Read Online By Royal Command by Mary Hooper - Free Book Online Page A

affairs in a Puritan household,’ she added in an undertone.
    ‘Then she didn’t elope.’ I affected a look of polite enquiry. ‘But where did she go?’
    ‘Someone took her – but she says she doesn’t know who, or where she was kept,’ said the girl. She pulled a wry face. ‘Or perhaps she did elope but didn’t find the man to her liking!’
    I laughed and, glancing at the letter and seeing that it bore no seal, agreed to take it in. I called the girls, telling them not to go too near the river, then hurried back into the house and along to the library, knowing that Dr Dee was not yet down. As I carried in the letter, I shook it slightly so that the topmost edge slipped out of its cut niche, the paper unfolded and the message was revealed. I own this was dishonest of me, but, having done what I had, I needed to assure myself that there was nothing in the letter which might lay the blame on me.
    It was written in very plain print, was short and to the point:
    Sir,
    We are beholden to you for your offer to seek our daughter by magickal means and your so-called ‘scrying stone’. We have to inform you, however, that by the Grace of God and without resource to witchcraft or supernatural methods she has returned to us safely.
    Praise be the Name of the Lord!
    I am, Sir, your servant,
    William Mucklow .
    I breathed out deeply, much relieved, and carefully folding the letter back into its creases, laid it on the table. I was only just in time, for as I put it down and turned towards the door I heard footsteps coming along the corridor and recognised the slow, slippered tread of Dr Dee.
    My heart thumped. All was in order, but I would rather not have come face to face with him just then. He bade me the most cursory of good mornings, then, glancing at the fire to ensure it was burning as high as he liked it, asked me to remind Mistress Midge to lay in a good supply of sea-coal for the winter.
    I assured him that I would. ‘I’m just off to market with Beth and Merryl, Sir,’ I added, hurrying towards the door. ‘May I get you anything from there?’
    He was about to answer me when his attention was caught by the parchment on his desk. ‘What’s this?’
    I was so nervous that my voice caught in my throat, but I cleared it and gave a little extra cough or two, so that he’d think I merely had a winter chill. ‘I believe it must be a message from Mr Mucklow,’ I said, ‘for one of his housemaids has just delivered it.’
    Not quite a smile – for he rarely smiled – but a look of satisfaction crossed his face. ‘Is the girl waiting for a reply?’
    ‘I’m not sure, Sir.’
    ‘Then you may have to run after her. Wait a moment, will you . . .’
    I did not want to wait, but had no option other than to stand there while he unfolded the parchment. He scanned it, gave a cry and unsteadily backed himself into a chair. ‘This cannot be!’
    I assumed an expression of concern. ‘Are you all right, Sir?’
    ‘Fetch . . . fetch . . .’
    ‘Some water, Sir?’
    ‘Mr Kelly. Send a boy for Mr Kelly straightaway!’
    I hurried to the kitchen to get a coin from Mistress Midge, then gave this to one of the small boys who perpetually hung around the big houses hoping to earn a halfpenny or a crust of bread, telling him to go to Mr Kelly’s lodgings and request that he attend on Dr Dee with all haste.
    Just a few minutes later (for he was already on his way to us, apparently) Mr Kelly arrived, whistling, full of himself, a scarlet velveteen cape swinging around his shoulders. ‘He’s sent the money, has he?’ I heard him say to Dr Dee before he was even through the library door.
    ‘No, he hasn’t!’ Dr Dee said. ‘And do you ask why? Then I’ll tell you: because the girl’s back with her father! ’
    Well, there was no need for me to stand in the hall with my ear to the library wall, for you could hear the row that ensued as far off as the kitchen. First Mr Kelly said it couldn’t be, it wasn’t possible,