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Authors: Michael Arnold
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intended for use this night, judging by its lack of decoration. On its far side was a door that occasionally swung open to reveal a bustling servant, and he guessed the kitchens or cellars would be somewhere beyond. Another door was located in the wall to his right. It was made of thick oaken timbers, squat and studded, and he presumed it must lead outside. He went to lean against the cold wall, pleased to have found somewhere peaceful in which to gather his thoughts. He swore softly, infuriated by his own miscalculation. He had been certain that Sir Frederick would attend. He slapped his thigh hard in frustration.
"You seem a tad vexed, Sir Ardell."
Lyle spun on his heels, his heart suddenly frantic inside his chest. It was not the unexpected words that had startled him as much as the identity of the speaker. "Colonel Maddocks, I..."
Colonel Francis Maddocks was not in costume, but had nevertheless donned a fine suit for the occasion, one of all black that made him look like a raven caged amongst parrots. He wore a saffron-coloured scarf to denote his allegiance, pristine and bright as it crossed his torso, complete with his family crest at the shoulder. His hair, silver-flecked black like the head of a jackdaw, fell about his shoulders in matted strands, while his grey eyes were bright in the candlelight. His sword and pistol were the marks of a man on duty, charged, Lyle presumed, with the safety of the illustrious guests, but his face creased in a friendly smile as he stooped a touch to stare into Lyle's mask. "It is Sir Ardell Early in there, is it not?"
"Aye, Colonel, it is," Lyle said, forcing calm into his tone as best he could. "How did you...?"
"Oh, the footman pointed you out to me," Maddocks explained. The deep creases at the corners of his eyes became more pronounced. "I know he should not - and believe me when I say that he did not wish to unmask you, so to speak - but I fear I can be persuasive." His brow furrowed slightly. "But how, Sir Ardell, did you know who I was?"
"You wear no mask, sir," Lyle replied, confounded.
"But we have never met. Not in person, leastwise."
Sweat prickled at Lyle's neck. His cheeks felt suddenly clammy beneath the black and gold disguise. "Someone mentioned you were here to keep us all safe, Colonel. And you carry weapons at a masque. It is not so taxing to deduce your identity." He let his eyes flicker briefly across Maddocks' shoulder, where the lion roared in black thread. "Your strength brings you fame, sir."
Maddocks shrugged, playing the game of self-deprecation poorly. "Ah, well, it is good to know my services are appreciated." To hide his reddening cheeks, Maddocks turned slightly, showing Lyle to a bench at the far side of the small room. "I must say, I am surprised to find you here, Sir Ardell."
"I am not so dour as you might suppose," Lyle replied cautiously, thinking back to the letters they had found in Mason's possession.
Maddocks laughed as they sat down, white teeth glowing beneath the coarse bristles of his moustache, and raised his palms in supplication. "I meant nothing by it, sir, truly. But since your good lady wife..." he trailed off as awkwardness overtook him.
So Early's wife had died, Lyle thought. He dipped his head. "I have not found pleasure in many things, tis true," he said, for once needing no pretence. He swallowed the lump that had thickened at the back of his throat. "You were looking for me, Colonel?"
Maddocks nodded. "How fares business, sir?"
"Business?"
"It is my business to keep your business safe, Sir Ardell. Major-General Goffe has entrusted me with a mission of great importance. The safety of his supporters across the Downs is paramount to him. I would speak to those I must protect. This evening seemed a good time to introduce myself, though I confess it is difficult."
Lyle took the hint, but tapped a finger against the corner of his feathered mask. "My apologies, Colonel, but I like to maintain the charade at all times. What
"You seem a tad vexed, Sir Ardell."
Lyle spun on his heels, his heart suddenly frantic inside his chest. It was not the unexpected words that had startled him as much as the identity of the speaker. "Colonel Maddocks, I..."
Colonel Francis Maddocks was not in costume, but had nevertheless donned a fine suit for the occasion, one of all black that made him look like a raven caged amongst parrots. He wore a saffron-coloured scarf to denote his allegiance, pristine and bright as it crossed his torso, complete with his family crest at the shoulder. His hair, silver-flecked black like the head of a jackdaw, fell about his shoulders in matted strands, while his grey eyes were bright in the candlelight. His sword and pistol were the marks of a man on duty, charged, Lyle presumed, with the safety of the illustrious guests, but his face creased in a friendly smile as he stooped a touch to stare into Lyle's mask. "It is Sir Ardell Early in there, is it not?"
"Aye, Colonel, it is," Lyle said, forcing calm into his tone as best he could. "How did you...?"
"Oh, the footman pointed you out to me," Maddocks explained. The deep creases at the corners of his eyes became more pronounced. "I know he should not - and believe me when I say that he did not wish to unmask you, so to speak - but I fear I can be persuasive." His brow furrowed slightly. "But how, Sir Ardell, did you know who I was?"
"You wear no mask, sir," Lyle replied, confounded.
"But we have never met. Not in person, leastwise."
Sweat prickled at Lyle's neck. His cheeks felt suddenly clammy beneath the black and gold disguise. "Someone mentioned you were here to keep us all safe, Colonel. And you carry weapons at a masque. It is not so taxing to deduce your identity." He let his eyes flicker briefly across Maddocks' shoulder, where the lion roared in black thread. "Your strength brings you fame, sir."
Maddocks shrugged, playing the game of self-deprecation poorly. "Ah, well, it is good to know my services are appreciated." To hide his reddening cheeks, Maddocks turned slightly, showing Lyle to a bench at the far side of the small room. "I must say, I am surprised to find you here, Sir Ardell."
"I am not so dour as you might suppose," Lyle replied cautiously, thinking back to the letters they had found in Mason's possession.
Maddocks laughed as they sat down, white teeth glowing beneath the coarse bristles of his moustache, and raised his palms in supplication. "I meant nothing by it, sir, truly. But since your good lady wife..." he trailed off as awkwardness overtook him.
So Early's wife had died, Lyle thought. He dipped his head. "I have not found pleasure in many things, tis true," he said, for once needing no pretence. He swallowed the lump that had thickened at the back of his throat. "You were looking for me, Colonel?"
Maddocks nodded. "How fares business, sir?"
"Business?"
"It is my business to keep your business safe, Sir Ardell. Major-General Goffe has entrusted me with a mission of great importance. The safety of his supporters across the Downs is paramount to him. I would speak to those I must protect. This evening seemed a good time to introduce myself, though I confess it is difficult."
Lyle took the hint, but tapped a finger against the corner of his feathered mask. "My apologies, Colonel, but I like to maintain the charade at all times. What
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