into the room tomorrow if you like, take a look. It hasn't been let. The constable left the key with the young couple. I told them I might be back with someone.'
'I'll think about it. What about that vicar?'
'He's still at the same church, St Evelyn's in Fall Lane. Master Broughton. He wasn't there, the verger said to come back tomorrow at eleven.'
I smiled. 'Well done. We might have a witness after all. And we need one.' I told him about my visit to the Court of Wards. 'You got off lightly if you only had to pay out some some beer money. It cost me three shillings in good silver to get Mylling's help. We'll go and see the vicar tomorrow. And, yes, I'll have a look at Michael's lodging. Though his mother said the note was definitely in his hand.' I frowned. 'I wonder if whatever he found in Hampshire might have sent him out of his wits.'
The voices of the gang beyond the partition had grown louder, and now I heard Coldiron's voice, a grating shout. 'Men nowadays are too womanly! Sleeping out's all right! Get some branches and put blankets over them and you're as snug as a pig!'
'I'd rather huggle with my pretty pussy!'
Coldiron shouted above the laughter. 'Plenty of pussy in the army! Camp followers! Dirty girls, but they know what they're doing! Come lads, who's going to get me another drink?'
'You made a bad choice there,' Barak said.
'I know. I'm going to get rid of him as soon as I can find someone else.'
Barak drained his mug. 'D'you want another beer? Don't worry, this'll be my last.'
'All right. But don't catch Coldiron's eye.'
While Barak fetched the drinks I sat thinking. When he returned I said, 'I found out something about Ellen at the Court of Wards. She has never been registered as a lunatic.'
'Then how did she get to the Bedlam?'
'That's what I intend to find out. Someone has been paying. Warden Metwys is in it, he has to be. And all the Bedlam wardens back nineteen years. The wardenship is an office of profit, sold to courtiers.'
Barak said, 'You'll end up more involved with her than ever.'
I shook my head. 'I won't. I can't.'
'Look, at the moment Ellen's got somewhere to live, a job of sorts. If you delve into family secrets, whoever's been paying the Bedlam might stop. Then the warden might kick her out. Where does she go then - your house?'
I sighed, for he spoke sense. 'I'll move quietly, carefully. But if I go to Portsmouth I can't miss the chance to find out what happened at Rolfswood.'
'Do you think you will?'
'If the case is allowed to go ahead next Monday, probably. Listen, tomorrow I will go and see Alderman Carver about this mess you've got yourself into. He owes me a favour. Then we can visit this vicar, see what he knows about the Curteys family. Bess will have to attend the hearing on Monday, by the way. I'm seeing her on Saturday. I don't want her to know about Michael giving those corner boys looks. If he did.'
'Maybe they decided to kill him.'
'For giving them looks? Don't be silly.'
'What if we don't come up with anything against Hobbey from the vicar?'
'Then it's more difficult. I'll have to rely on the severity of Michael's allegations and throw in the fact the wardship was put through very hurriedly. If need be I will say the Hobbey family need to answer interrogatories. If the court agrees, I'll probably have to go down to Hampshire and take them myself. I'll see Dyrick after we've found out whether there is any useful witness evidence.'
'You'll need someone with you if you go. This could be a dirty business. Ellen's matter too.'
'You're not going, not with Tamasin about to give birth. A gentleman might take a steward on such a journey, but I'd rather join the army myself than take Coldiron. I'll arrange something with Warner.' I shook my head. 'Wardship. Do you know what the motto of the Court of Wards is? Emblazoned above the door. "Pupillis Orphanis et Viduis Adiutor." '
'You know I'm no hand at Latin.'
'It means, a helper to wards, orphans and widows. There's
'I'll think about it. What about that vicar?'
'He's still at the same church, St Evelyn's in Fall Lane. Master Broughton. He wasn't there, the verger said to come back tomorrow at eleven.'
I smiled. 'Well done. We might have a witness after all. And we need one.' I told him about my visit to the Court of Wards. 'You got off lightly if you only had to pay out some some beer money. It cost me three shillings in good silver to get Mylling's help. We'll go and see the vicar tomorrow. And, yes, I'll have a look at Michael's lodging. Though his mother said the note was definitely in his hand.' I frowned. 'I wonder if whatever he found in Hampshire might have sent him out of his wits.'
The voices of the gang beyond the partition had grown louder, and now I heard Coldiron's voice, a grating shout. 'Men nowadays are too womanly! Sleeping out's all right! Get some branches and put blankets over them and you're as snug as a pig!'
'I'd rather huggle with my pretty pussy!'
Coldiron shouted above the laughter. 'Plenty of pussy in the army! Camp followers! Dirty girls, but they know what they're doing! Come lads, who's going to get me another drink?'
'You made a bad choice there,' Barak said.
'I know. I'm going to get rid of him as soon as I can find someone else.'
Barak drained his mug. 'D'you want another beer? Don't worry, this'll be my last.'
'All right. But don't catch Coldiron's eye.'
While Barak fetched the drinks I sat thinking. When he returned I said, 'I found out something about Ellen at the Court of Wards. She has never been registered as a lunatic.'
'Then how did she get to the Bedlam?'
'That's what I intend to find out. Someone has been paying. Warden Metwys is in it, he has to be. And all the Bedlam wardens back nineteen years. The wardenship is an office of profit, sold to courtiers.'
Barak said, 'You'll end up more involved with her than ever.'
I shook my head. 'I won't. I can't.'
'Look, at the moment Ellen's got somewhere to live, a job of sorts. If you delve into family secrets, whoever's been paying the Bedlam might stop. Then the warden might kick her out. Where does she go then - your house?'
I sighed, for he spoke sense. 'I'll move quietly, carefully. But if I go to Portsmouth I can't miss the chance to find out what happened at Rolfswood.'
'Do you think you will?'
'If the case is allowed to go ahead next Monday, probably. Listen, tomorrow I will go and see Alderman Carver about this mess you've got yourself into. He owes me a favour. Then we can visit this vicar, see what he knows about the Curteys family. Bess will have to attend the hearing on Monday, by the way. I'm seeing her on Saturday. I don't want her to know about Michael giving those corner boys looks. If he did.'
'Maybe they decided to kill him.'
'For giving them looks? Don't be silly.'
'What if we don't come up with anything against Hobbey from the vicar?'
'Then it's more difficult. I'll have to rely on the severity of Michael's allegations and throw in the fact the wardship was put through very hurriedly. If need be I will say the Hobbey family need to answer interrogatories. If the court agrees, I'll probably have to go down to Hampshire and take them myself. I'll see Dyrick after we've found out whether there is any useful witness evidence.'
'You'll need someone with you if you go. This could be a dirty business. Ellen's matter too.'
'You're not going, not with Tamasin about to give birth. A gentleman might take a steward on such a journey, but I'd rather join the army myself than take Coldiron. I'll arrange something with Warner.' I shook my head. 'Wardship. Do you know what the motto of the Court of Wards is? Emblazoned above the door. "Pupillis Orphanis et Viduis Adiutor." '
'You know I'm no hand at Latin.'
'It means, a helper to wards, orphans and widows. There's
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