Exile (7 page)

“Are you sure this is not the ruby, my lady?” asked Mr. Secretary Cecil, stepping forward.

For a moment the Banoo seemed not to have heard him. But then she slowly raised her eyes to meet Mr. Secretary Cecil's. “Indeed,” she replied at last. “I fear that what we see before us is merely
coloured glass.” She passed a fragment to him. “See, there are air bubbles such as you may find in glass, but never in a ruby.” Her voice shook as she continued. “The Heart of Kings has been stolen!”

A gasp of astonishment went round the chamber. My mind began to race. I could not believe what I was hearing—the Heart of Kings had been stolen and a glass imitation put in its place! I knew I must speak to the Queen as soon as I could and offer my services as her Lady Pursuivant. Until then, I determined to keep my eyes and ears open.

The Banoo was standing now, her hands clasped in front of her. “What am I to do?” she murmured brokenly.

Esther moved forwards to comfort her, but the Banoo straightened her shoulders and turned to the Queen. “I will, of course, find other jewels to offer as my surety, Your Majesty,” she said. “But I do not understand how this occurred. The ruby has been locked in its casket in my apartments. I thought it safe, but someone must have taken it during the night.”

The Queen was storming up and down in the most foul of tempers. “That such a heinous deed could
happen while you are under my protection beggars belief!” she ranted. “I will not have it! If the thief be listening, take warning—give yourself up now, for my anger can only increase and with it my zest for your punishment!”

I found myself looking round the Court to see if anyone was quaking in their shoes. If I had been the thief I would have been on my knees without delay, kissing the hem of Her Majesty's kirtle and begging forgiveness. But no one came forward to confess their guilt.

Her Majesty beckoned to Mr. Hatton. “Get your Gentlemen of the Guard and search the palace. The jewel—and its thief—may still be here. Close the gates. No one is to leave.”

Mr. Hatton bowed deeply. “As you command, Your Majesty,” he promised. And he swept purposefully from the room.

The Queen's wrath had subsided a little and she turned to the Banoo. “Please do not yet trouble to find other surety. Let my trusty Mr. Hatton and his guards do their job. The Heart of Kings may yet be resting in the Tower very soon.”

But I wonder if she really believed it.

Banoo Yasmine asked permission to return to her
apartments. And I saw Esther put a protective arm round her as they slowly made their way to the door.

I was about to step forwards and ask for a private word with Her Majesty—for the sooner I could start my investigations the better. But she must have known what was in my thoughts, for she beckoned to me.

“Lady Grace,” she said gravely. “I would remind you that you have … new duties to perform for me.” She held my gaze for a moment to be sure I had caught her meaning. “See that you waste no time in the execution of them.”

I bowed my head. “At once, Your Majesty.”

The Queen took my hand. “I know I can depend upon you, Grace,” she added in a low voice. “But take care. It may be dangerous.”

Once it was seen that the Banoo had left the room, there was uproar. Everyone was in a terrible twitter about what had happened.

“Silence!” roared the Queen. “Get you all gone. And someone clear away this glass, for the very sight of it sickens me.”

Mrs. Champernowne chivvied us out and we made our way to our bedchambers.

“What was the Queen talking to you about, Grace?” asked Lady Sarah as we hurried along the
passage. “What duties can you do for Her Majesty that we cannot?”

Even at this most serious of times, I could not resist a bit of teasing. “I am sure that Her Majesty would not mind if you did it instead, Lady Sarah,” I said sweetly.

“Did what?” asked Lady Jane, who did not want to be left out.

“Walk Her Majesty's dogs, of course,” I declared, knowing that this would be the last thing either of those fine ladies would wish to do. “I will fetch their leashes if you will. The dogs must go right up One Tree Hill and across to Duke Humphrey's Tower. 'Tis but a mile or so and only a little icy underfoot….”

But they had vanished and I found I was talking to thin air! And so I went to my bedchamber to write everything down in my daybooke, found the chamber full of shrieking Maids, grabbed my book and penner, and fled!

So here I am, sitting in this window seat, wondering where to begin my investigation.

It occurs to me that the theft must have been well planned, for the villain had a false ruby made and that would take some time. I doubt that any but the Banoo's own servants would have had sufficient
time—or knowledge of the jewel—to have such an excellent copy made. It certainly looked like the Heart of Kings.

But when had the thief made the substitution? Banoo Yasmine certainly had the real jewel last night, for I saw the Star of Karim in it myself, and that could not be counterfeited. So the switch must have taken place during the night. The thief could not easily have left Placentia at once, for he would have been discovered by the guards who patrol the walls after dark. And now that the Queen has ordered that the gates be shut, he will have little chance to flee by day, either. So I believe the thief is likely still at Court.

And I must find him. A small task indeed—there can be little more than two thousand people at Placentia at present!

It is very difficult to do any investigating with all the commotion going on and guards stamping about everywhere and Mrs. Champernowne trying to take me off for dancing lessons! But I have made a little progress in spite of it all and must write down my findings. I am sitting on my bed and scribbling as
quickly as possible in hope of getting everything down before anyone comes in to disturb me.

As soon as I had finished my last entry I returned to my bedchamber to put my daybooke away and start on my investigation. All the Maids were still there, discussing the theft of the ruby. And I had only just slipped my book under my pillow when Mrs. Champernowne appeared.

“Have you forgotten, girls?” she cried, clapping her hands to get our attention. “Monsieur Danton has been waiting in the Great Hall this past half hour to give you your dancing lesson.”

I knew I couldn't gain way with my investigations if I was hopping and slip-stepping so I lurked at the back and, as the others left, I hid behind the door. I thought I had got away with it, when I suddenly heard Mrs. Champernowne's heavy footsteps coming back up the corridor. I darted across the chamber and stuffed myself into the clothes press, on top of a pile of Lady Sarah's shoes. It was terribly cramped! I found myself wishing I could fold myself up like one of the snake men that Masou had told me about.

I had just managed to pull the door to when Mrs. Champernowne came in. “That's strange!” I heard her panting. “I could have sworn on a sixpence that Lady Grace was in here.”

Thankfully she did not search any further, but merely sighed and left the room.

I crawled out awkwardly and sat down to consider who would have had access, during the night, to the room where the jewel was kept. The most obvious person, of course, is the Banoo. But it is hard to believe that she is responsible for the theft of her own jewel. She seems to be such a good person—and the Queen herself has shown no signs of doubting her story. Besides, if the Banoo were the thief, she would hardly have drawn attention to the fact that the ruby was a fake!

But, in truth, I realised I knew very little about her. And I would be a poor Lady Pursuivant indeed if I let anyone's winning ways put a fog in front of my eyes. It was possible that the Banoo had tried to trick Her Majesty into thinking she was being given the most precious of jewels. Was Banoo Yasmine intending to take the money from the Queen and never be seen again? If that was her true intention, she must needs be the greatest player in the world to have fooled us all so well. I decided I would have to find out!

I checked that Mrs. Champernowne was not lying in wait and set off—in the opposite direction of the dancing lesson in the Great Hall. I remembered that
the Queen had assigned some of her Ladies-in- Waiting to the Banoo during her stay. I hoped to seek out one of their servants and see what they could tell me.

Wherever I went there seemed to be guards, marching here, there, and everywhere, searching rooms for the Heart of Kings. I couldn't find anyone who was serving the Banoo. I decided they must all be in her apartments and I certainly was not going to raise suspicions by questioning them in her presence. I had almost given up when I bumped into Meg Hoggart, Lady Janet's tiring woman. I'd heard that Meg was helping the Banoo with her wardrobe, so I was very surprised to see her coming along the corridor with a huge bowl of raw meat. She bobbed a curtsy when she saw me.

I grabbed the opportunity to talk to her. “Hello, Meg,” I said. “Is that for Banoo Yasmine? Do they not cook their meat in Sharakand?”

“This not for the Banoo, Lady Grace,” giggled Meg. “It's for that huge black cat creature of hers. Best rump that is.”

“Have you seen the panther, then?” I asked eagerly, forgetting for a moment what I was supposed to be finding out.

“Not close up, thank you, my lady,” said Meg, backing away to the wall as two guards came through. They gave the meat a suspicious look as they passed.

“That beast is kept in a room on its own,” Meg continued. “Thankfully, there's a locked door between it and the Banoo's bedchamber, where I am sleeping, but even so I hardly slept a wink last night, for I could hear it padding around. The Banoo and her women must be used to it, for they never stirred.”

“Then you were by the Banoo's side all night,” I said. “That's a real honour for you.”

“Yes, indeed,” said Meg, blushing. “The Banoo favours me, I think, for I am gentle with her fine silks and satins. And I was there, in the dressing room, folding her lovely silken tunic, when Mistress Esther took the ruby off her headdress and locked it in its casket. It makes my blood run cold to think that in the morning, when I followed the Banoo in there and saw her pick up the casket to take to Her Majesty, it wasn't the real ruby inside anymore! Who could have been so cruel as to thieve her precious gem?”

I shook my head, for I had no idea, and Meg hurried off to give the panther his dinner while I made
my way straight back to my bedchamber—well, as straight as I could, avoiding guards and dancing masters and Mrs. Champernowne—to write this down.

With Meg at her side all night, Banoo Yasmine had no opportunity to put the false ruby in the casket. Which means the Banoo must be innocent. And I am glad of it!

I am sitting by a roaring fire, writing with one of the Queen's own quills and trying to look ill. But more of that later.

I had just finished writing my last entry when there was a sound in the corridor outside my chamber door. Thinking that Mrs. Champernowne had finally found me out, I was trying to stuff myself into the clothes press again, when I heard a whispered voice outside the door.

“Grace, are you in there?” It was Masou and he sounded worried. “I need to speak to you, Grace!”

I scrambled out and flung the door open. Masou glanced anxiously around him, then darted into the chamber.

“Whatever is the matter?” I asked, knowing that
Masou would not risk coming to my chamber unless it was important. “You look as if you have seen a ghost!”

“It is worse!” he panted. “Something terrible has happened, Grace. Ellie has been arrested by the guards!”

“Ellie?” I cried. “What do you mean, ‘arrested'? On what charge?”

“They say she stole the Banoo's ruby!”

“How ridiculous!” I exclaimed. This could soon be put right. “I will go and see Mr. Hatton straight away!” I made for the door. But Masou stopped me.

“You do not understand, Grace,” he said. “She had the stolen ruby with her. A guard found it when he searched the laundry basket she was carrying!”

I took Masou by the arms and shook him.

“It cannot be true!” I gasped. “Ellie would never do such a thing.” I stared wildly at him. “You cannot believe this of her, Masou!”