The Traitor’s Mark (16 page)

‘I was just imagining her giving evidence before a court. You tell me this Black Harry has friends – important friends – in the county. If they were to speak up on his behalf, I wonder whether a jury would believe them or a hysterical serving wench.'

I winced at his description of Adie but said, ‘Do you mean we need the evidence of more “respectable” people if we are to bring this gang to justice?'

‘What I mean, young Treviot, is that we have a long way to go yet before we can be sure of putting a stop to their activities. You tell me that they work for some highly placed patrons.'

‘So Archbishop Cranmer believes.'

‘Has he named these influential supporters?'

‘He believes that Black Harry is in Bishop Gardiner's pay. I've heard also that Dr London, Canon of Windsor, may be a link in the chain that connects to the gang.'

‘If his grace's suspicions are well founded, you see what we are up against. I, too, am often at the royal court. I am proud to have enjoyed the support and confidence of Lord Cromwell. I saw at close quarters what happened to him; the subtle schemes of unscrupulous enemies who gained
his majesty's ear just long enough to pour in poisonous lies.'

‘Are you saying, Sir Thomas, that we should not do all in our power to bring these murderers to justice?'

Moyle looked genuinely shocked. ‘By no means, Master Treviot! No, I take your word for it that they are the kind of knaves the kingdom must be rid of. I simply counsel caution. In this matter we could find ourselves walking on political ground, and that is something that is forever shifting. If only we had evidence connecting Black Harry with his protectors – something more substantial than mere suspicion

‘I gather that is exactly the kind of evidence Master Holbein had gathered for the archbishop.'

‘You said in your report to his grace and me that this painter fellow had disappeared.'

‘Yes, he's probably overseas by now.'

‘A pity.'

At that moment Adie came into the room. She had tidied herself as best she could and, with hair combed and face washed, she looked more like the young woman I knew, but her torn, grimy clothes were still evidence of her ordeal. She curtsied to Sir Thomas and stood mute with downcast eyes, her hands clasped in front of her.

‘Now, young ... er ... Adie,' Moyle said. ‘We know you've had an unpleasant few days but we need to discover all we can about these men who abducted you.
You must tell us everything you know. First of all, what is your name?'

‘Adriana Imray, Sir.' She spoke quietly but seemed in control of her feelings.

‘And what is your father's trade?'

‘He's dead, Sir, and my mother.'

Ah, hmm. No other relatives?'

‘My brother Ignatius is falconer to Lord Graves, Sir.'

‘Really?' Moyle looked impressed. ‘I've met his lordship through my work in the Court of Augmentations.'

I smiled inwardly. Augmentations was the royal body that handled the sale of ex-monastic property. Moyle was Chancellor of Augmentations and, as such, much courted by ambitious landowners, of whom Lord Graves was probably one. I leaned forward and whispered something to Sir Thomas.

‘What?' he spluttered. ‘Oh, very well.' He returned his attention to Adie. ‘You may sit,' he said. ‘There's a bench over there.'

After another curtsy, Adie took her seat by the door.

‘Now then,' Moyle continued, ‘Master Treviot and I have been put to much trouble rescuing you and your charges from this brigand who calls himself Black Harry. You must tell us about him.'

‘Yes, Sir.'

‘Well, go on, then. We're listening.'

Adie explained how she and the children had been dragged from their beds in the night.

‘They gagged the bearns to stop them screaming and one of them held a knife to my throat. He said if I caused any trouble they would kill us all. They put us on their horses and rode fast with us until it was full light. We came to a big house and they took us to a small, empty room. We stayed there all that day.' She spoke with eyes downcast, holding her feelings in check. Her composure was extraordinary.

‘Do you know whose house it was?' I asked.

‘No, Master Thomas, but I did see him ... in the hall, just as we were leaving. I don't think he was pleased that I saw him.'

‘You'd recognise him again?'

‘Oh, yes, Master Thomas.'

‘What happened next?' Moyle demanded.

‘They put me and the boys in a covered wagon, bound hand and foot. We jolted and banged about most of the night.'

‘You've no idea what route you took?'

‘No, Sir. Most of the time I was trying to calm the boys. At last we came to another big house and the men threw us into a barn for the whole day.'

‘It seems Black Harry has several wealthy supporters – willing accomplices in his crimes,' I said.

Moyle grunted. ‘Go on, girl, what happened then?'

‘Next evening we crossed by the ferry and ended up in the place where you found us, Master Thomas. I was never more glad to see anyone.'

I laughed, wanting to lighten the atmosphere. ‘You very nearly skewered me with that pitchfork, Adie.'

‘I'm right sorry for that, Master. I thought you were—'

‘Yes, yes,' Moyle interrupted. ‘So you arrived in that Essex place, when? Must have been Tuesday, three days ago?'

‘I suppose so, Sir. It seemed a lot longer.'

‘How did they treat you?' Moyle asked.

Adie looked away. She raised a kerchief to her eyes. ‘I'd rather not say what they did to me, Sir. You're a respectable gentleman but I expect you can imagine—'

I interrupted. ‘Do we need to press her on that matter, Sir Thomas?'

He ignored me. ‘And they all used you thus?'

Adie nodded, biting her lip to hold back the tears. ‘Most of them. They said they'd do things to the children if I didn't ... I was more concerned for the bearns.' This time she failed to stern the tears. ‘The poor dearlings!' she muttered between sobs.

Sir Thomas pressed on regardless. ‘Now, then, girl, all the time you were with them did you hear anything of their plans?'

‘Do you think we might take a break, Sir Thomas?' I asked. ‘Mistress Imray is obviously distressed.'

He scowled. ‘I don't have all day, Master Treviot. If we're to track down these criminals we need information and we need it now.'

‘'Tis all right, Master. I can answer your questions. We
didn't see much of our captors because we were locked in a room by ourselves.'

‘Are you saying these monsters never talked to you, even when they were ... using ... you?'

‘Oh, they talked to me, or, rather, they tried to make me talk. They wanted me to tell them where Master Holbein was. They beat the boys in front of me. They said they would go on beating them till, I told them what they wanted. Only I couldn't because I didn't know. I couldn't tell them, not even to save the children. I couldn't ... I couldn't ... I couldn't.' She began sobbing again.

‘God in heaven, Sir Thomas, what sort of monsters are we dealing with here? What drives them to such evil?' My mind went back to Marbeck's story.

I went over and laid a hand on Adie's shoulder. ‘You did all you could to spare the boys' sufferings. Of that we're sure. I swear to you that these villains will pay ten times over for everything they've done to you and the children.' Trembling rage swept over me. ‘Jesus, Mary and all the saints, I will make them pay, whatever it costs.'

Adie recovered a little. It was between sniffs that she continued her story. ‘They came to our room very early on Wednesday – before dawn. They'd come to fetch Annie. I asked what they were going to do to her. Black Harry just laughed. “We're going to do something terrible to her,” he said. “We'll leave you to imagine what.” Then he stood by the doorway talking to one of his men ... well, arguing,
really and I listened as hard as I could. Black Harry said they were meeting Master Treviot in London and he hoped you'd managed to find Master Holbein ... He really is desperate to find my master. He said, “We'll take the girl just to put extra pressure on him.” The other man said, “What about the woman and the boys?” and Black Harry replied, “We'll kill them before we go.” That's what the argument was about. The other man didn't want to do it and Black Harry got very angry with him. In the end, he said, “Since they mean so much to you we won't cut their throats. We'll tie them up and leave them here. That way they'll starve to death slowly instead of having a quick end. No one will find them here.'”

‘They weren't planning to return, then?' Sir Thomas asked.

‘No, I'm sure of it. They tied us up, threw us in the barn and left us. I spent two days stmggling to get free.' She held out her hands to show us the bruises and deep rope burns. ‘I worked at it on and off till I felt my strength failing. Then I rested and started again. I only succeeded by gnawing through the cords. I'd just got free and started to untie the boys when I heard voices outside. I thought the gang had come back after all. I was terrified. I couldn't believe it when I saw Master Treviot.'

‘I suppose you didn't hear where the gang were planning to go next,' I said.

Adie wrinkled her brow in concentration. ‘It was just as they Were closing the door ... Black Harry said something
like, “We'll take the German to Rook's and interrogate him.” I suppose that can't be right, but that's what it sounded like.'

Moyle turned to me with a shrug. ‘Not very helpful, I'm afraid. Obviously the girl misheard. She was under a lot of strain. I'll make sure the whole county is alerted. A gang like that can't go unnoticed for long. As for you, young Treviot, you deserve a rest. You've done a splendid job.'

‘'Tis Mistress Imray and the children who are the real heroes, but, yes, we all need some time to recover.'

Shortly afterwards Sir Thomas set out to return to Ashford. Before he left he insisted on paying the inn bill for all of us. When I had made sure that Adie and the boys were ready to travel, I put them in the charge of Walt and told him to see them safe home to Hemmings.

‘Are you not coming, Master?' the groom asked.

‘I must report to the archbishop,' I said. ‘He ordered me to keep him informed personally. I hope to be back tonight but if his grace cannot see me straight away I may be delayed.'

I reached Ford soon after noon but it was a couple of hours before Cranmer summoned me to his presence.

‘Come,' he said, ‘let us walk in the orchard. Now that the weather has turned we should take advantage of it.'

Warm sunshine and a soft, caressing breeze gave the first intimation of autumn as we strolled among the trees where gardeners were busy gathering apples and pears in baskets.

‘I was highly alarmed to receive your note from Essex,' the archbishop said. ‘I was ready to send a party of my own guard to your aid this morning when I had news from Sir Thomas Moyle that the crisis was over. I thank God that our prayers have been answered for the safety of Holbein's boys. Now, tell me everything in detail.'

He listened intently to my report, sometimes stopping me to check a detail or clarify a point. His scholar's mind would not permit of any vagueness or inaccuracy.

‘Clearly, it is of the utmost importance now to track down this Black Harry. Praise God he has not found Master Holbein.'

‘Has the painter made contact with you, Your Grace?'

‘Not a word.'

‘Then, I fear he may have fled. He has loyal friends at the Steelyard who would not hesitate to help him quit the country.'

Cranmer sighed. ‘That would be understandable. And yet I think better of him than that. He has proved himself very loyal over several years, first to Lord Cromwell, then to me, sometimes at no small danger to himself. I cannot believe he would flee without passing on the information he has for me.'

‘Perhaps, like Your Grace, he knows not who he can trust.'

‘Solomon the Wise warns us, “He who hates deceives with his lips: when he speaks graciously believe him not.”
That is a lesson for all who live in kings' courts – or in bishops' palaces. There is so much hate abroad in England now that I sometimes hesitate to call it a Christian country.'

We walked a while in silence. Then Cranmer continued in the same vein. ‘I used to love this part of Kent – the orchards, the shallow, gentle hills, the oak woods. Now the serpent has entered Eden and nowhere seems safe or sacred.'

I felt the need to say something reassuring. ‘Your Grace's commission will surely root out much of the evil. Saturday's meeting at Ashford was useful. We have a plan of campaign for silencing inflammatory preaching.'

‘Yes, Ralph spoke well of it. Sir Thomas, I think, is a man who is strong-minded and industrious. I am already receiving reports from some of your neighbours and will be summoning certain clergy here in the next few days to give account of themselves. But there are still some who are protected by family and friends among the leaders of society. There is a league ... yes, I think we may call it a league ... between some of the cathedral officers and the county gentry. You must have formed some of your own suspicions. Whatever your reluctance to provide information about neighbours you've known for years, I beg you not to keep silent.'

I recalled Adie's account of the conversation she had overheard. ‘It is possible that Black Harry may be seeking refuge with someone called Rook but I'm not very sure of the name. It is not one I recognise.'

Cranmer looked round sharply. ‘Could that not be Sir Andrew Rookwood?'

‘Now that Your Grace mentions the name I do recall hearing it. Does he not live in the south of the county?'

‘Yes, near Hawkhurst. He is related to the Duke of Norfolk and even more stubbornly conservative than his lordship.. I know his chaplain for a troublemaker. If he is now harbouring murderers ...' Cranmer turned abruptly. ‘Come, we must act quickly.' He walked and half ran towards the house, calling to a servant to have his secretary sent to him immediately.'