I am not sure she is quite as stupid as she seems. Only used to being afraid.'

I said musingly, 'I wonder if there might be some way of detaching her from Coldiron.'

'You have enough responsibility with Ellen.' He looked at me keenly, then asked quietly, 'What should I say, Matthew, if she tells me she is in love with you?'

I blushed deeply. 'Can you say you do not know the answer?'

'But I do.'

'Then tell her she must talk to me about it.'

He looked at me with his penetrating brown eyes. 'She may decide to do so. What will you do then?'

'Let me see what I can find out in Sussex.'

'I suspect it may be nothing good.'

I was relieved to be interrupted by a loud knocking at the front door. 'Excuse me,' I said.

A young messenger wearing the Queen's badge prominently on his doublet stood in the doorway. Coldiron had let him in and was staring with wide eyes at the badge.

'A message from Master Warner, sir,' the young man said.

I turned to Coldiron. 'The supper,' I said. Reluctantly he returned to the kitchen. The messenger handed me the letter. I read it. 'Damnation,' I breathed.

It was from Warner. He told me he could not after all send the man he had promised; like many of the stout bodyservants at Hampton Court, he had that day been conscripted.

'Is there a reply, sir?' the messenger asked.

'No reply,' I said. I closed the door. It was not like Warner to let me down, but there were even stronger pressures on those working at court than on those outside. I thought, we leave tomorrow morning, it is too late to find anyone else now. I was more thankful than ever that I had not told Barak about what Ellen had blurted out to me about men burning. Now I would have to try to deal with that matter on my own.

Part Two

THE JOURNEY

Chapter Twelve

I ROSE SHORTLY after dawn on Wednesday, the first of July. I donned a shirt and light doublet, pulled on my leather riding boots and walked downstairs in the half-light. I remembered how, whenever I had set out on a journey before, Joan would be up no matter how early the hour, bustling around to ensure I had everything I needed.

At the foot of the stairs Coldiron and Josephine stood waiting, my panniers on the floor beside them. There was too much for me to carry alone and I had ordered Coldiron to walk with me to the river stairs, where I was to meet Barak.

Josephine curtsied. 'Good morning, sir,' Coldiron said. 'It looks like a fine day for travelling.' His eyes were hungry with curiosity; he thought I was going on royal business.

'Good morning. And to you, Josephine. Why are you up so early?'

'She can carry one of the panniers,' Coldiron answered. Josephine gave me a nervous smile and held up a small linen bag. 'There's some bread and cheese here, sir, some slices of ham. And a sweet pastry I got at market.'

'Thank you, Josephine.' She blushed and curtsied again.

Outside, it was already warm, the sky cloudless. I walked down a deserted Chancery Lane, Coldiron and Josephine behind me. Fleet Street was silent, all the buildings shuttered, a few beggars asleep in shop doorways. Then my heart quickened at the sight of four blue-robed apprentices leaning against the Temple Bar. They detached themselves and approached with a slow, lounging walk. All wore swords.

'Special watch,' one said as he came up. He was a thin, spotty youth, no more than eighteen. 'You're abroad early, sir. It's another hour till curfew ends.'

'I am a lawyer going to catch a boat at Temple Stairs,' I answered shortly. 'These are my servants.'

'My master is on important business,' Coldiron snapped. 'You lot should be in the army, not making trouble here.'

The apprentice grinned at him. 'What happened to your eye, old man?'

'Lost at the Battle of Flodden, puppy.'

'Come on,' I said. We crossed the street. Behind us one of the boys called out, 'Cripples!'

We passed into Middle Temple Lane. A thin, chill river mist surrounded us as we walked through Temple Gardens. Barak was waiting at the stairs, his own pannier at his feet. He had found an early boatman, whose craft was tied up; the lantern was lit, a yellow halo in the mist.

'All ready?' Barak asked. 'This fellow will take us to Kingston.'