The Sempster's Tale (23 page)

Frevisse whispered to Anne beside her, “Who’s Philip Malpas?”

‘A very hated alderman,“ Anne whispered back while Master Grene answered Pernell with a shake of his head and half-mocking regret. ”No, he wasn’t fool enough to stay where they could get their hands on him. He couldn’t take his house with him, though. They’ve ransacked it. The rebels and a good few Londoners.“

Pernell gasped, but Mistress Hercy asked crisply, “Only Malpas’ place? None other?”

‘None other,“ Master Grene said.

‘What would Cade have against him in particular?“ Frevisse whispered, but Anne only lifted her shoulders to show she did not know.

‘What else has happened?“ Master Bocking asked.

‘Cade has been speech-making,“ Master Grene answered. ”We heard the end of one at St. Magnus church and went with the crowd along to the Londonstone—you heard that surely—and on around to Leadenhall market where he said it all again. He’s got himself a white horse from somewhere and a couple of banners, and is making a good show of it. He had maybe a thousand of his men with him.“

‘Five hundred or so,“ Daved put in quietly.

‘Enough, anyway,“ Master Grene said. ”He’s saying what he’s said all along. That the rebels mean no harm to London. They’re not against the people. It’s the corrupt bastards around the king they want to bring down.“

Probably understanding full well the difference there could be between the thing said, the thing meant, and the thing actually done, Mistress Hercy asked, “What else did they do besides have speeches and attack Malpas when he wasn’t there?”

Master Grene shrugged. “Not much.”

‘He went out to meet with the Essex rebels,“ Daved said, ”but we don’t know what was said there. Now he’s on his way back to Southwark with his men for the night.“

‘So we came back to tell you all’s well.“ Master Grene kissed his wife’s hand. ”As you can see.“

‘This Jack Cade. What’s he like?“ Anne asked. ”To see, I mean.“

Gravely, Daved answered, “He’s a large man. Tall, well-set, well-featured. Rough-mannered, but that may be for the sake of keeping hold over his followers. To over-awe them. Surely those with him today did nothing he did not order.”

‘You think then they’re not simply men looking to make trouble?“ Frevisse asked.

Daved bent his head in grave agreement to that. “Those with him today, anyway. They looked mostly like ordinary lesser folk of otherwise honest life who’ve had too many wrongs and want them righted.”

‘There looked to be soldiers among them, too,“ Master Grene said. ”From Normandy would be my guess.“

‘From Normandy,“ Daved agreed. ”They’ll be thinking their wrongs the worse of anyone’s.“ And well they might, Frevisse thought. Many of them would be men given land there over the years when England was winning; men who had probably had French homes and families and hopes and plans—and now had nothing, not for themselves or for their families. Reason enough to set them in rebellion against the government that had betrayed them.

‘What about the rebels still reveling in Southwark?“ Mistress Hercy asked. ”The ones Cade didn’t bring with him. There must be several thousands of them.“

‘They’re Southwark’s trouble,“ Master Grene said. ”It’s the place to be if you want to revel, after all.“

‘They may be London’s trouble in a while,“ Daved said. ”Cade had the ropes to the drawbridge cut as he crossed it. It can’t be raised again.“

And since Cade had given no sign yet of being an outright fool, Frevisse had to suppose his men were now the gate-guards there, too. The Thames, which had seemed London’s best safeguard, no longer made a difference.

Master Grene loosed himself from Pernell and went to the table to see if there was any wine left in the pitcher there. “Cade has sent word he wants to meet with the mayor tomorrow, and he’s proclaimed there’ll be no pillaging by his followers, on pain of death.”

‘They ransacked Malpas’ place,“ Mistress Hercy pointed out.

‘Only on his orders and for good reason.“ Master Grene’s smile widened as he poured himself some wine. ”No will hold that against him. Malpas is hated all over London, the usurying bastard.“

‘Cade had thought through the business against Malpas,“ Daved said. ”He made his second speech at the Leadenhall, hardly a stone’s throw from Malpas’ door.“

‘When he had a door,“ Master Grene laughed.

‘They didn’t burn his place, did they?“ Pernell asked in alarm.

‘No,“ Daved quickly assured her. ”Cade wants London for him, not against him. There was no burning, only the ransacking of Malpas’ place. He’s gone back with his men to Southwark for the night to show his good intent toward the city.“

Carrying his goblet of wine, Master Grene returned to Pernell and took her hand comfortingly again. “So, see, love, you can give over your fears. Cade has all well in hand and means no harm to folk like us. James, you can tell the household all of this and send them to bed.”

‘Except the guard should be kept anyway,“ Daved said lightly. ”Not against any rebels, but against Londoners who might think ’rebelling‘ suddenly looks good.“

‘Just see that none of our folk go out to join them,“ Master Grene added, matching his lightness.

James bowed agreement and left, and Master Grene said, smiling on Pernell, “See, love? All is well in hand.”

Pernell smiled back, finally ready to believe it, and Mistress Hercy took that advantage to say, “Then it’s time to persuade her to bed, Raulyn. It’s where she should be. And the rest of us, too. Lucie-love, you and Anne are to share my chamber, remember. Dame Frevisse, you said you’d sleep here, yes? I’ve ordered bedding brought. Raulyn, you’ll be with Master Bocking and Master Weir again tonight?” And Mistress Hercy would spend the night in Pernell’s chamber, Frevisse knew.

On the lift and bustle of her words, Master Grene helped Pernell to her feet, and guided her toward the bedchamber with an arm around her to steady her. Her mother and Lucie went with her, and Frevisse, Anne, Daved, and Master Bocking were left looking at one another. Frevisse could only guess what would have been said if she had not been there, but she took the chance to ask Daved, “This Cade. Will he keep his word about no trouble in London?”

Daved paused as if deciding how much truth was safe with her, then said, “He may mean to. Whether he will… that will depend on whether he can keep his followers as well in hand as he did today. If once they start to riot, one man’s will won’t stop them, whatever his word. The business at Malpas’ place, he kept that in his control because today he brought in men he knew would obey him.”

Keeping watch on Daved’s face to be sure he understood she wanted truth rather than soothing, Frevisse asked, “What if he brings the rest of his followers into London? Will he be able to keep them as much in hand as he kept these?”

‘That,“ said Daved, steadily meeting her gaze, ”we will have to see.“

Anne now asked him and his uncle together, “Do you mean to go back to your ship tomorrow?”

It was Master Bocking who answered, with a glance at Daved, “It’s come to me there are very likely frighted merchants here in London who may be presently willing to sell what they have cheaply against possibly losing it to the rebels if things go badly. Coin is easier to hide than bales of goods, you see.”

‘And so,“ Daved said, mockingly earnest and with laughter behind the words,
”
to ease their minds, my uncle would like to buy what they have to sell. To ease their worry. An act of Christian charity on his part.“

All unexpectedly, Anne laughed.

Daved bowed his head to her. “My lady,” he said mock-solemnly.

‘Good sir,“ she returned in kind and with a bow of her own head.

For a single, unguarded moment they were looking at one another with no one and nothing else mattering; and in that small, unguarded moment, Frevisse saw that there was also more than only lust between them, more than simply their bodies’ craving. There was an understanding of spirit that was maybe even love; and if it was, God and St. Mary Magdalene help them, Frevisse thought, because how much did Anne truly know about him? He was more than a merchant. The Suffolk gold proved that. But how much more?

Chapter 17

That night passed well enough—no alarums, no outcries, no clash of weapons, no stench of burning buildings—and from the quiet in the bedchamber Frevisse supposed Mistress Hercy had given Pernell a sleeping-draught. For herself, the straw-stuffed pallet on the parlor floor made for as good sleeping as a nunnery bed ever did, though from long usage she awoke sometime in the middle of the night for the Offices of Matins and Lauds. She said their prayers and psalms silently, without rising, and then slept again, to awaken near dawn to say Prime before the day began. She was sitting at the parlor’s southward window, watching the first full sunlight spill over London’s housetops, when an indeterminate sound of many men moving told something was happening toward London bridge again; and when shortly a maidservant came to say she was wanted in the hall, she went readily, hardly holding back from outward haste, and was relieved to find Master Naylor there, in talk with Master Grene, Master Bocking, and Daved, with Dickon hovering nearby.

She heard, “… not so mannerly as yesterday’s lot, either,” before Master Naylor saw her, turned to her and said, more his grim self than usual, “Cade’s back into London. He’s brought a good many more men with him this time. They—”

‘You saw him?“ she asked.

‘He was riding up Gracechurch Street as I was coming here, his men behind him, but some of them already breaking off down other streets. My guess is they’ve been too long in Southwark and will be hoping for like sport here. I wanted to have you back to St. Helen’s this morning, but I’m not minded to chance the streets now.“

Frevisse started to answer that, but he turned back to Master Grene. “If by your leave she can stay on here, we’ll stay, too, Dickon and I, and help your men stand the guard.”

‘The more the merrier, as the saying goes,“ Master Grene said readily. ”She’s welcomed to stay and so are you.“

Frevisse could not tell whether he was almost enjoying all the uncertainty or only putting a good front to it for his household to see. What she did know was her irk at Master Naylor for not asking her what she chose to do. That he was right—she probably should not dare the streets—kept her from challenging him, but her voice was crisp as she asked, How does Dame Juliana?“

‘She’s safe enough in St. Helen’s,“ Master Naylor answered. ”It’s you I feared would venture out when you shouldn’t.“

Goaded, Frevisse said sharply, “I’m not a fool.”

‘You’ re not,“ Master Naylor agreed sharply back. ”But sometimes you’re over-bold.“

Master Grene showed fleeting surprise at the bluntness between them, but it was silent laughter that briefly crossed Daved Weir’s face.

Paying neither of them heed, she asked Master Naylor, “How many men would you guess Cade’s brought in today?”

‘Some several thousand, I’d say.“

‘Lord God of Hosts,“ Master Grene breathed. ”He’ll not have those in hand as readily as he had yesterday’s.“ Then, grimly, ”I’m going to Guildhall. That’s where talk will be thickest, the news most straight.“ He turned to Frevisse. ”You’ll have to keep it from Pernell that I’ve gone out.“

‘I’ll go with you,“ Daved said, moving with Master Grene toward the outer door. ”Uncle, you’ll stay here?“

Master Bocking acknowledged he would, while Master Grene said to one of his men standing nearby, hearing everything, “Wyett, you’re to see to things here.”

Then they were gone, and Master Bocking, sharing a look with Master Naylor, said, “Ach, young men.” To which Master Naylor nodded dourly.

Frevisse, wondering how she was to keep from Pernell that her husband was gone out again, returned upstairs to find Pernell already knew it. From a window Lucie had seen the men leaving and exclaimed at it, and Frevisse was left with the task of making little of their going and much of how good it would be to have true news of what was happening.