Kissing Shakespeare (35 page)

I awoke with the dawn chorus, well before the sun was up. I lay quietly and tried to clear my mind, to listen to the sweet peacefulness of the almost morning. Servants in the passage called to each other as they began their daily routines, and a few voices softly hummed or whistled. Stretching, I swept my eyes around the room, taking in the furniture, the tapestries, and the fireplace. I wanted to remember everything, to be able to picture it when I was back in Boston. I had the feeling I’d be going home soon.

I must have dozed, because I was still in bed when Bess breezed in with a tray bearing a ewer of warm water and breakfast. “Good morrow, mistress,” she said, curtsying.

“Good morrow.” I scooted up and watched her pour the water into the basin on the washstand. “Do you think I could have extra water this morning, Bess? If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like a thorough washing.”

“Oh, aye, mistress. When would you like it?”

“After breakfast?”

“I’ll see to it.”

When she left, I rinsed my face and ran my fingers through my tangled hair. Then I walked over to the table by the settle, where Bess had placed my usual bowl of pottage and tankard of ale. There was also a small basket of strawberries, sweet and juicy, an unexpected treat. Unfortunately, I couldn’t eat much. After a few desultory bites, there was a tap at my door. Perhaps someone bringing the water.

But it was Stephen, dressed and looking fresh and handsome. “Kind of early for a visit, isn’t it?” I asked, feeling shy about being in my sleeping smock.

He grinned. “Forgive me for intruding. I wanted to see how you were faring.”

I shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”

“Did you sleep?”

“Some. I woke up early.”

“As did I. Are you going to eat these?” he asked, pointing to the berries.

“Go for it. I don’t feel much like eating.”

He polished off the berries and then tackled the pottage.

“Stephen?”

He raised a brow. “Olivia?”

“When am I leaving?” I hadn’t had the courage to ask before, but now I couldn’t stand not knowing. It wasn’t just Shakespeare’s fate hanging in the balance.

Stephen dropped the spoon into the bowl, leaned back, and gazed at me. “I would guess sometime in the next few days, if all goes according to plan.”

“Just like that. It’s over. Farewell, Miranda, nice knowing you.”

“You know it is not that simple. Nor would I be so careless about it.”

“No? You were careless about bringing me here. ‘I have need of you, wench.’ Those were your exact words.”

Looking embarrassed, he leaned forward and held out his hand. “Let us not quarrel, today of all days.”

I squeezed his hand, but I couldn’t look at him. Somehow it hurt to look directly at him. “And if things don’t go according to plan?”

“Well, then, we shall have to see.”

“What do you mean?”

“Only that if Will eludes us somehow, maybe you and I will need to take action. If you are agreeable, that is. If not, you may … return home.”

The water arrived. Several women carried steaming pails, and Bess followed them with a couple of extra basins.

“Enjoy your bathing, Sister. I shall see you at the midday meal,” Stephen said before he left.

Standing by the long table in the banqueting hall, I clasped my hands together and tried desperately to act normal. Elizabeth had appeared unexpectedly beside me and was asking about my health.

“Are you unwell, Olivia? You look flushed, my dear.”

“I am well, Aunt. Do not worry about me.” I leaned closer to her. “ ’Tis my courses,” I whispered.

“Ah.” She patted me on the shoulder. “The womanly burden. See that you take care not to tire yourself.” She touched my cheek with the back of her hand. “You do look feverish. Are you certain—?”

“Excitement about the performance, that is all.”

She walked back to her place and I heaved a grateful sigh. I could feel my cheeks burning. That always happened to me when I was nervous or excited about something.

“What was that about?” Stephen asked as we found our seats.

“She thinks I look feverish.”

He smiled. “Your cheeks are glowing, ’tis true. Your hair is passing lovely that way, Olivia.” His eyes moved from my face to my hair. “The braid looks like a coronet.”

“Thank you. Bess arranged it.” I quickly changed the subject. “Where is everyone?” I asked, noticing all the vacant places at the table.

“They’re making final preparations for the pageant, I expect.”

Sure enough, when I glanced toward the opposite end of the room, I spotted Fulke lugging pieces of an ark that had been roughly constructed for our set. In addition to the ark, we had a painted cloth of azure to represent the floodwaters, a rainbow sewn from scraps of brightly hued fabric, and a cut-out dove that would, at the end, hang from the ark by a string. Apparently, this was similar to what had been done in the days when the pageants were performed by the guilds.

I sipped my ale and took a few bites of the various dishes placed before me. Stephen spent most of the meal talking to his uncle about enclosures, lambing, and the horses he’d just purchased. I tuned them out, unable to think of anything but Will Shakespeare and Thomas. When the meal was finished and the tooth picking about to begin, I slipped away and dashed upstairs for the prompt book. After glancing at myself in the glass and smoothing my skirts, I turned to leave.

Without warning, Jennet and her father burst through the servants’ door and into my chamber, scaring the life out of me. What were they doing here, and why hadn’t they entered the house in the usual way? Master Hall shot me a menacing look, and I knew I was in trouble.

“J
ENNET
, M
ASTER
H
ALL
,” I said, curtsying and trying to pretend nothing unusual was occurring. A much younger man whom I’d never seen before accompanied them. He was tall and built like the Hulk.

They came to an abrupt halt. Ignoring me, Jennet and her father gave each other a knowing look, and a tiny prickle of fear stirred inside. I started to back away, then whirled and made a dash toward the staircase. But the young stranger, despite his size, was quick on his feet. He grabbed my arm and jerked me to a stop.

“Sir, let go of me!” Before I got the words out, he had started to drag me back down the passage toward Jennet’s room. She quickly closed the two sets of doors after us.

“What should we do, Father?” Jennet said, not even looking at me.

“I demand that you tell me what’s going on!”

“Be silent, woman,” Master Hall commanded. With one broad hand, he shoved me down on the bed. I fell backward and hit my head against the wall.

“Father!” Jennet protested. “Do not hurt her.”

“They’ll be ready to begin the pageant,” I said desperately, rubbing my head. “Someone will come looking for me.”

“Silence!” Master Hall said, glowering.

I clamped my mouth shut. I could learn more by listening. Sneaking out when they weren’t so preoccupied with watching me was a better idea.

“We shall have to use her,” he said. “She will become part of our plan.”

I wanted to ask what plan but resisted the urge.

Jennet had moved to the windows and was peering out. “Have they arrived?” her father asked.

Oh, my God! This must be the raid. She’s watching for the sheriff
.

Jennet shook her head and whirled around to speak. “I do not see what use she will be to us, Father. We should find somewhere to lock her up.” I was surprised to hear Jennet challenge her father. Good for her, even if she did want to lock me up.

“I think not. Mistress Langford will accompany us when we make our grand entrance into the hall. Mayhap we shall give her a line to say. Even more valuable … it can be she who points out which one is Campion.”

Jennet gave him a sour look.

“I know you were to make the identification, Daughter, but
her
doing so will be a great humiliation for the family.”

By now, I knew the performance must have gone ahead without me. I wondered why Stephen or someone else hadn’t bothered to look for me. Jennet resumed her watch at the windows, and after a minute she said tersely, “They are come.”

“I must meet them.” Master Hall turned toward the young man, who had positioned himself near the doors. “Luke, do not allow Mistress Langford to leave. I’ll return as soon as I’ve conferred with the sheriff.” He clomped off down the passage.

There would be no chance of escaping to warn anyone, not with the Hulk guarding the doors.

Jennet and I glared at each other. “When did you figure out about Campion?” I asked.

“I found some documents, and other … items … in his chamber and described them to my father and Lowry. They figured it out.”

“I saw you one day in the woods talking to Lowry. Stephen didn’t believe you knew anything. He trusted you.”

“And you did not?”

“Not really. I wanted to tell my uncle about your meeting, but Stephen said we couldn’t be sure the man
was
Lowry. He did not wish to cast suspicion on an innocent person.”

“Your good brother—if he is your brother—is too trusting.”

“I followed you to the alehouse too.”

“You did? How did you know—?”

“I searched your room. You are not the only one capable of deceit.”

Her mouth hardened. “You shock me, Olivia. Indeed, I did not think you had it in you.”

“It was you who sent me the notes. Why?”

“I watched you and Stephen, and the way you behaved in each other’s presence somehow did not seem right. Not like a brother and sister. More like a couple.” She stopped and looked aside for a minute. “And I hated your wooing of Will Shakespeare.”

I didn’t dare admit anything about Stephen’s and my relationship. What if she blabbed as a parting shot? “Who wrote the first note? I figured you’d be able to write the—”

“You are so very trusting and gullible, Olivia. ’Tis no wonder I never figured you for a sneak.” She laughed and tossed her hair. “I tricked everyone. I’ve been reading since the age of six, you see. Most Puritans learn to read at a young age, not that we read anything other than the Bible and the
Book of Martyrs
.”

“You had me completely fooled,” I admitted. “I even felt sorry for you.”

She lifted her chin defiantly.

“Why did you do it, Jennet? Betray the people who have cared for you and looked after you these past months? And why throw Will Shakespeare to the wolves? I thought you were in love with him.”

She grunted. “He’s nothing to me now. You do not understand, do you? I thought you might, since I had confided in you. Think, Olivia. Can you not put it together?”

A lightbulb flashed on. “Your marriage! Your father threatened to marry you to that disgusting man if you did not do his dirty work for him. That’s what he threatened you with in the note—what would happen if you did not do your duty.”

“Aye. Now you have it. I have had much practice, you see, at being my father’s spy.” She walked toward the bed and stopped in front of me. “Ever since I was a child, I’ve reported to him, telling him of misdeeds on our small holding. He especially wishes to be informed of fornication, the worst of all sins.”

“How could you possibly know about the misdeeds of others? Especially … fornication?”

“You would be surprised how easy it is to spy once you have grown skilled. Since I looked after the sick and injured, it was simple to discover when someone was faking illness. And ’tis nothing to spy on the servants. They are prone to gossip and laziness anyway.”

“But the … other. How could you have found out about that?”

“It is a simple matter to follow a couple. I would wait a few days to see where their little romances would lead them. Behind the dovecote is one of the favored locations for it. I could easily peek around the corner to see what they were up to without their knowing it.”

“But that’s despicable!”

She shrugged. “At first it seemed like a game, but there came a time when I no longer liked doing it. All who lived and worked with us came to despise me.” She lowered her head, and when she raised it, her eyes shone with tears. “One day I realized that no matter what I did, I would never please my father. He believes women are of no worth—except for procreation.”