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Authors: Karen Harper
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will keep an eye on the younger one, Piers. Besides, I’m not certain I can pry Meg Milligrew away from the younger, who is grieving sorely over both his parents’ deaths.”
“A transfer of affections for her?”
“One I heartily approve of if it helps the bleakness of her soul. However, the transfer of affections which both Sir William and my cousin Norfolk have undergone to turn their loyalties from their rightful queen to Mary of Scots is something else.”
“Yes, Norfolk’s wily at hiding his true feelings—or thinks he is. I just wish there were some way to get more answers about these two murders before we move on. But,” he added, holding up both hands as if to ward her off her next sally, “I don’t mean that we should change our schedule to stay to find out.”
“I’m not turning tail to run back to Windsor or London, so there you are. As for staying here, it would gain us nothing. Barnstable’s henchmen, who must be questioned, seem to have fled the area. Drake says Barnstable won’t admit that someone bribed him or helped him to get rid of Naseby, and Clifford found no sack of money hidden in his house, though he could have buried it.”
She sighed and began fanning her flushed face again. “Barnstable claimed if a new-minted coin was found in his cellar, he has no notion who dropped it there—and, since he has no wife to question …”
“Who would marry the wretch?”
“He is wretched—like that vicious stinging nettle, clinging and prickly that leaves a dreadful rash,” she said with a shudder. “I hate to leave him simply deposed from his little sheriff’s kingdom, but I can’t imprison him on the evidence we have.”
“I’ve a suggestion, then. My best courier, Keenan—”
“Oh, yes, I know the man. Rugged and handsome, sits a horse as if he were born to it.”
“Ah, yes, that Keenan. At any rate, he rides back and forth, hither and yon to London and beyond for me on a frequent basis, so, as we move on farther south, I could have him stop in Guildford en route to inquire whether Barnstable seems to come into sudden money. Or if those henchmen return, he could question them. But I’m not sure whom to trust to be Keenan’s informant when he comes through, because I could not spare him, nor do I want the important papers he brings me delayed.”
“What about that thatcher who was bold enough—and loyal enough—to approach me on the road with his two little girls?”
“Ah, the ones I hear you gave the gloves to?”
“For which I was sternly lectured by Norfolk. Can you have someone locate that man and have him be the one to keep an eye on Barnstable and his louts?”
“I’ll see to it. Keenan’s been sent to London, but he’ll be back soon, so I’ll have one of my other men set everything up with that thatcher, once we track down where he lives.”
The queen nodded and fanned herself furiously. “Someone is sure to slip up and give us the clue we need to track Fenton’s—and perhaps Tom Naseby’s—murderer. We simply must be patient and keep an eye out for the little things as well as the big.”
“As for small details—you said in the Privy Plot Council meeting you’d like to check everyone for that rash. But that would mean rolling up the sleeves of hundreds of people—those with us—or even more if it’s someone local. Besides, the man who erected that makeshift stile or shot the bolt—”
“Could be miles away by now or could have worn gloves and wouldn’t show the nettle rash, or—’S bones, I had thought
about letting Meg offer treatment to anyone who was suffering from such, but that would be—too obvious—laughable.”
As if to punctuate her words, laughter boomed outside her door, led, obviously, by her dear Robin’s deep voice.
“I’m glad someone’s having a fine time on this progress,” she groused, smacking her folded fan on the back of the other chair.
“One more thing, Your Grace, if you promise not to hit me with
“A transfer of affections for her?”
“One I heartily approve of if it helps the bleakness of her soul. However, the transfer of affections which both Sir William and my cousin Norfolk have undergone to turn their loyalties from their rightful queen to Mary of Scots is something else.”
“Yes, Norfolk’s wily at hiding his true feelings—or thinks he is. I just wish there were some way to get more answers about these two murders before we move on. But,” he added, holding up both hands as if to ward her off her next sally, “I don’t mean that we should change our schedule to stay to find out.”
“I’m not turning tail to run back to Windsor or London, so there you are. As for staying here, it would gain us nothing. Barnstable’s henchmen, who must be questioned, seem to have fled the area. Drake says Barnstable won’t admit that someone bribed him or helped him to get rid of Naseby, and Clifford found no sack of money hidden in his house, though he could have buried it.”
She sighed and began fanning her flushed face again. “Barnstable claimed if a new-minted coin was found in his cellar, he has no notion who dropped it there—and, since he has no wife to question …”
“Who would marry the wretch?”
“He is wretched—like that vicious stinging nettle, clinging and prickly that leaves a dreadful rash,” she said with a shudder. “I hate to leave him simply deposed from his little sheriff’s kingdom, but I can’t imprison him on the evidence we have.”
“I’ve a suggestion, then. My best courier, Keenan—”
“Oh, yes, I know the man. Rugged and handsome, sits a horse as if he were born to it.”
“Ah, yes, that Keenan. At any rate, he rides back and forth, hither and yon to London and beyond for me on a frequent basis, so, as we move on farther south, I could have him stop in Guildford en route to inquire whether Barnstable seems to come into sudden money. Or if those henchmen return, he could question them. But I’m not sure whom to trust to be Keenan’s informant when he comes through, because I could not spare him, nor do I want the important papers he brings me delayed.”
“What about that thatcher who was bold enough—and loyal enough—to approach me on the road with his two little girls?”
“Ah, the ones I hear you gave the gloves to?”
“For which I was sternly lectured by Norfolk. Can you have someone locate that man and have him be the one to keep an eye on Barnstable and his louts?”
“I’ll see to it. Keenan’s been sent to London, but he’ll be back soon, so I’ll have one of my other men set everything up with that thatcher, once we track down where he lives.”
The queen nodded and fanned herself furiously. “Someone is sure to slip up and give us the clue we need to track Fenton’s—and perhaps Tom Naseby’s—murderer. We simply must be patient and keep an eye out for the little things as well as the big.”
“As for small details—you said in the Privy Plot Council meeting you’d like to check everyone for that rash. But that would mean rolling up the sleeves of hundreds of people—those with us—or even more if it’s someone local. Besides, the man who erected that makeshift stile or shot the bolt—”
“Could be miles away by now or could have worn gloves and wouldn’t show the nettle rash, or—’S bones, I had thought
about letting Meg offer treatment to anyone who was suffering from such, but that would be—too obvious—laughable.”
As if to punctuate her words, laughter boomed outside her door, led, obviously, by her dear Robin’s deep voice.
“I’m glad someone’s having a fine time on this progress,” she groused, smacking her folded fan on the back of the other chair.
“One more thing, Your Grace, if you promise not to hit me with
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