Dark Fire (27 page)

Barak smiled ruefully. ‘And to you for saving mine. That knave would have had my brains out. What about that well? D’you want to go there tonight?’

‘No, I have to go to Lincoln’s Inn to prepare for tomorrow’s case. And I want to find some books on Greek Fire too.’

He looked over the river. The sun was getting low, turning the water silver. ‘Tomorrow’s the first of June. Nine days left then.’ He smiled wryly. ‘You do need me, you
see?’

I sighed heavily and met his gaze. ‘Ay.’

Barak laughed.

‘There’s something you could do for me tonight,’ I said. ‘Ask round the taverns at Lothbury, see if anyone knows anything about the Wentworth family, any tales. Would you
do that?’

‘All right. Never say no to an evening’s drinking. I can go to the sailors’ taverns too; make some enquiries about that Polish drink.’

I looked across at the palace. Liveried servants were scurrying to and fro outside, and a great red carpet was being unrolled. ‘It looks like Bishop Gardiner is having visitors. Look,
here’s a wherry, let’s get away.’

B
ARAK AND
I
SUPPED EARLY
at Chancery Lane. We talked little, exhausted by our adventure, but ate in
a feeling of better fellowship. Barak left the table early to walk back to the City and spend his evening making enquiries round the taverns. With London as brimful of taverns as churches, I
guessed that he had probably trawled them before for information on Cromwell’s behalf. It could be a dangerous occupation, I thought. Meanwhile I had the Bealknap case to prepare and some
books to look for in the library at Lincoln’s Inn. I rose reluctantly and donned my robe once more.

Outside the sun was setting, one of those brilliant red sunsets that can follow a hot summer’s day. I shaded my eyes as I turned into the road, looking round for any sign of strangers.
Chancery Lane was empty as I walked quickly to the Inn, glad to pass under the safety of the gate.

I saw a long blue-painted coach was pulled up in the courtyard, the horses eating placidly from their nosebags while the driver dozed on his seat. A visitor of rank – I hoped it was not
Norfolk come again.

There was a soft glow of candlelight from many windows, barristers working late now the law term had started. A hot dusty smell, not unpleasant, rose from the cobblestones and the setting sun
gave the brick walls of Gatehouse Court a warm red glow. A group of laughing students passed on their way to some revel in the City, young lusty-gallants in bright slashed doublets.

As I turned towards my chambers, I saw two people sitting on a bench outside the hall and to my surprise recognized Marchamount and Lady Honor. Marchamount was half-leaning over her, speaking in
a low, urgent voice. I could not see Lady Honor’s face, but her demeanour looked tense. I sidled behind one of the pillars of the undercroft and watched. After a moment Marchamount rose,
bowed and walked rapidly off. His face was set coldly. I hesitated, then walked across to Lady Honor, removed my cap and bowed deeply. She wore a silk gown with wide puffed sleeves and flowers
embroidered on the bodice; I felt conscious of the sweaty stubble that covered my face, for I had still not had time to visit the barber. But maybe she would think I was being fashionable and
growing a beard.

‘My lady, you are visiting the Inn again.’

She looked up at me, brushing a wisp of hair under the stylish French hood she wore. ‘Yes. Another consultation with good Serjeant Marchamount.’ She smiled softly. ‘Sit beside
me a moment. You are coming to my banquet tomorrow?’

I took Marchamount’s place on the bench, catching the faint tang of some exotic scent she wore. ‘I am looking forward to it, Lady Honor.’

She looked around the courtyard. ‘This is a peaceful place,’ she said. ‘My grandfather studied here – oh – seventy years ago. Lord Vaughan of Hartham. He fell at
Bosworth.’ There was a burst of raucous laughter as another pair of students crossed the yard. Lady Honor smiled. ‘I fear he must have been like these young fellows, he came to the Inns
to gain some law to help in running his estates, but he was probably more interested in the revels of the City.’

I smiled. ‘Some things never change, even in the topsy-turvy world we have now.’

‘Oh, they do,’ she said with sudden emphasis. ‘Nowadays these students will be of mere gentry birth; they will have their fun, but then they will settle down to the business of
trying to make a fortune, which is all men care for nowadays.’ She frowned suddenly, making sad dimples at the corners of her mouth. ‘Even those one has time for may turn out not to be
the gentlemen one thought.’

‘That is sad.’ I realized she probably meant Marchamount. She had not noticed I had seen them together. I felt guilty for my spying.

‘Yes, it is.’ She smiled again. ‘But you, I think, are more than a mere money grubber. You have a look of inner care that does not go with such preoccupations.’

I laughed. ‘Perhaps. You see much, Lady Honor.’

‘Not always as much as I should.’ She was silent a moment. ‘I hear a friend of yours gave the Duke of Norfolk some hard words yesterday. He must be very brave or very
foolish.’

‘How did you hear that?’

She smiled. ‘I have my sources.’ Probably Marchamount, I thought. She liked to be mysterious, it seemed.

‘Perhaps both brave
and
foolish.’

She laughed. ‘Can one be both?’

‘I think so. Godfrey is a strong evangelical.’

‘And you? If you are Lord Cromwell’s man you must be a reformer.’

I looked out over the darkening courtyard. ‘When I was young I was in thrall to the writings of Erasmus. I loved his picture of a peaceful commonwealth where men worshipped in good
fellowship, the abuses of the old Church gone.’

‘I too was much taken with Erasmus once,’ she said. ‘Yet it did not turn out as he hoped, did it? Martin Luther began his violent attacks on the Church and Germany was flooded
with anarchy.’

I nodded. ‘Erasmus would never comment on Luther, for or against him. That always puzzled me.’

‘I think he was too shocked at what was happening. Poor Erasmus.’ She laughed sadly. ‘He was much given to quoting St John chapter six, was he not? “The Spirit gives
life, but the flesh is of no use.” But men are ruled by their passions and always will be. And will take any chance to overthrow authority. Thus those who think humankind can be perfected by
mere reason are always disappointed.’

‘That is a bleak message,’ I replied sombrely.

She turned to me. ‘I am sorry, I am in a melancholy humour tonight. You must excuse me. You have probably come in to work, like those fellows I see hunched over their candles through the
windows. I distract you.’

‘A welcome distraction.’ She inclined her head and smiled at the compliment. I hesitated, then went on. ‘Lady Honor, there is something I must ask you—’

She raised a hand. ‘I know. I have been waiting for you to raise the matter. But please, not tonight. I am tired and out of sorts, and due back home.’ She looked at me seriously.
‘I hear he is dead. Michael Gristwood. And his brother. Gabriel told me, he said you would be coming.’

‘Both murdered.’

She raised a hand. ‘I know. But I cannot deal with that tonight.’

‘That is your coach by the gate?’

‘It is.’ She looked at me seriously. ‘Tomorrow, Master Shardlake, we shall talk. I promise.’

I should have pressed her, but only got up and bowed as she rose and walked gracefully to the gate, her wide dress brushing the cobbles. I turned and made for my chambers, where I saw a light
burned in Godfrey’s window.

My friend sat at his desk, frowning over the papers in one of my cases. Moths fluttered around the candle on his desk, burning their wings as the poor silly creatures always do. Godfrey’s
fair hair was sticking up where he had run his hands through it and he wore little round reading glasses that gave him an aged, scholarly look.

I smiled. ‘Godfrey, are you labouring this late on my account?’

‘Ay, but of my own will. I welcome the distraction.’ He sighed. ‘I learned today I am to go before the treasurer himself to account for my conduct. I expect a heavy
fine.’ He smiled sadly. ‘So this extra work of yours will be useful. I do wish Skelly could put papers in proper order, though. He tries, poor fellow, but somehow he can get nothing
right.’

‘It was dangerous to bait the Duke of Norfolk,’ I told him seriously.

His glasses flashed in the candlelight as he shook his head. ‘I did not bait him. I spoke up for God’s Word. Is that a crime?’

‘It depends on how you do it. Some who do it wrongly have ended in the fire.’

His face set. ‘What is half an hour of agony against eternal bliss?’

‘Easy to say.’

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. ‘I know. Another evangelical preacher was arrested yesterday. I wonder if I would have the stomach for the fire. I went to John Lambert’s burning,
do you remember?’

‘Ay.’ I remembered Barak talking of Lambert’s proud martyr’s demeanour.

‘I went to fortify myself by watching his courage. And he was as brave as a man could be. Yet it was an awful thing.’

‘It is always awful.’

‘I remember a breeze got up, blew terrible greasy smuts at the crowd. Lambert was dead by then. Yet some deserve it,’ he said with a sudden flash of anger. ‘I watched Friar
Forest burn too, the papist renegade.’ He clenched his fists. ‘The blood sweated from his body till his soul fell down to hell. Sometimes it is necessary. The papists will
not
triumph.’ His face took on that steely fanatical look again and I shivered that a man could turn thus from gentleness to brutality in a moment.

‘I must go, Godfrey,’ I said quietly. ‘I have to prepare the Common Council’s case against Bealknap.’ I looked at his set face. ‘But if the fine is heavy and
places you in difficulty, you can always come to me.’

His face softened again. ‘Thank you, Matthew.’ He shook his head. ‘It is a sad thing the profits of the dissolution go to base men of spoil like Bealknap. They should be used
to fund hospitals and true Christian schools for the commonwealth.’

‘Yes, they should.’ But I recalled Lady Honor’s words about the making of fortunes being all men cared for now.

I
WORKED ON THE
case for two hours, revising case notes and sketching out my arguments. Then I gathered my papers into my satchel, slung it over my
shoulder and went across to the library. I wanted to follow up what one of the papers Gristwood had gathered from St Bartholomew’s had said about something like Greek Fire being known to the
Romans hundreds of years before the Byzantines. What was the substance the Romans had used, yet been unable to develop in the way the Byzantines had? That was strange, given the legendary
efficiency of Rome’s armed forces.

Most windows were dark now but there was a yellow glow from the library window. I went in. The huge bookshelves loomed over me in the semi-darkness. The only light came from the
librarian’s desk, where Master Rowley was working surrounded by a little ring of candles. The librarian was a scholarly old fellow who loved nothing better than to pore over legal works, and
he was deep in a volume of Bracton. He had never been near a court, yet had an encyclopaedic knowledge of case law and was often discreetly consulted by the serjeants. He got up and bowed as I
approached.

‘May I take a candle, Rowley? I have some books to find.’

He smiled eagerly. ‘Anything I can help you find? Property law, aren’t you, Master Shardlake?’

‘Not tonight, thank you.’ I lifted a candle from the rack and lit it from one of those on Rowley’s desk. Then I crossed to the shelf where works on Roman law and history were
kept. I had a list of works the papers had referred to: Livy, Plutarch, Lucullus, the great chroniclers.

Every single book I needed was gone. The row was gap-toothed, half empty. I frowned. Had Michael Gristwood been here before me? Yet books were lent rarely and only to senior barristers;
Gristwood had been a mere attorney. Rowley’s desk was strategically placed, no one could have walked out with half a dozen books without him seeing them. I walked back to his desk. He looked
up with an enquiring smile.

‘All the books I need have been taken out, Rowley. Every one on this list.’ I handed it to him. ‘I’m surprised at so many being allowed out. Can you tell me who has
them?’

He frowned at the list. ‘These books haven’t been borrowed, sir. Are you sure they haven’t been misfiled?’ He looked up at me and in the uneasiness of his smile I knew
the old fellow was lying.

‘There are big gaps in the shelf. Come, you must have a list of books that are lent out?’

He licked his lips uneasily at my severe tone. ‘I’ll see, sir,’ he said. He made a pretence of consulting a paper, then took a deep breath and looked up at me again.

‘No, sir. These have not been taken out. The clerk must have misfiled them, I’ll have a search done tomorrow.’

I felt a pang of sorrow that he could lie to me thus. Yet I saw too that he was frightened.

‘This is a serious business, Master Rowley. I need those books and they are valuable. I must raise this with the keeper of the library.’