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Read Online [Roger the Chapman 05] - Eve of Saint Hyacinth by Kate Sedley - Free Book Online
Authors: Kate Sedley
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which ran behind the Saracen's Head and its neighbouring houses.
'You took long enough,' the first man hissed accusingly. ‘Didn't you hear me?'
'I heard an owl screech twice,' his companion muttered, ‘but I've told you before, you need to be careful in this game. It wasn't until the third call that I thought it safe to reveal myself. I had no certainty that the friar would have been able to pass on my message.'
They were standing on a level with the hawthorn bush and every word spoken, though whispered, was plainly audible. Then they moved on to the grass and into the lee of tile Priory outbuildings, where the darkness was almost impenetrable. But they were now just a few feet away from my hiding place and for a moment or so my whole attention was focused on remaining motionless. By the time I was able to listen again with any degree of concentration I had missed several sentences.
'You mean you have no positive news for us?' the man with the sling was asking. I knew it to be him, for he spoke much faster than the other, who was inclined to be slow and ponderous of speech. 'For God's sake, Thaddeus, we must have a name, and soon! Time is running out.'
Thaddeus grunted. 'I can't do the impossible, Master Arrowsmith, and my informant is himself having difficulties in finding out what you want to know. His source of information is proving mute until another payment is made to him.'
The imprecation which greeted this remark was delivered with such savagery that it made me start, deflecting my mind from trying to remember where, and by whom, I had recently heard the name of Arrowsmith mentioned.
'Money! Money!' the duke's officer continued. 'A great man's life is at risk and all you can do is talk about money! I've a good mind to have you arrested. A taste of the rack and thumbscrew would soon persuade you to reveal the identity of your informer.'
There was a snort of derision. 'So it might, but the news that I'd been taken would drive the others into hiding and you'd never track them down. It would be no use asking me to put a name to any but my own men, for no one knows more than that. You'd have first to discover, then arrest, then put each one in turn to the question before you came to the end of the chain.'
There was a moment's silence while Master Arrowsmith swallowed his ire. A guard came to the door of the gatehouse and looked casually about him, before stretching his arms and returning inside. Plainly he saw nothing amiss, both the men and myself remaining perfectly still throughout his brief appearance.
'So, when will you have a name?' Master Arrowsmith demanded as soon as he judged it safe to resume the conversation.
'Tomorrow night, if you've brought the money with you.' A faint chinking of coins reached my ears as a purse or pouch was handed over. 'I promise that by then I'll have the information you require.'
'Very well. Where do we meet? Here again?'
'I've told you my rule, never the same place twice running. Do you know Three Cranes Quay, west of the Steelyard? It's the vintners' wharf, where the ships from Bordeaux tie up.'
'Timothy Plummer'll know it. He was born and bred in London.'
'Very well. That's where you'll find me, but it must be earlier in the evening. I have need to be elsewhere by curfew.'
'You have other business?' The hissing voice was ragged with suspicion.
'Aye. I've a woman in London who's deserving of my attention now and then. It's precious little I see of her in the normal way of things, but tomorrow night I've given my word to visit her. She means enough to me to take a chance or two.'
'Chance?' Once again the man Arrowsmith's tone had an edge of panic to it.
'It stands to reason there's more risk when it's light than when it's dark, but the meeting will be brief. One name, that's all you want and, once given, we can go our separate ways. All the same, it might be better to send a two-armed man in case of any trouble. A right-handed man who can only use his left is
'You took long enough,' the first man hissed accusingly. ‘Didn't you hear me?'
'I heard an owl screech twice,' his companion muttered, ‘but I've told you before, you need to be careful in this game. It wasn't until the third call that I thought it safe to reveal myself. I had no certainty that the friar would have been able to pass on my message.'
They were standing on a level with the hawthorn bush and every word spoken, though whispered, was plainly audible. Then they moved on to the grass and into the lee of tile Priory outbuildings, where the darkness was almost impenetrable. But they were now just a few feet away from my hiding place and for a moment or so my whole attention was focused on remaining motionless. By the time I was able to listen again with any degree of concentration I had missed several sentences.
'You mean you have no positive news for us?' the man with the sling was asking. I knew it to be him, for he spoke much faster than the other, who was inclined to be slow and ponderous of speech. 'For God's sake, Thaddeus, we must have a name, and soon! Time is running out.'
Thaddeus grunted. 'I can't do the impossible, Master Arrowsmith, and my informant is himself having difficulties in finding out what you want to know. His source of information is proving mute until another payment is made to him.'
The imprecation which greeted this remark was delivered with such savagery that it made me start, deflecting my mind from trying to remember where, and by whom, I had recently heard the name of Arrowsmith mentioned.
'Money! Money!' the duke's officer continued. 'A great man's life is at risk and all you can do is talk about money! I've a good mind to have you arrested. A taste of the rack and thumbscrew would soon persuade you to reveal the identity of your informer.'
There was a snort of derision. 'So it might, but the news that I'd been taken would drive the others into hiding and you'd never track them down. It would be no use asking me to put a name to any but my own men, for no one knows more than that. You'd have first to discover, then arrest, then put each one in turn to the question before you came to the end of the chain.'
There was a moment's silence while Master Arrowsmith swallowed his ire. A guard came to the door of the gatehouse and looked casually about him, before stretching his arms and returning inside. Plainly he saw nothing amiss, both the men and myself remaining perfectly still throughout his brief appearance.
'So, when will you have a name?' Master Arrowsmith demanded as soon as he judged it safe to resume the conversation.
'Tomorrow night, if you've brought the money with you.' A faint chinking of coins reached my ears as a purse or pouch was handed over. 'I promise that by then I'll have the information you require.'
'Very well. Where do we meet? Here again?'
'I've told you my rule, never the same place twice running. Do you know Three Cranes Quay, west of the Steelyard? It's the vintners' wharf, where the ships from Bordeaux tie up.'
'Timothy Plummer'll know it. He was born and bred in London.'
'Very well. That's where you'll find me, but it must be earlier in the evening. I have need to be elsewhere by curfew.'
'You have other business?' The hissing voice was ragged with suspicion.
'Aye. I've a woman in London who's deserving of my attention now and then. It's precious little I see of her in the normal way of things, but tomorrow night I've given my word to visit her. She means enough to me to take a chance or two.'
'Chance?' Once again the man Arrowsmith's tone had an edge of panic to it.
'It stands to reason there's more risk when it's light than when it's dark, but the meeting will be brief. One name, that's all you want and, once given, we can go our separate ways. All the same, it might be better to send a two-armed man in case of any trouble. A right-handed man who can only use his left is
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