Sovereign (62 page)

‘Have you seen him?’ I asked. ‘How is he?’

Leacon shook his head. ‘The castle gaolers have charge of him now. I know he was racked, but they had to stop because he was so weak. Perhaps Radwinter did him a good turn, keeping him
locked up and in ill-health in that carriage all the way to Hull.’

‘Ay, maybe.’

We had been walking through the narrow streets leading down to the Hull River. It was tidal and seabirds foraged among the town rubbish on the mudflats, struggling to keep their balance in the
wind.

‘I had best get back,’ Sergeant Leacon said.

‘Tell your parents not to despair, I will help them if I can.’ I watched as he turned a corner. ‘I got them into this mess in the first place.’ I said to Giles.

‘How was that?’

I told him.

‘Don’t blame yourself,’ he said. ‘Blame the greedy men of spoil who descended on the monks’ lands like vultures.’

‘The monks could be hard landlords too.’

‘Not up here.’

I did not reply.

‘Come,’ he said. ‘The library is this way.’

He led me to a street of well-kept four-storey houses, and knocked at a door. A servant admitted us into a well-appointed hall, then to a large room filled with shelves where three or four
black-robed lawyers sat reading casebooks and making notes at tables. One, a little middle-aged fellow, rose from his place and came to greet us.

‘Brother Wrenne! Is this the lawyer from London tha told me of?’

‘It is indeed. Brother Shardlake. Matthew, this is Brother Hal Davies, whose house this is and who had the splendid idea of turning this room into a library. And his fees to users are
light, he makes no profit, it all goes to the upkeep.’

‘I got a medal from the city for it,’ Brother Davies said cheerfully. I liked his looks. He had an open face for a lawyer. ‘You must come and visit the library while you are
stuck here.’

‘I would like to.’

‘I fear you may be in Hull some while. This strong southeasterly is unusual in October. Even the Hanse merchants are wary of crossing the German Ocean just now.’

‘How long do you think it might last?’

He inclined his head. ‘It is hard to say with these autumn gales. It could end tomorrow, or go on another fortnight. But divert yourselves here when you will. And for now, will you take a
glass of wine with me?’

W
E PASSED A PLEASANT HOUR
with Brother Davies. At the end of it Wrenne was looking tired, and readily agreed to my suggestion that we return to the inn.
The rain had held off, and I wondered whether the weather might be about to change. Yet I had been disappointed in that hope many times these last few days.

As we turned into Lowgate I saw a group of young courtiers ambling along. They were walking down the middle of the street, making the locals step aside. My heart sank a little as I recognized
Master Dereham and, a little behind him, Culpeper. Culpeper met my eye and then, without a word, left the group and vanished up a side-street. Dereham saw it, looked at me and frowned. I took
Wrenne’s arm and hurried him past the group, but a voice called after me. ‘Hey there! You, the crookback lawyer!’

A couple of the courtiers laughed. I turned slowly. Master Dereham had left the group and was strolling towards me, hands on hips in an arrogant gesture. He stopped and waved me over.
Reluctantly, I crossed to where he stood. He looked me over coldly.

‘You again. I’m surprised you dare show your face about town after the arse you made of yourself at Fulford.’

‘Have you business with me, sir?’ I asked.

He spoke quietly. ‘What have you done to Master Culpeper, lawyer, that he flees at the sight of you?’

‘Who is Master Culpeper?’ I asked calmly, though my heart was thudding fast.

He narrowed his eyes. ‘And who was it coming out of the Queen’s tent at Howlme? You, sir, and a young man and woman. Take care whom you meddle with, sir.’

I had not realized he had been there too. ‘We had official business,’ I said.

‘Had you now?’

I stared back at him. He was naught but a young jackanapes for all his finery. He might be the Queen’s secretary but she would not like him asking these questions of me. It worried me,
though, the link he made between us: Culpeper, the Queen and I. He gave me a long stare, then turned away. I blew out my cheeks with relief as I stepped back to where Wrenne was.

‘Come,” I said, then added, ‘Oh, no,’ beneath my breath; for now I saw Sir Richard Rich walking up the road, attended by a little gaggle of armed servants. He motioned me
over with an imperious gesture. I felt suddenly angry at these people who could make me walk to and fro with a wave of their hands. What insults would Rich have for me in his turn?

He wore his cold little smile. ‘Master Shardlake. The pies you have your fingers in. What business have you with the Queen’s secretary?’

‘Nothing of importance, Sir Richard. He just wanted to remind me of what happened at Fulford.’

Rich’s smile broadened. ‘Ah, yes, that.’ Then his face went cold and hard. ‘There is one pie I still want you to take your finger out of.’

‘The Bealknap case.’

‘Yes.’ His cold grey eyes fixed mine. ‘This will be my last civil request.’

‘No, Sir Richard,’ I told him.

He set his lips, took a deep breath. ‘All right. I will give you fifty pounds to advise the London Guildhall to drop it. I know you are in need of money. Your father’s
estate.’

‘No, Sir Richard.’

‘Very well.’ He nodded twice, then smiled again. ‘In that case you may soon find that your life takes a nasty turn.’

‘Do you threaten me with violence, sir?’ I made myself speak boldly.

His cruel, knowing smile reminded me of the one Maleverer had given me. ‘It is not violence I threaten. But there are other things I can do.’

‘Persuade clients to leave me, as you did before?’

‘Not that, no. Master Shardlake, you know what powers I have. I do not threaten lightly. Now. Will you drop the Bealknap case?’

‘No, Sir Richard.’

‘Very well.’ He nodded, smiled again, and turned away.

T
HAT EVENING
W
RENNE
and I sat together over a glass of wine. Tamasin had come to visit Barak and I had made myself scarce. Faint
moans and thuds came through the walls. Wrenne smiled. ‘I suppose what they are doing should be called sinful, and you should tell Barak so as his employer.’

I laughed. ‘Then I should hear his fine collection of oaths.’ There was another thump. ‘He’ll do himself a mischief.’

Wrenne looked at me seriously. ‘You risk mischief for yourself, Matthew.’

‘What do you mean, Giles?’

‘That case against this man Bealknap. I could not hear all Rich said to you, but I heard enough.’

I sighed. ‘He tried to bribe me, then threatened me with nameless woes if I did not desist.’

‘You don’t have to accept his bribes, but why not drop it? You said yourself the case was weak.’

‘To drop it under duress would be wrong.’

‘Many lawyers would. You are obstinate, Matthew. And will you be doing your clients a service, advising them to pursue this case, if you cannot win? Because you dislike this man Bealknap
and the corruption he stands for? The law has always been corrupt and always will be.’

I looked at him. ‘But don’t you see? Rich’s desperation for me to drop the case means I
may
win. He has been unable to find a corrupt judge in Chancery. That must mean
the judges think we do have a case, and they do not want to risk a ruling that is obviously corrupt.’

‘Perhaps. But if the council win this case you know the King could just get Parliament to pass an Act reversing the law. He gets everything he wants, by fair means or foul, you know
that.’

‘If he does, he does.’ I looked up at him. ‘I shall go to that library tomorrow, look over some of the relevant case law again. After all this time away from the matter some
new angle may strike me.’

He shook his head. ‘Something
will
strike you, if you are not careful. That is what I fear.’

‘I will
not
give into them,’ I said. ‘I will
not
.’

A
LITTLE LATER
I left Giles to go to the jakes. As I stepped out I saw Tamasin walking up the hallway, perhaps from a visit to the same place. She looked
at me coldly for a moment, then suddenly composed her features into a sweet smile. But I had seen the cold look.

‘Master Shardlake,’ she said, ‘I have not thanked you properly for getting me a place on the boat. The sooner I am away from the Queen’s household, the happier I shall
be.’

‘You should thank Master Wrenne,’ I said. ‘He paid for it.’

‘Will you thank him for me?’ she asked. She put a hand on the door of my and Barak’s room.

Shameless creature, I thought. Her that thinks she might be of good birth. ‘Yes,’ I answered curtly.

She bit her lip. ‘Do not be angry with me, sir,’ she said in a small voice. ‘I am sorry if I have been ill-mannered with you recently. Only Mistress Marlin’s death was a
blow. I could not quite believe she had done – what she did.’

‘Well, she did. I am lucky to be here to tell the tale.’

‘I see that now. I am sorry.’

‘Very well,’ I said, ‘but now you must excuse me.’

I stepped past her quickly, making her move aside; more quickly than I had intended for she lost her balance, slipped and fell against the wall. Something fell from her dress to the floor.

‘I am sorry,’ I said quickly, for I had not meant to cause her to hurt herself. ‘Let me.’ I bent to pick up the object that had fallen on the floor. I looked at it, then
held it up with a puzzled frown. It was a rosary, a cheap thing of wooden beads on a string, the beads smooth with long use. I looked up at her; her face had gone scarlet.

‘You have found my secret, sir,’ she said quietly.

I handed it to her. She quickly enclosed it in her little fist. She must have worn it on a belt round her underskirt, I thought, hidden.

I looked up and down the corridor. ‘Does Barak know you are a papist?’ I asked her quietly. ‘He told me once you had no strong views on religion.’

She met my hard gaze. ‘I am
not
a papist, sir. But my grandmother was brought up long before reform was heard of and she was always ticking at her beads. She said they calmed her
when she was worried. It is a comfort to poor folk still.’

‘A comfort that is disapproved of now. As you know, for you keep it hidden.’

Her voice rose defiantly. ‘Saying the words in your head, sir, ticking the beads, what harm does it do? It calms me.’ She looked at me and I saw the strain in her face. ‘I am
worried what we saw may come out. I am afraid. And I mourn Jennet.’

I looked at her fist closed round the rosary. I saw the nails were bitten to the quick. ‘That is truly all the beads are, something to calm you?’

‘Yes, that is all. I think I had better stop this habit,’ she added bitterly. ‘I will follow whatever forms of religion are required by the King, even though they change from
year to year. It is a puzzle to me and perhaps a puzzle to God, but common folk must leave God and the King to resolve it between them, must they not?’