reason.”
Joliffe’s laughter glinted at her though he said evenly, “You know what my lord of Suffolk has been at? Mustering men north of town on Henow Heath against the duke of Gloucester and the supposed army he’s bringing against the king?”
She knew. There had been talk about it all around Lady Alice this morning, though Alice herself had said not much before she went off to wait on the queen. “I’ve heard,” Frevisse answered slowly, “though it seems to me that it would have served Suffolk better to muster his men south of town, between the king and Gloucester, rather than north of it.”
‘A well-taken point that seems to have escaped a great many people,“ Joliffe allowed lightly. ”But however much we may question my lord of Suffolk’s judgment, I thought myself that Arteys here might be better somewhere else than out and about.“ As he said it, Joliffe briefly lifted an edge of the young man’s cloak, giving a glimpse of a white swan badge, and Frevisse said, ”Ah.“
‘So may he keep you company this while?“
Arteys stood so carefully blank-faced, waiting for her answer, that Frevisse slightly smiled at him as she said, “Of course. But will Master Wilde allow it?”
‘I asked him outside,“ Joliffe said. ”He agreed, having more on his mind at the time. Brother Lydgate has him in talk.“
‘Again?“ Frevisse said. Not only did Lydgate write lame verse, he had the unswerving opinion that anything not written by himself was surely in need of mending and it seemed he had been trying to mend this play ever since the players had begun to practice it.
‘He says the end needs something said between Lucifer and Lady Soul,“ Joliffe said cheerfully, ”and a longer speech from Wisdom that he’s kindly penned for us. He’s trying to persuade Master Wilde to do it today.“
‘Two days before the play goes on? Blessed St. Jude have mercy.“ The patron saint of desperate cases, because Brother Lydgate was undeniably a desperate case.
‘Better add a prayer to St. Barbara against sudden death, because that’s what Master Wilde may have for Brother Lydgate if he keeps at this.“
With a grin at Arteys and a bow of his head to Frevisse, he headed away to where Ned Wilde was explaining to his brother Giles and the other painter how he would have done the work faster and, of course, better had he been there, and Giles was explaining back at him how much he was in danger of having his kneecaps painted.
‘Don’t even think of it!“ their mother called from where she was helping John take off his pin-perilous tunic, and Joliffe added helpfully that, anyway, it would be a waste of good paint.
Frevisse gestured at Arteys still standing uncertainly beside the bench that he should sit. He did, somewhat uneasily and on its edge, looking ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Returning to her sewing, she asked, as much for curiosity as to put him at ease, “You’ve known Joliffe long?”
The youth hesitated. “Off and on for a time.” He hesitated again, then added, “Mostly off.”
‘How did he explain you to Master Wilde?“
‘He said I had need lie low for the afternoon and could I do it here? Master Wilde said he knew about lying low, and if I promised to keep my mouth shut, I could stay.“
‘Joliffe didn’t tell him you were one of the duke of Gloucester’s men?“
‘No.“ The hall was cool enough that no one would question why he still wore his cloak but Arteys pulled it closer around him as if to be sure Gloucester’s badge stayed hidden.
‘Come to that,“ Frevisse said, pretending she did not see his uneasy gesture, ”I doubt Master Wilde, lost in the play as he is, even knows there’s anything else happening.“
‘He didn’t seem to.“
‘Is Gloucester bringing an army against the king?“
Arteys looked profoundly startled and answered more forcefully than he had yet
Joliffe’s laughter glinted at her though he said evenly, “You know what my lord of Suffolk has been at? Mustering men north of town on Henow Heath against the duke of Gloucester and the supposed army he’s bringing against the king?”
She knew. There had been talk about it all around Lady Alice this morning, though Alice herself had said not much before she went off to wait on the queen. “I’ve heard,” Frevisse answered slowly, “though it seems to me that it would have served Suffolk better to muster his men south of town, between the king and Gloucester, rather than north of it.”
‘A well-taken point that seems to have escaped a great many people,“ Joliffe allowed lightly. ”But however much we may question my lord of Suffolk’s judgment, I thought myself that Arteys here might be better somewhere else than out and about.“ As he said it, Joliffe briefly lifted an edge of the young man’s cloak, giving a glimpse of a white swan badge, and Frevisse said, ”Ah.“
‘So may he keep you company this while?“
Arteys stood so carefully blank-faced, waiting for her answer, that Frevisse slightly smiled at him as she said, “Of course. But will Master Wilde allow it?”
‘I asked him outside,“ Joliffe said. ”He agreed, having more on his mind at the time. Brother Lydgate has him in talk.“
‘Again?“ Frevisse said. Not only did Lydgate write lame verse, he had the unswerving opinion that anything not written by himself was surely in need of mending and it seemed he had been trying to mend this play ever since the players had begun to practice it.
‘He says the end needs something said between Lucifer and Lady Soul,“ Joliffe said cheerfully, ”and a longer speech from Wisdom that he’s kindly penned for us. He’s trying to persuade Master Wilde to do it today.“
‘Two days before the play goes on? Blessed St. Jude have mercy.“ The patron saint of desperate cases, because Brother Lydgate was undeniably a desperate case.
‘Better add a prayer to St. Barbara against sudden death, because that’s what Master Wilde may have for Brother Lydgate if he keeps at this.“
With a grin at Arteys and a bow of his head to Frevisse, he headed away to where Ned Wilde was explaining to his brother Giles and the other painter how he would have done the work faster and, of course, better had he been there, and Giles was explaining back at him how much he was in danger of having his kneecaps painted.
‘Don’t even think of it!“ their mother called from where she was helping John take off his pin-perilous tunic, and Joliffe added helpfully that, anyway, it would be a waste of good paint.
Frevisse gestured at Arteys still standing uncertainly beside the bench that he should sit. He did, somewhat uneasily and on its edge, looking ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Returning to her sewing, she asked, as much for curiosity as to put him at ease, “You’ve known Joliffe long?”
The youth hesitated. “Off and on for a time.” He hesitated again, then added, “Mostly off.”
‘How did he explain you to Master Wilde?“
‘He said I had need lie low for the afternoon and could I do it here? Master Wilde said he knew about lying low, and if I promised to keep my mouth shut, I could stay.“
‘Joliffe didn’t tell him you were one of the duke of Gloucester’s men?“
‘No.“ The hall was cool enough that no one would question why he still wore his cloak but Arteys pulled it closer around him as if to be sure Gloucester’s badge stayed hidden.
‘Come to that,“ Frevisse said, pretending she did not see his uneasy gesture, ”I doubt Master Wilde, lost in the play as he is, even knows there’s anything else happening.“
‘He didn’t seem to.“
‘Is Gloucester bringing an army against the king?“
Arteys looked profoundly startled and answered more forcefully than he had yet