Thomas knew everything he could possibly wish about his lordship’s household, hopes and health. But each message had to be decrypted, rendered into plain text and passed to Abraham, and thence to the king. Whether his majesty bothered to read them, Thomas doubted. He longed to find a message of extreme urgency and vital importance. Sighing, he picked up the pile and went to see Abraham.
Thankfully there was no sign of Fayne, although the courtyard was busy. He made his way past a dozen soldiers noisily complaining to a baker’s boy about the price of his bread and around a pile of calivers waiting to be cleaned by an armourer. At Abraham’s door he knocked and entered without waiting for a response, knowing that the old man might be dozing in his chair. ‘Good morning, Abraham,’ he said loudly, just in case.
‘Ah, Thomas, I thought I heard your footsteps on the stairs. What have you brought me today?’ Abraham rubbed sleep from his eyes and smiled. ‘These days, I never quite know if I’m asleep or not. Somewhere between awake and dreaming, I think. One of the curses of old age.’
‘I fear that this lot will do little to waken you,’ replied Thomas, putting the pile of papers on Abraham’s table. ‘They’re as dull as ever.’
‘How dreary for you. I had hoped you would find the work more stimulating. What about the intercepted messages?’
‘Just as tedious. Rheumatism and rations, pikes and pay, fodder and flintlocks. Why can’t we intercept a message telling us that Essex is about to surrender or the London-trained bands have turned on Pym?’
Abraham laughed. ‘Ever the way with words, Thomas. Alas, military despatches are like poems. You might read a hundred before you come across a good one.’
‘I wonder then why you thought to send for me. Anyone could do this work. And I have no more inkling of who murdered Erasmus Pole than I had when I arrived. There hasn’t been a hint of it. Please may I go home?’
‘I fear not, my friend, not until the king says so.’
‘What if I just leave?’
‘Then you would be in danger, and so would I. The king would take it as a personal insult.’ Abraham turned his face to the window. ‘I shall have to think of something to amuse you.’
‘I do wish you would. At the moment I’mthoroughly unamused. Bored to my bones, in fact.’
Abraham changed the subject. ‘How are you getting on with Tobias Rush?’
‘I haven’t seen much of him. He’s a little unsettling perhaps, but I’ve no complaints.’
‘Do take care, Thomas. He’s a dangerous man and a powerful one.’
‘So you’ve told me. A certain Captain Fayne, however, strikes me as more dangerous.’
‘Fayne?’
‘The man you and Rush had removed to make way for me. A most unpleasant specimen.’
‘Is he? Oh dear. Do let me know if he becomes a serious problem. I’ll have a word with Rush. Now, I shall have one of my half-sleeps and hope that inspiration pays a visit. We must keep you fully occupied, mustn’t we?’
‘Please. Goodbye, Abraham. I’ll call again when I’ve dealt with the next batch.’
There was still no sign of Fayne outside, and Thomas reached his room unmolested. There another pile of paper awaited him, and, with a deep sigh, he took up the first sheet. More of the same, Thomas, more of the same.
After three hours of reading, writing and rewriting,Thomas threw down his quill and stood up. He stretched his back and yawned. He was tired and hungry, and he needed fresh air. The rest of the pile would have to wait.
Having visited the kitchen, which was as obliging as ever, he left the college, turned south into St Aldate’s, made his way to Christ Church Meadow, threading a path between long lines of mortars and cannon, and thence towards Merton. The food and the warm afternoon sun did much to lift his spirits and, by the time he reached the Merton gate, he was feeling brave enough to call on Lady Romilly.
In the college courtyard, golden chariots, white
Thankfully there was no sign of Fayne, although the courtyard was busy. He made his way past a dozen soldiers noisily complaining to a baker’s boy about the price of his bread and around a pile of calivers waiting to be cleaned by an armourer. At Abraham’s door he knocked and entered without waiting for a response, knowing that the old man might be dozing in his chair. ‘Good morning, Abraham,’ he said loudly, just in case.
‘Ah, Thomas, I thought I heard your footsteps on the stairs. What have you brought me today?’ Abraham rubbed sleep from his eyes and smiled. ‘These days, I never quite know if I’m asleep or not. Somewhere between awake and dreaming, I think. One of the curses of old age.’
‘I fear that this lot will do little to waken you,’ replied Thomas, putting the pile of papers on Abraham’s table. ‘They’re as dull as ever.’
‘How dreary for you. I had hoped you would find the work more stimulating. What about the intercepted messages?’
‘Just as tedious. Rheumatism and rations, pikes and pay, fodder and flintlocks. Why can’t we intercept a message telling us that Essex is about to surrender or the London-trained bands have turned on Pym?’
Abraham laughed. ‘Ever the way with words, Thomas. Alas, military despatches are like poems. You might read a hundred before you come across a good one.’
‘I wonder then why you thought to send for me. Anyone could do this work. And I have no more inkling of who murdered Erasmus Pole than I had when I arrived. There hasn’t been a hint of it. Please may I go home?’
‘I fear not, my friend, not until the king says so.’
‘What if I just leave?’
‘Then you would be in danger, and so would I. The king would take it as a personal insult.’ Abraham turned his face to the window. ‘I shall have to think of something to amuse you.’
‘I do wish you would. At the moment I’mthoroughly unamused. Bored to my bones, in fact.’
Abraham changed the subject. ‘How are you getting on with Tobias Rush?’
‘I haven’t seen much of him. He’s a little unsettling perhaps, but I’ve no complaints.’
‘Do take care, Thomas. He’s a dangerous man and a powerful one.’
‘So you’ve told me. A certain Captain Fayne, however, strikes me as more dangerous.’
‘Fayne?’
‘The man you and Rush had removed to make way for me. A most unpleasant specimen.’
‘Is he? Oh dear. Do let me know if he becomes a serious problem. I’ll have a word with Rush. Now, I shall have one of my half-sleeps and hope that inspiration pays a visit. We must keep you fully occupied, mustn’t we?’
‘Please. Goodbye, Abraham. I’ll call again when I’ve dealt with the next batch.’
There was still no sign of Fayne outside, and Thomas reached his room unmolested. There another pile of paper awaited him, and, with a deep sigh, he took up the first sheet. More of the same, Thomas, more of the same.
After three hours of reading, writing and rewriting,Thomas threw down his quill and stood up. He stretched his back and yawned. He was tired and hungry, and he needed fresh air. The rest of the pile would have to wait.
Having visited the kitchen, which was as obliging as ever, he left the college, turned south into St Aldate’s, made his way to Christ Church Meadow, threading a path between long lines of mortars and cannon, and thence towards Merton. The food and the warm afternoon sun did much to lift his spirits and, by the time he reached the Merton gate, he was feeling brave enough to call on Lady Romilly.
In the college courtyard, golden chariots, white
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