‘My name is Lady Agnes. I have been the queen’s attendant since she came to this country. I know everything about her.’
Crispin studied the sweet, oval face of the woman before him. She was swathed in a cloak and hood and held that hood close to her face. ‘The note you showed us,’ she went on. ‘It made no sense if it was a threat against our dear Queen Anne. Because, you see, she asked for and was given—’ She stopped and looked both ways up and down the corridor. ‘She was given,’ she whispered, ‘a Bible … in English. She learned to read it.’
‘A Lollard Bible?’ said Crispin.
‘Yes. She was a friend to them. She often calmed the king when he began raging against it. He had not in the early days. He knew many of his lords sympathized with Lollard teachings. Now he is not as gracious.’
‘Then the queen knew Lollards and received a Bible from them?’
‘Yes. It would have been a great crime indeed if a Lollard had plotted against her, knowing well how she stemmed the king’s wrath on them.’
He nodded. ‘I see what you mean. Thank you for this information. Did she have any enemies in other quarters?’
‘No. I can think of no one who harbored ill will toward her. As you know, she was kind and gentle.’
‘Yes. I have never heard an unkind word about her.’
‘I knew I had to tell you. I believe the queen died of illness, just as the physicians said. There is no cruel cause here, good master.’
‘I am beginning to see that, Lady Agnes.’
She clutched at her hood and glanced up the corridor again. ‘And Master Goat. Does he fare well?’
Thinking of Jack made him smile, and he needed to smile just then. ‘He does indeed, fair lady. With a wife and children. He has always been my faithful man.’
She seemed to brighten. ‘Ah. That does my heart good. I shall tell the others. We worried so about him.’
‘You need never worry over him. God shines his blessings upon that man.’ He thanked her again and allowed her to make her way down the corridor without him. He waited a moment more before he set out himself to return to Lancaster’s apartments. When he turned the corner, the man himself was pacing. He whipped around at Crispin’s step.
‘God be praised,’ he gasped and rushed toward him. He took Crispin by his shoulders and drew him into an embrace.
Surprised, Crispin allowed it, face thrust against John’s shoulder. John pushed him back to look him over. ‘You are alive!’
‘There was some question about it at the time,’ he answered.
‘Come inside.’ He ushered Crispin beyond his door and through to the antechamber. ‘What happened?’
Crispin gestured toward the wine on the sideboard and John granted him leave. He poured two generous goblets. ‘Mostly, I stood guard.’ He handed John one while he gulped at his own. When the wine settled in him he released a sigh. ‘But then he spoke to me and I had to answer. And then I felt it was useless to hide who I was.’
John’s eyes were wide. ‘He … knew?’
‘Yes. And though I thought he would kill me, he soon abandoned that idea. He told me things …’ Even now the king’s voice played in his head. The plaintive sound of it, as if he were ten years old again. He drank the wine. ‘I feel the worse for my part in his betrayal.’
‘You felt your cause was just.’
‘Yes. But I never thought beyond it. I never imagined that it might mean Richard’s death. And that should have been foremost in my mind.’ He knocked back the rest of the wine, hesitated, then returned to the sideboard to refill it. ‘I was at the top of my strength then, John. Lord of Sheen, a burnished knight, a strategist on the battlefield.’ He shook his head and drank. ‘How young and foolish I truly was.’
‘How truly all of us were.’
‘He said he had loved me. And I never knew that. In my pride, in my arrogance … I never knew.’
John remained quiet as Crispin slowly sloughed off the prickly emotions as the wine settled within him. ‘I, er, also encountered one of the queen’s ladies when I left the chapel. I am becoming more convinced that this death was … a natural one.’
‘Not murder?’ John fell hard into his chair. ‘Thank God for that. Do you still need to speak to our Lollard courtiers?’
‘I would still speak with them. On other matters. But this matter can be put to rest.’
‘Thank you, Crispin, for your work. If the king only knew, he would be grateful.’
‘Let us all make certain that he never knows.’
They both lifted their goblets to that.
Crispin slept heavily in one of the niches set aside for pages. He thought he would find it hard to sleep in such cramped quarters, but as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out until morning.
He stretched, feeling the cricks in his back. As Richard had told him, he was old and felt it. He asked one of Lancaster’s grooms for shaving things but, knowing who he was, the groom offered to do it for him.
With a face clean and shaved, he greeted his hosts once more. Though there were servants around them, John chose to serve Lady Katherine himself, bringing her tidbits to eat and poured her warmed wine.
It was almost as if Crispin had never left them all those years ago. Almost.
But then it was back to the business at hand. Thomas Clanvowe, a Lollard but one of the king’s men, sent a message to Lancaster, telling him he would meet with him. And so Crispin and Lancaster waited. It was mid-morning when Clanvowe arrived.
He was brusque, with a dark head of hair and a trimmed beard and mustache. He was richly attired as Lancaster was. Crispin knew that he had joined the king’s household only a few years ago and had married one of the queen’s ladies. He was from Herefordshire with important connections there.
He greeted Lancaster, and then turned a stern eye toward Crispin.
‘I know who you are, Crispin Guest,’ he said without preamble. ‘I know the duke and so know of you. You are an enemy of the king.’
Crispin girded himself.
Clanvowe’s expression softened. ‘But your family is Welsh, as are mine, and so, as a fellow countryman, I extend my hand.’ He did so and, without hesitation, Crispin took it. ‘I understand, Your Grace, that you have a question for me and my compatriots,’ he said to Lancaster.
The duke reached into his pouch and unfolded the parchment, handing it to Clanvowe.
Clanvowe read it and lowered the parchment. ‘What is this?’
‘This was left on the queen’s bedside at Sheen,’ said the duke.
‘And it follows that Lollards are responsible for her death?’
Crispin gently took it back from him. ‘I hope you could tell us otherwise, my lord.’
‘That is a foolish supposition. The queen was a friend to the Lollards of court. No one would dare touch her.’
‘Yes,’ said Crispin, handing the note to John. ‘I have already discovered that.’
‘You’re that Tracker in London they speak of, aren’t you, Guest? You ferret out criminals.’
‘I am and I do.’
‘Good. Glad to see your training is not going to waste. But … I have heard another rumor among my friends both in and out of court. These rumors travel quickly. You seem to be in possession of a … a book.’
John narrowed his eyes. ‘What have you to say on this matter … that involves several deaths?’
Clanvowe’s smile was grim. ‘Only that such books can be dangerous. That some would gladly free it from Master Guest’s hands for their own purposes. And … that he should be very careful.’
‘Do you know a Bishop Becke?’ Crispin asked, keeping a tight lid on his ire.
‘I’ve heard of him. He’s no friend to the Lollards.’
‘He’s no friend of mine either. And he, too, knows of the book.’
‘Then beware. When he strikes, you will not know it until you fall to the ground a corpse.’
‘You are indelicate, sir,’ said John. ‘The queen lies in the chapel.’
Clanvowe bowed. ‘I apologize. I did not mean to injure your sensibilities.’
Lancaster put a hand to his hip. ‘The queen, sir. Whatever you think of me, the king is still my nephew. It would be a shame should the information reach him that one of his rising courtiers had been tactless on the matter.’
Clanvowe changed tactics and set his features more congenially. ‘Forgive me, John. I’m afraid emotions are running somewhat high.’
‘Indeed, they are. Have a care. I might not always have defended Lollards, but you know I am one.’
‘I know. I merely wished to warn your … your pupil, here, that it is known what is in his possession.’
‘Such a well-known book,’ said Crispin, ‘and in an incomprehensible tongue, too. Curious.’
‘It was known before you got a hold of it, Guest. If I were you—’
‘Alas, you are not.’
He seemed to be struck mute for a moment … before he laughed and nudged Lancaster. ‘Your protégé.’
Lancaster said nothing.
‘I’ve seen a great deal of Lollards lately,’ said Crispin. ‘On the streets of London, preaching. Am I to be careful of Lollards, too?’
‘For this book, yes.’
‘Why in hell would a Lollard want to be seen with this book?’ said John. ‘Don’t they fear enough trouble when caught with an English Bible?’
‘Well, I am not so entrenched in Lollardy that I am in the midst of the cabal – if it could be called such. But I have heard rumors that this book is desired among those who lead.’
Crispin shook his head. ‘I can’t imagine why. And they’ve killed the only man likely to be able to translate it in London.’
‘They?’
‘Becke’s men.’
‘Becke doesn’t care to translate it. He only cares that it is destroyed.’
‘What have you got yourself into, Crispin?’ said Lancaster with a frown.
‘Too much … as usual, my lord.’
There was little left to discuss. Clanvowe bid his farewells and Crispin knew his time to depart had come. He turned to Lancaster regretfully. ‘I should be going too. I do not think you need fear that the queen died by misadventure.’
‘That is good, Crispin. You’ve done well.’
Crispin looked down at his tabard. ‘If I may keep this, Your Grace …’
‘I believe I gave you one before.’
‘I was careless with it.’
‘Hmpf,’ grunted the duke.
‘It will help me leave the palace, at any rate.’
‘You are the most charmed man alive, Crispin.’
‘Am I?’
‘You should have been dead a thousand times over by now.’
He chuckled. ‘I have a very weary guardian angel, my lord, that is the truth of it.’
‘If you must leave then have a care. You are in our thoughts and in our prayers. And tell that man of mine that he can stop guarding your Jack.’
Crispin hadn’t known what Lancaster had said to the man from whom he had got the tabard, but now he was more grateful than ever for the duke’s intervention. ‘That was kind of you. Thank you.’
‘I know how you dote on that boy. Reminds me of … well. Of the two of us.’
Crispin could only nod. He was afraid his voice would betray him.
Lady Katherine was either listening at the door or had a sense about these things. She appeared in the doorway just as Crispin was taking his leave.
‘You are leaving us?’ she said.
He bowed. ‘Yes, my lady. Always with regret. But I have other business to do.’
‘Your conclusion is resolved, then. The queen died of a sickness?’
‘As near as I can conclude. Be at ease on it.’
She sighed and crossed herself. ‘That is good news – among all the bad.’
‘Yes. Well, it was good to see you both. I thank you for your hospitality.’
‘God be with you, Crispin.’ She took his arm, drew him in, and kissed his forehead like any mother would. His throat tightened for a moment, for it had been many a year since his own mother had given him her blessing … but he sobered quickly when he felt a pouch pressed into his hand, a pouch of coins. He was about to object when she gave him a tender look that stilled his tongue. Well, if she wanted to be his mother, he supposed he’d have to indulge her.
He bowed again, clutched the pouch tight in his hand, and left them.
He made his way alone through the still mourning court, where courtiers wore solemn faces and conferred with the canons of St Stephen’s in the corridors. The scaffolding and ropes were still present in the great hall but no workmen were in sight. With impunity by virtue of his tabard, he made his way out the doors of the palace and into its courtyard.
And when he passed through the gates he came to halt when he noticed a beggar, the one who had accosted him before, sitting outside the gate, seemingly waiting for him.