Tombland

Josephine looked at me. ‘I, too, am returning to Norwich.’

‘But Josephine, if there is fighting, it will likely start in the city.’ I turned to Edward. ‘Surely it is safer if she stays here.’

He shook his head. ‘If we keep the city, Josephine is safe. Should we lose there, she will be just another Norwich woman at home with a small child. But if there is a battle up here, God knows what may happen to any helpless women and children left if, God forbid, they win. No, Josephine should now be with me, at home in Norwich. We go down this morning.’

Josephine’s face was set. ‘Do not argue, please, Master Shardlake. Edward is right. We will accompany you down to Norwich when you go with the supplies.’

‘Very well.’ I would miss her, and Mousy too. We walked on. Nicholas put a restraining hand on my arm, letting the others walk ahead. He said seriously, ‘What will you do now?’

‘Whatever Captain Kett wishes.’

He smiled wryly. ‘Forgive me, but you could be deemed old and unfit to fight. You could go.’

‘No. Not while I can be of use.’ I looked at him. ‘What of you?’

He bit his lip. ‘I don’t know. Fight for a cause I’m still not sure I believe in?’

I said, ‘It’s likely to be bloody. That Captain Drury, I encountered him in London, just before we came here. Some of his men were beating up a Scotchman, and Drury encouraged them. They looked fearsome brutes, and they’ve experience in the Scottish war.’

‘Will Sir Richard Southwell be with the army? He came up with Northampton’s army.’

‘I don’t know whether he stayed with them at Cambridge. With his sheep farms and his duties to the Lady Mary, I’d think he’d keep as close as he could.’

Nicholas smiled crookedly. ‘Well, he’s worth fighting, at least.’

* * *

THAT WAS THE MOST I could get from Nicholas about his intentions. We made our way to the road at the crest of the hill to await the carts going down to the city. I saw Captain Miles there, who, I guessed, like Edward Brown, was going down to make the final preparations for a siege, and probably a fight. A company of archers joined us. Josephine approached me, Mousy in her arms. ‘Do not be angry with me, Master Shardlake,’ she said. ‘I believe I will be safer in Norwich.’

‘I am not angry, Josephine, just sad that you and Mousy are leaving the camp.’

She turned to look back at the endless circles of lean-to huts, their parish banners flying. ‘I am sorry to leave, too.’ Then she added quietly, ‘Nobody will ever again say the commoners of England cannot rule themselves.’

I tickled Mousy under the chin, and she gurgled happily. ‘Look after this little one,’ I said quietly, then smiled. ‘Do you remember when you came to work for me with your father? Only five years ago, but it seems an age.’

‘Sometimes I have felt that time has moved differently in the camp, as though it was such an unheard-of, special place it affected the movements of the very planets.’ She laughed self-consciously. ‘You will think me foolish.’

‘No, I understand.’

My attention was drawn by the sound of mocking voices. Simon was surrounded nearby by a little group of boys, Norwich apprentices, I guessed, who had taken part in the habitual mockery of him there. One said, ‘You nearly fucked up the joust, didn’t you, Sooty? The way you slapped that horse – did you think it was real?’ Simon reddened and looked down. One of the men waiting to handle the horses stepped across. ‘You leave him be! If any of you dwainy weaklings could handle a horse half as well as Simon, you’d be worth having here!’ The boys dispersed sheepishly.

* * *

ON THE WAY DOWN to Norwich market Simon, like his fellows, was fully occupied with getting the horses and carts down the steep hill, but when we had safely reached the bottom, I approached him. ‘I saw you had a little trouble, Simon.’

He shrugged wearily. ‘I’ve had a rest from it in the camp, but those lads were up from Norwich.’

I looked at him. The man had called the boys who had taunted him dwainy weaklings. But Simon, after several weeks of good food and hard work, had filled out. I thought, then said, ‘When this is over—’

‘When we’ve won,’ he interjected emphatically.

‘Yes, when we’ve won, I have been wondering whether it might be good for you to come back with me to London. I could find you work with horses, and your natural skills would serve you well.’

He looked at me in surprise. ‘You would take me to London?’

‘If you wish. After all, what is left for you in Norwich? Your aunt?’

A flash of anger crossed his face. ‘She left me to beg. I never want to see her again.’

‘In London, you would not have the reputation of someone to be mocked.’

He looked at me, his face suddenly bright. ‘To get away from Norwich, start anew –’ Then his face clouded. ‘Yet the thought of Lunnon frightens me. I hear ’tis very big.’

‘I will make sure you are looked after. As will Barak and Nicholas.’

His eyes filled with tears. ‘Then I thank you, Master Shardlake. I will come. And I will – try to control what I do.’

I smiled. ‘You should see what some London folk get up to.’

* * *