the insult, at the same time as my stomach lurched in recognition that, again, he spoke true.
He nodded. ‘I am the one responsible for keeping Broderick secure, and for getting him back to London. There are those in this city who know he is here and would free him if they could, so
I must study and scrutinize all those I meet, look as far as I can into their souls. Even yours, sir.’
I stared into those cold eyes. ‘Get him his physician,’ I said curtly. ‘I will come again tomorrow to see how he progresses.’
He stared back a moment longer, then gave that little incline of his head. ‘At what time?’
‘When I choose,’ I answered, then turned and left the room.
O UTSIDE, B ARAK WAS sitting on a bench watching the comings and goings at the courthouse. A chill autumnal wind had risen,
bringing more leaves tumbling from the trees. He looked at me curiously.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked. I must have looked as drained as I felt.
I shook my head. ‘I don’t know which man is the worse,’ I said. ‘It seemed the gaoler, yet – I don’t know. ’ I looked to where Aske’s skeleton
dangled. The breeze made it swing a little to and fro, as though the dead white bones were struggling to be free.
Chapter Four
A GUARD TOLD US THAT to reach St Mary’s Abbey we should follow a street called Coneygate. This was another narrow
lane full of busy shops, and again we proceeded at a snail’s pace. I noted a number of even narrower alleyways leading off, perhaps to squares and courts behind. I felt hemmed in by the
city.
As we passed a large inn I saw a group of young men in colourful slashed doublets standing in the doorway, flanked by watchful servants, looking out over the crowd as they drank wine from
leather bottles. One, a tall handsome young fellow with a dark beard, was pointing out members of the citizenry and laughing at their poor clothes. The evil looks he received made him laugh all the
louder. The advance guard of the Great Progress, I thought; these gentlemen should take better care.
I thought about Radwinter and Broderick. Gaoler and prisoner, ice and fire. It was clear Radwinter visited whatever petty torments he could on Broderick, to keep him down and probably for his
own enjoyment too. Such treatment could be dangerous; Sir Edward might be young but he was a gentleman, unused to privation. That burn on his chest could turn bad; I hoped there were good medical
men in York. I wished my old friend Guy was with me. But Guy was far away, working as an apothecary in London.
I could not help being troubled anew by Sir Edward’s accusation that I was keeping him safe for the torturers. He was right. And yet, for all his brave defiant words, Sir Edward had begged
Radwinter for something to drink. And I had been able to order it brought.
I remembered, too, Radwinter’s remark about my condition making me sympathetic to poor outcasts. How he could see into a man. Did he use such skills to delve into the minds of the heretics
in Cranmer’s gaol at the top of the Lollards’ Tower? But he was right; sympathy for Broderick could cloud my judgement. I recalled the prisoner’s sudden furious lunge at the
gaoler, and thought again, what has he done that he must be kept sealed away like a plague-carrier?
Outside a candlemaker’s shop I saw a plump, choleric-looking man in a red robe and broad-brimmed red hat, a gold chain of office round his neck, inspecting a box of candles. The mayor, I
thought. The candlemaker, his apron spotted with grease, looked on anxiously as the mayor lifted a fat yellow candle from the box and inspected it closely. Three black-robed officials stood by, one
carrying a gold mace.
‘It’ll do, I suppose,’ the mayor said. ‘Make sure only the finest beeswax goes to St Mary’s.’ He nodded and the group passed on to the next shop.
‘Doing his rounds.’ I said to Barak. ‘Making sure everything is in order for when the Progress arrives. And—’ I broke
He nodded. ‘I am the one responsible for keeping Broderick secure, and for getting him back to London. There are those in this city who know he is here and would free him if they could, so
I must study and scrutinize all those I meet, look as far as I can into their souls. Even yours, sir.’
I stared into those cold eyes. ‘Get him his physician,’ I said curtly. ‘I will come again tomorrow to see how he progresses.’
He stared back a moment longer, then gave that little incline of his head. ‘At what time?’
‘When I choose,’ I answered, then turned and left the room.
O UTSIDE, B ARAK WAS sitting on a bench watching the comings and goings at the courthouse. A chill autumnal wind had risen,
bringing more leaves tumbling from the trees. He looked at me curiously.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked. I must have looked as drained as I felt.
I shook my head. ‘I don’t know which man is the worse,’ I said. ‘It seemed the gaoler, yet – I don’t know. ’ I looked to where Aske’s skeleton
dangled. The breeze made it swing a little to and fro, as though the dead white bones were struggling to be free.
Chapter Four
A GUARD TOLD US THAT to reach St Mary’s Abbey we should follow a street called Coneygate. This was another narrow
lane full of busy shops, and again we proceeded at a snail’s pace. I noted a number of even narrower alleyways leading off, perhaps to squares and courts behind. I felt hemmed in by the
city.
As we passed a large inn I saw a group of young men in colourful slashed doublets standing in the doorway, flanked by watchful servants, looking out over the crowd as they drank wine from
leather bottles. One, a tall handsome young fellow with a dark beard, was pointing out members of the citizenry and laughing at their poor clothes. The evil looks he received made him laugh all the
louder. The advance guard of the Great Progress, I thought; these gentlemen should take better care.
I thought about Radwinter and Broderick. Gaoler and prisoner, ice and fire. It was clear Radwinter visited whatever petty torments he could on Broderick, to keep him down and probably for his
own enjoyment too. Such treatment could be dangerous; Sir Edward might be young but he was a gentleman, unused to privation. That burn on his chest could turn bad; I hoped there were good medical
men in York. I wished my old friend Guy was with me. But Guy was far away, working as an apothecary in London.
I could not help being troubled anew by Sir Edward’s accusation that I was keeping him safe for the torturers. He was right. And yet, for all his brave defiant words, Sir Edward had begged
Radwinter for something to drink. And I had been able to order it brought.
I remembered, too, Radwinter’s remark about my condition making me sympathetic to poor outcasts. How he could see into a man. Did he use such skills to delve into the minds of the heretics
in Cranmer’s gaol at the top of the Lollards’ Tower? But he was right; sympathy for Broderick could cloud my judgement. I recalled the prisoner’s sudden furious lunge at the
gaoler, and thought again, what has he done that he must be kept sealed away like a plague-carrier?
Outside a candlemaker’s shop I saw a plump, choleric-looking man in a red robe and broad-brimmed red hat, a gold chain of office round his neck, inspecting a box of candles. The mayor, I
thought. The candlemaker, his apron spotted with grease, looked on anxiously as the mayor lifted a fat yellow candle from the box and inspected it closely. Three black-robed officials stood by, one
carrying a gold mace.
‘It’ll do, I suppose,’ the mayor said. ‘Make sure only the finest beeswax goes to St Mary’s.’ He nodded and the group passed on to the next shop.
‘Doing his rounds.’ I said to Barak. ‘Making sure everything is in order for when the Progress arrives. And—’ I broke
Similar Books
