Blood on the Strand by Susanna Gregory Page B

unpleasant types to join
     his side this week – folk such as Lady Castlemaine, Adrian May and Sir Richard Temple. Our poor earl will be destroyed if
     we do not take steps to protect him.’
    ‘The dispute does seem to be a bitter one,’ acknowledged Chaloner.
    Holles blew out his cheeks in a sigh. ‘That is an under-statement – they hate each other! Of course, it was Bristol who started
     this current quarrel. He went around bragging about being a papist, thus
forcing
Lord Clarendon to remove him from his official posts. He
asked
for what happened to him.’
    Knowing Holles would be appalled and bemused by his moderate views on religion, Chaloner declined to comment. He changed the
     subject slightly. ‘Did you say May now supports Bristol, too?’
    ‘Yes, damn him to Hell! I hope this does not mean Spymaster Williamson is about to follow suit. He has remained neutral so
     far, and it would be a bitter blow if
he
were to declare for Bristol.’
    ‘It is a sorry state of affairs – and petty, too. They should put their energies into something more useful – such asavoiding a war with the Dutch or running the country in a more efficient manner.’
    Holles nodded agreement. ‘I doubt May will be much of a bonus to Bristol’s faction, though. He is a good swordsman by all
     accounts, but not overly endowed with wits.’
    ‘He is a decent shot,’ said Chaloner ruefully. ‘He picked off that beggar easily enough.’
    Holles grimaced. ‘Did the Earl mention that I saw what happened yesterday? I wanted to tell Williamson that the man’s death
     was not your fault, but Clarendon told me to keep my mouth shut.’
    ‘I do not suppose you know a surgeon called Fitz-Simons, do you?’ asked Chaloner, wishing the Earl had kept
his
mouth shut. A few words from a respected soldier like Holles would have counter-balanced the poisonous report May was sure
     to have made.
    ‘Yes, of course – a portly chap with a scar over one eye. He is one of four barber-surgeons who hold royal appointments, so
     they are often here at Court. Fitz-Simons is conspicuous by his absence today, though, and Surgeon Lisle told me an hour ago
     that he is worried about him. Why do you ask?’
    So, that explained why Lord Clarendon had claimed there was something familiar about the beggar, thought Chaloner, and why
     Fitz-Simons had inside knowledge about White Hall. ‘Did you inspect that beggar’s body yesterday?’ he asked, ignoring the
     question.
    ‘No, because May whisked it away too quickly. He brought it here with its head wrapped in a sack, set guards over it, and
     summoned vergers to cart it off to St Martin’s for immediate burial. The Earl demanded to see its face, though, and that Irish
     scholar – Terrell – contrived tohave a quick peek when the guards were looking the other way. Oh, and Surgeon Wiseman marched up and inspected it at length.
     May threatened to shoot him if he did not leave, and Wiseman pretended not to hear, which was amusing. But May kept everyone
     else away – including me.’
    ‘What excuse did he give for that?’
    ‘He said putting a corpse on display would be gratuitously ghoulish, although it has never bothered anyone at White Hall before.
     Do you think he is hiding something?’
    Chaloner was surprised he should need to ask. ‘You say Surgeon Lisle is worried about—’
    Holles suddenly understood the line of questioning. ‘You think the beggar and Fitz-Simons are one and the same? It is possible,
     I suppose – both were plump, although I never saw the dead man’s face because of the bag over his head. However, it certainly
     explains why May was so eager to be rid of the corpse before anyone could identify it.’
    ‘It does?’
    Holles nodded. ‘He will not want everyone to know he shot a Court surgeon, will he?’
    ‘I imagine that depends on what the Court surgeon was doing. Fitz-Simons was in disguise with a gun, and I wager his motive
     had nothing to do with medicine.’