his wine.
He let the silence between us settle. Another trick of the trade, one Cecil had employed to significant effect. It induced a subtle anxiety that could compel a less patient man to initiate conversation. I was not susceptible to it. Not anymore.
His smile faded. “Her Majesty and I spoke at length about you after you left us. She assures me you are trustworthy.” He set his goblet aside. So he, too, was abstentious. His offer of wine must have been either a test of my stated sobriety or a means to loosen my tongue. “She gave me a detailed account of your previous efforts on her behalf. It was all most impressive, particularly coming from someone with no apparent stake in the outcome.”
“My stake may not have been apparent,” I said, “but my payment depended on it.”
“Oh, yes. Her Majesty told me you’re a man for hire, with no personal affiliations of your own. Though it does raise the question of why you chose to undertake those errands in the first place. At the time, Northumberland had the realm in his grip; it must have been widely believed he’d succeed in putting his daughter-in-law Jane Grey on the throne.”
“I wouldn’t know,” I said, and his gaze sharpened. “I wasn’t privy to the duke’s plans. I was hired to convey a letter from the council, which I did, and Her Majesty was gracious enough to hire me in return. But surely Your Excellency has verified all this by now.”
He reclined in his chair. “Unfortunately, I could not. No one on the council seems to remember having seen you, much less hired you.”
“That’s because no one on the council did. I was hired by Cecil. Anyway, given the circumstances, I’m not the kind of person any of them would want to remember.”
He let out a sudden laugh. “You are a fascinating fellow, most unexpected. I must confess, besides the comforts of home what I most miss about the Continent is stimulating conversation. In Paris, it’s a staple of life, like good bread or wine. Alas, I’ve not found not much of either here; Englishmen are entirely too preoccupied with these tiresome matters of religion. No one has much inclination to cross swords, so to speak.”
“Unless it concerns that tiresome matter of religion,” I said, and he took up his goblet to sip. It reassured me. I’d gained enough confidence to precipitate his relaxation, if not his trust. Then he said, “Are you one to cross swords, Master Beecham?”
I allowed myself a smile. “Is it a condition of my employment?”
“Indulge me.”
“If you’re asking if I’m inclined to fight for one faith over the other, the answer is no.”
He arched a brow. “You have no preference?”
“I didn’t say that. I just prefer not to fight over it. I’m a man for hire, as the queen said. My motto is ‘Whoever bids the highest. The soul can shift for itself.’”
He went quiet, observing me with a studied impartiality. It occurred to me that Simon Renard was testing my suitability for the task he’d already prepared for me.
“So we might say that for you, faith rests in the purse,” he said at length.
“We might, though I wouldn’t want to be quoted on it.”
“Indeed. How is this, to start?” He inked a quill, wrote on a scrap of paper, and pushed it to me.
I looked at the sum, then allowed a few seconds to pass before I said, “Generous, to start. Though it depends on what it’s for. I’m not accustomed to agreeing to a price before I know what I’m being paid for.”
“Naturally.” He took another sip. “As you may have surmised from those idiots in my antechamber, I am indeed in need of another clerk. Actually, several more, but as you made clear to me and Her Majesty yesterday in her apartments, an office position is not your preference. Nor, you will be satisfied to know, is it the job Her Majesty has chosen for you.”
Under my jerkin, my stomach knotted. “Chosen for me? Could Your Excellency be more specific?”
“I can, though what I
He let the silence between us settle. Another trick of the trade, one Cecil had employed to significant effect. It induced a subtle anxiety that could compel a less patient man to initiate conversation. I was not susceptible to it. Not anymore.
His smile faded. “Her Majesty and I spoke at length about you after you left us. She assures me you are trustworthy.” He set his goblet aside. So he, too, was abstentious. His offer of wine must have been either a test of my stated sobriety or a means to loosen my tongue. “She gave me a detailed account of your previous efforts on her behalf. It was all most impressive, particularly coming from someone with no apparent stake in the outcome.”
“My stake may not have been apparent,” I said, “but my payment depended on it.”
“Oh, yes. Her Majesty told me you’re a man for hire, with no personal affiliations of your own. Though it does raise the question of why you chose to undertake those errands in the first place. At the time, Northumberland had the realm in his grip; it must have been widely believed he’d succeed in putting his daughter-in-law Jane Grey on the throne.”
“I wouldn’t know,” I said, and his gaze sharpened. “I wasn’t privy to the duke’s plans. I was hired to convey a letter from the council, which I did, and Her Majesty was gracious enough to hire me in return. But surely Your Excellency has verified all this by now.”
He reclined in his chair. “Unfortunately, I could not. No one on the council seems to remember having seen you, much less hired you.”
“That’s because no one on the council did. I was hired by Cecil. Anyway, given the circumstances, I’m not the kind of person any of them would want to remember.”
He let out a sudden laugh. “You are a fascinating fellow, most unexpected. I must confess, besides the comforts of home what I most miss about the Continent is stimulating conversation. In Paris, it’s a staple of life, like good bread or wine. Alas, I’ve not found not much of either here; Englishmen are entirely too preoccupied with these tiresome matters of religion. No one has much inclination to cross swords, so to speak.”
“Unless it concerns that tiresome matter of religion,” I said, and he took up his goblet to sip. It reassured me. I’d gained enough confidence to precipitate his relaxation, if not his trust. Then he said, “Are you one to cross swords, Master Beecham?”
I allowed myself a smile. “Is it a condition of my employment?”
“Indulge me.”
“If you’re asking if I’m inclined to fight for one faith over the other, the answer is no.”
He arched a brow. “You have no preference?”
“I didn’t say that. I just prefer not to fight over it. I’m a man for hire, as the queen said. My motto is ‘Whoever bids the highest. The soul can shift for itself.’”
He went quiet, observing me with a studied impartiality. It occurred to me that Simon Renard was testing my suitability for the task he’d already prepared for me.
“So we might say that for you, faith rests in the purse,” he said at length.
“We might, though I wouldn’t want to be quoted on it.”
“Indeed. How is this, to start?” He inked a quill, wrote on a scrap of paper, and pushed it to me.
I looked at the sum, then allowed a few seconds to pass before I said, “Generous, to start. Though it depends on what it’s for. I’m not accustomed to agreeing to a price before I know what I’m being paid for.”
“Naturally.” He took another sip. “As you may have surmised from those idiots in my antechamber, I am indeed in need of another clerk. Actually, several more, but as you made clear to me and Her Majesty yesterday in her apartments, an office position is not your preference. Nor, you will be satisfied to know, is it the job Her Majesty has chosen for you.”
Under my jerkin, my stomach knotted. “Chosen for me? Could Your Excellency be more specific?”
“I can, though what I
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