Exile (8 page)

“Indeed I do not!” Masou was almost shouting at me. “But the guards believe it, and Her Majesty will believe her guards!”

“What shall we do?” I said, pacing up and down the chamber. I was trembling inside and struggling to keep my wits about me. “Poor Ellie. Do you know where they have taken her?”

“For the moment she is locked in a storeroom by the dairy,” Masou told me.

“Then I must go and see her,” I declared. “But first I will speak to the Queen. She knows I am investigating the theft. Surely she will see that this is a terrible mistake and allow Ellie to be released while I find the true thief for her.”

“I wish I could come with you to see Ellie,” said Masou, “but I am wanted by Mr. Somers. I should never have left the practise but I had to let you know the terrible news.” He turned at the door. “Be sure to tell her I will solve this mystery,” he added, winking at me, “with a little help from the Queen's Lady Pursuivant.”

This was just his way of cheering me up. But it did not work. I had a terrible ache of fear in my belly. Ellie taken for a thief! How could this be?

I resolved that when I saw Ellie I would act as cheerful as Masou. And I knew something else that would cheer her up. On my way to the Presence Chamber, I made a detour to the kitchen and begged a bowl of sugared fruits. I didn't mention that they were for the “ruby thief” and I am glad I didn't.

“Of course, Lady Grace!” exclaimed Mistress Berry when I told her what I wanted. “Can't have your ladyship going hungry, can we! You take some
manchet bread as well. You never know when you'll be fed, with all that commotion this morning and Her Majesty changing her mind about dinner all the time—though don't go saying I said so, will you, my lady? She is our God-given Queen, after all, and entitled to do as she pleases.” She gave me a big piece of bread, still warm from the oven, and half a dozen sugared plums. “What about that Ellie Bunting then? I always thought she had a shifty look about her. You can't trust that type, can you? I was just saying to Jude here …”

I thanked her and made my escape. Poor Ellie. The only look she had about her came from hunger and overwork. Would everyone think her guilty straight away? I made for the Presence Chamber. I had to persuade Her Majesty that Ellie could not possibly have stolen the ruby.

The Presence Chamber was as busy as ever and the talk was all about the Heart of Kings. Some were gossiping with great relish about suitable punishments for the thief. I tried not to listen and pushed my way through the throng to the Queen.

Her Majesty was speaking with my lord Robert, the Earl of Leicester. I stood and waited.

“I give you a charge, my lord,” the Queen was telling her favourite. “We have need of a diversion
for the Banoo and indeed for us all. Something that will help put this sorry business behind us. For we do not want it spread abroad that our Royal Court is not a welcome place.”

“I will give it my urgent attention, Your Majesty,” he replied.

The Queen lowered her voice. “I have no doubt of it, good Robin.”

“Ever your loyal servant, Gracious Majesty,” he said with an elegant bow.

My Lord of Leicester can be very high and mighty with the rest of the Court but with Her Majesty he is all gentleness. He thinks the world of her.

The Queen smiled as she waved him away. Then she saw me and summoned me to her so no one could overhear. Her face became grave. “You will have heard what has happened this morning, Grace. It would seem that we do not need the services of our Lady Pursuivant after all,” she said. Then she must have noticed the look on my face. “I see you look doubtful. Speak your office,” she commanded.

“I am troubled, Your Majesty …,” I began.

“How so? Banoo Yasmine has verified that it is the genuine Heart of Kings that has been recovered, and indeed I have seen the Star of Karim in it
myself. The jewel is now safely stowed in my ivory cabinet and well guarded in the Privy Chamber. Secret arrangements are under way to have it taken to the Tower.” She put her hand on my arm and looked into my eyes. “And the true thief is in custody, is she not?”

“Ellie's not the thief, Your Majesty!” I whispered urgently. “She would no more thieve than she would jump over the moon. And how could she make a false ruby? She is only a poor laundrymaid!”

“Hmm,” replied the Queen thoughtfully. “It is a fair point. And I confess I had rather expected the thief to be an ambitious man than a little laundry- maid.”

“Then I beg Your Majesty to release Ellie!” I gasped, kneeling in front of her.

“I cannot, Grace,” sighed the Queen. “Would you have me release a suspect caught with her ill- gotten gains? Ellie may have been a pawn in a much larger game. She could have been in someone else's employ. Your loyalty to your friend does you credit, but we cannot be certain she is innocent. Beware that friendship does not blind you.”

“I will heed your words, Your Majesty,” I agreed. “Everyone must be a suspect.”

The Queen stared over my head and spoke—
almost more to herself than to me. “Everyone indeed. Yet I cannot credit that the Banoo has anything to do with this. In my youth, when my sister thought me a traitor, I had to learn whom to trust and whom to fear. And I would swear that Banoo Yasmine speaks truly.”

“I am also sure of that, Your Majesty,” I assured her. “But I pray that you will give me leave to find the real thief so I may prove Ellie's innocence.”

“I will,” said the Queen. “But, meanwhile, Ellie Bunting must remain locked up as the thief. It is a great relief to our monarchy that the Heart of Kings, entrusted to us, has been found safe. And yet I would not have the real villain at large in my Court. Therefore I give you leave to continue your search, Grace, but I charge you to act with great care and secrecy. It could be dangerous for you. I do not want to lose a precious goddaughter and I owe it to my good friend, your poor mother, to keep you safe. Tread carefully, my dear.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” I said. “Nothing shall delay me!” I jumped up, spilling my bread and fruits, and wasted five minutes scrabbling all over the floor to pick them up.

“They're not for me,” I muttered. “They're for Ellie. Sugared fruits are her favourite.”

I am sure I heard the Queen laugh, but when I looked up she had a perfectly straight face.

I hurried off to see Ellie and told Jonas Beresford, the guard at the door of the storeroom, that I was entitled to visit Ellie as she was my servant. I hoped he didn't know that Ellie wasn't really my servant. Luckily for me, he simply opened the door and stood aside to let me in, lighting my way with a candle.

Ellie was crouched in a corner, her head on her knees. She did not even look up.

“Ellie,” I called, remembering not to sound too friendly in front of the guard. “On your feet. It is your mistress, Lady Grace.”

Ellie got up slowly. Her face was tear-stained and frightened.

“Thank you, Jonas,” I said to the guard. “You may go. But leave the candle here. I have need of it.”

“Well, I'm not sure I should leave you, my lady,” the guard began. “That one there, she's a dangerous miscreant….”

“I have come directly from the Queen herself!” I said haughtily. “I trust you will do as I ask.” And indeed I was not lying—I had come from the Queen. She may not have told me I could order the guards about, but Jonas did not know that.

As soon as he had gone, Ellie flew across the room and clutched at my skirts, sobbing. “Oh, Grace!” she wailed. “I never done it. You must believe me.”

“Of course I believe you,” I said, trying to keep the tears from my own eyes. I pulled her to her feet and hugged her. “I've told Her Majesty that you are not a thief, and I intend to find the real one.”

“So I'll be set free?” asked Ellie, with sudden hope.

“Very soon, I'm sure,” I told her. “Now look what I've brought you.”

I held out the bowl and Ellie wiped her face on her sleeve and ate hungrily. I looked round the miserable little storeroom. It was used to house the masks and other things that Mr. Somers's troupe use in their entertainments. There were wooden trees leaning against the wall, pretend swords and axes, and an enormous dragon's head. I would not like to have been in that room without a candle.

“Mrs. Fadget said I'll never see the light of day again,” said Ellie, her mouth full of bread. “She said if the Queen don't leave me in a dungeon to rot, Bandy Yasmine will turn me into a bluebottle—or worse!”

I did not like to remind Ellie what the more likely punishment was for a common thief. I had heard
someone say in the Court, not an hour since, that she would likely have her hand cut off and be branded on her cheek with an “F” for “felon.”

“Tell me what happened, Ellie,” I asked her gently. “How do you think the ruby got into your washing basket?”

Ellie took a sugared plum and bit into it. “I dunno,” she said, shaking her head. “The thief must have put it there, I suppose. I was doing my duty, collecting all the dirty linen from the Bandy's servants. There was a whole heap in each room—seems they only wear a shirt for one day and then have it washed! What's wrong with wearing them a week or so like our ladies and gentlemen do? Anyhow, I was on my way down to the laundry when all hell broke loose! There were guards everywhere— and one made a saucy jest about rummaging in my shirts. I laughed, and he lifted the linen in the basket, and … and …” Tears began to run down Ellie's face. “…He found the jewel!” she sobbed. “But I never put it there!”

“Of course you didn't, Ellie,” I said soothingly. “I know you would never do such a thing. And we can easily prove it.”

“How, Grace?” gulped Ellie.

“It is easy,” I said with a smile. “We just have to
show everyone that you didn't go anywhere near the dressing room, so you can't have taken the ruby. There was a guard at the door who would have seen you go in!”

“But I did go in the dressing room!” howled Ellie.

My heart sank. For a brief moment I had thought that Ellie's nightmare was over.

“Are you sure?” I asked in desperation.

“Yes,” answered Ellie. “When I arrived to ask for the Bandy's linen, that Mistress Esther woman told me they wanted a wine stain taken out of those funny hose things the Bandy wears. They was ever so busy, so she said I was to go into the dressing room and fetch it meself.”

“Did anyone see you go in?” I asked.

Ellie nodded. “The dressing room door had one of Mr. Hatton's men guarding it, but there was no one in the room itself. I saw a casket on a table. It was beautiful, with golden oliphants and other strange things round it. But I never touched it—or anything but the hose—and I never even saw the ruby. And I wouldn't touch it if I had—what with it being cursed and all.”

So Ellie had had the opportunity to take the ruby! She could even describe the very casket it was in! I realised it was going to be very difficult to prove
her innocence. Then I remembered that Esther had used a key to open the casket this morning and I saw a glimmer of hope.

“The casket was locked when it was taken to the Queen this morning,” I said excitedly. “So surely it was locked when you saw it—which means you couldn't have taken the Heart of Kings.” I gave her another hug. “Try not to worry. I will find the real thief.”

“You be careful,” said Ellie. “Mayhap Bandy Yasmine used her dark arts to steal her own jewel.”

“I don't think so,” I told her. “But it must have been someone who had access to her dressing room. I shall go to the Banoo's chambers straight away.”

“Don't forget, the ruby will curse wrongdoers, Grace,” said Ellie earnestly, as I left. “Be sure to look out for anyone who has turned green, or whose nose has dropped off or something!”

I made my way to the Banoo's apartments, thinking I would say I had come to see Rajah, the panther.

After all, I had had my invitation the night before.

As I went up the tower stairs, I met Mary Shelton.

“You did well to avoid dancing practise,” she said with a smile. “Monsieur Danton was in a terrible mood. We couldn't do anything to please him. Where are you off to now?”

“To the Banoo's apartments,” I told her. “I couldn't wait any longer to see the panther.”

Mary's eyes lit up. “Let me come with you,” she said. “Then I can tell Thomas all about it.”

Samuel Twyer, one of Mr. Hatton's guards, stood outside the Banoo's chambers. He recognised us as Maids of Honour and stood aside to let us in.

The Banoo had been assigned rooms that looked out over the Conduit Court. There was one long chamber for receiving guests with three doors leading from it. The middle one stood ajar and I could see that it led to the bedchamber, but the other two were closed. The walls of the chamber in which we stood had been hung with tapestries and the floor strewn with deep carpets. I had heard of carpets like this, but it felt very strange to walk on them, quite unlike rushes. I didn't think I would like carpets in my chamber. I love it when Fran has strewn fresh rushes and herbs on the floor. It smells so sweet. But Her Majesty must have made sure that the Banoo had familiar things about her, for she had been forced to leave so much behind when she fled Sharakand. That was kind of the Queen, I thought. The Banoo's two guards stood, statue-like, by the window.

To our surprise, Banoo Yasmine had her arms
around Esther, who was sobbing. Her other servants stood around watching in dismay.

“You witness my disgrace,” Esther cried when she saw us, “for it is all my fault that the precious Heart of Kings was stolen! Its safe return does little to ease my guilt.”

“Calm yourself, my dear Esther,” said Banoo Yasmine.

“But I left the casket unlocked!” wailed Esther. “Last night after the feast and revels I was very tired. I put the jewel away hurriedly and I must have forgotten to lock it. As soon as I came to collect it this morning I discovered my error. Imagine my relief when I saw that the jewel was still safe inside. But it wasn't the real ruby. I ought to have looked more closely. You should banish me from your sight, my lady.”

“Enough!” said the Banoo soothingly. “Why should I want to lose my dearest friend? And the matter is over. The jewel has been found and the thief apprehended.”