The Traitor’s Mark (34 page)

‘Deal with him!' I yelled, as I scrambled to my feet, and ran in pursuit of the fleeing Brooke.

Outside I stopped, my eyes not adjusted to the sudden darkness. I heard running footsteps away to my left, and followed. I found myself in the stable yard and once again paused, ears straining for noise of the fugitive. I could hear nothing above the crashes and shouts still coming from the house. Several figures were in the yard. I ran towards them, calling, ‘Did you see a man come—'

At that moment a door to the right burst open. In a clattering flurry of hooves a mounted horse ran into the yard, scattering anyone in its path, and turned towards the gateway. At full gallop Ferdinand Brooke disappeared into the night.

Victors and vanquished were gathered in the wreck of what had been the kitchen. The cook and scullion were
crouched, terrified, in a corner, while my men were finishing the work of trussing up their prisoners. Horton and Garrow, the released clergy, had been brought from the stable and were sitting at the table, having their wounds tended.

‘Is everyone all right?' I called out.

‘Simon, here, has a nasty stab wound,' Dick said. He was by the outside door and crouched over one of the older men, carefully removing his blood-stained shirt.

‘Right, you,' I called to the cook, ‘hot water and clean cloths quickly. No one else hurt?' I asked.

‘A few cuts and bruises,' someone said.

Another added, ‘This bunch of poxy knaves had no fight in 'em.'

‘Some of 'em's foreigners,' a third called out. ‘What d'you expect?'

One of the prisoners responded angrily, ‘You meet us equal terms, we show you who's got fight!'

He was greeted with raucous laughter.

‘Congratulations,' I said. ‘You've done well – better than I dared hope. Unfortunately, we lost the king, but we've got his chief jester.' I pointed to Black Harry. ‘He won't be performing any more of his evil tricks.'

‘He'll dance well on the gallows,' someone said, to loud laughter.

‘You all deserve food and rest,' I said. ‘We'll see what's in the larder and after supper you can all go in search of beds.
But we still have a few things to do. Throw this lot in the barn and make sure they're tied securely. Walt will organise a rota of men to stand watch through the night. Two of you bring in our horses. Find water and fodder for them. We'll need them fresh for tomorrow. We'll have to make another early start. It'll be a slow journey back. And now, Bart, you and I have a pleasant task to perform.'

I grabbed Black Harry by the collar and pushed him back into the hall. After we had set the table to rights, I forced the prisoner down on a bench, with his hands tied behind him. Bart and I sat opposite.

I began my interrogation. ‘You recognise my friend here, don't you?'

He shrugged and shook his head.

‘No? Well, he recognises you as the leader of the band of ruffians who beat to death a defenceless young man in Aldgate on the first of September.'

‘He must be mistaken.'

‘I have other witnesses who can identify you as their abductor – the man who brought them here to this house and left them to die.'

‘Women and children imagine strange things.'

‘I didn't say they were women and children. Then, of course, there are the two priests, held here as your unwilling guests. I'm sure they will have plenty to tell the King's Bench jury.'

‘Lutheran scum!'he muttered.

Bart intervened. ‘Stop wriggling, lying varlet! 'Tis all up with you. If you're a man, admit your crimes.'

‘Or what? Are you going to take revenge, you pitiable, one-armed loon?'

I put a hand out to restrain Bart, who was obviously struggling to control his emotions, but he responded calmly. ‘No, I shan't harm a hair of you. Slitting your throat would give me no pleasure. You wanted to see me swing for your butchery. My delight will come from seeing you at a rope's end.'

Black Harry laughed. ‘I shan't hang. I have powerful friends. You've no idea what trouble you're going to be in for today's outrage.'

‘Oh, if I were you,' I said, ‘I wouldn't rely on the Duke of Norfolk or Ambassador Chapuys to come to your aid. They'll be in a great hurry to disassociate themselves from your murderous career.'

For the first time the villain was shaken. He realised I knew more about his activities than he thought. He glowered sullenly.

‘So you see,' I continued, ‘there is more than enough evidence to hang you several times over. There's only one thing I require before I deliver you up to justice. You will sign a confession to the Aldgate killing.'

Black Harry sneered. ‘And why should I do that? As you say, I'm a dead man anyway.'

There was obvious logic in what he said but I had to do my best to restore Bart's good name without further delay.
‘I'm giving you the opportunity to prove that there is still a shred of decency in you.'

‘You come here with your crew of heretical cut-throats and dare to talk to me of decency! What is decent about hundreds of souls lured to hell by Luther and his lies? Was your archbishop being decent when he seduced the king into usurping the pope's position as father of the church? If I die it will be as a martyr to Catholic truth. When you die, I will watch you roast in hell.'

I stood up. ‘I won't waste any more breath talking with a fanatic. Bart, fetch some of the others and see that this fellow is made as uncomfortable as possible for the night.'

The following morning my strange cavalcade made its way back to Tilbury. We had rigged up horse litters for the two clergy, who were unable to walk or ride. I discovered that they had been strung up by shackles round their wrists for hours at a time until their arms were almost pulled from their sockets. They followed half of my men and were, in turn, followed by our prisoners, all on foot. The rest of my gallant band brought up the rear.

‘I'm sorry I couldn't get a confession out of Black Harry,' I said to Bart as we crossed the marshland. ‘His guilt will come out when he's convicted but I'm afraid you'll need to stay out of sight till then.'

He shrugged. ‘You tried, Master Thomas, but 'tis as you say, useless to argue with fanatics. Their hate drives them.'

‘He learned hate in a good school – the Inquisition. He spent years there forcing Jews, Muslims and Lutherans to bow to the pope. I've heard terrible stories brought back from Spain by merchants and mariners. Cruelty has fastened itself so tightly on to his soul that I think not even self-interest can dislodge it.'

On that, I was wrong. Hours later, as the horse ferry was taking us across a grey Thames, Black Harry shuffled his way awkwardly towards me.

‘You want me to confess to the Aldgate murder in order to save your friend. Well, if I give you a written confession, perhaps we can do a deal.'

Chapter 26

‘I don't think you are in a position to suggest deals,' I said. As I stood in the prow staring at the vessels moored along the Gravesend quay the only thought in my mind was that, within the hour, I would be riding southwards. My single remaining task was to report to Ralph Morice. Then the ordeal of the past weeks would be behind me.

‘Wait till you hear what I have to offer,' Black Harry replied.

‘I've no interest in your lies and schemes—'

‘Your precious archbishop and his friends would, I'm sure, like to get their hands on Master Brooke. He is the pivotal point of all that is planned against Cranmer.'

‘Those things are no concern of mine.'

‘As you please. But what would your friends say if they knew that you let Brooke slip through your fingers?'

‘He can't get very far. As soon as I make my report there will be search parties out looking for him.'

‘Do you suppose he hasn't thought of that and made plans to ensure his escape?'

‘How will he escape?'

He sneered. ‘That is the information I have to sell. I can tell you exactly where you will find him.'

‘And why would you do that? Is it that treachery comes as second nature to you?'

‘Does not the Bible you set so much store by tell you that 'tis better to be a live dog than a dead lion?'

‘So you think to trade your master for your freedom?'

That obviously annoyed him. ‘I call no man master,' he snapped. ‘If I go free, so does your friend and you capture the one man who links together all the archbishop's enemies. That is for you a good deal.'

‘And leave you free to continue your murderous career? I don't think so.'

‘Of course, I would have to leave the country. There is still plenty of work to be done in Spain.'

I turned my back on him. Further along the boat Bart was leaning against the rail and looking wistfully out over the estuary. I thought of all he had already suffered and knew how much he and Lizzie longed to get their lives back. A few lines on a sheet of parchment could give them that. Then I thought of Adie, hovering between life and death. Turning again, I said to Black Harry, ‘When we land, you
will be taken under guard to jail in Canterbury to await your trial for murder.'

His response was an infuriating smile. ‘Perhaps.'

‘What do you mean?'

‘If you won't see sense, somebody will.' He shuffled away.

When we arrived in Kent the party divided. I sent most of my men with Cranmer's guards to convey the prisoners to Canterbury. In order not to slow them down, we hired a wagon in Gravesend to carry the captives and found a local complex of almshouses and hospital where the two priests could be nursed back to health. I set off with two companions to Maidstone, where I hoped to find Ralph Morice. It was not difficult to locate the place where Legh was conducting his inquiries. He had chosen the town's principal inn and commandeered a large ground-floor room for his purposes. Quite a crowd had gathered outside of people eager to know the fate of those being examined.

We arrived during the commission's dinner interval and I was able to locate Morice in the private room where he and his companions were eating. As soon as he saw me at the door, he stood up, excused himself from the company and hurried over.

‘Thomas, Lord be praised you're back and in good time. How did you fare?' He took me by the arm and guided me out into the street. ‘Let's walk and you can tell me everything.'

As we strolled through the busy town centre, I gave a
detailed report of the last two days' activities. Morice listened intently, occasionally asking questions. When I had finished, he grasped my hand warmly. ‘Thomas, you have done splendidly! The whole gang rounded up and, I've no doubt, ready to tell all they know in hope of avoiding the gallows.'Then he fell silent and thoughtful.

We had stopped by a market stall selling pressed apple juice and we bought beakers of the sweet liquid.

‘You say Black Harry offered to help us apprehend Brooke.'

‘Yes, but he would have said anything to save his own skin.'

‘Even so, if we could bring in Chapuys' agent – the one man connecting him to Norfolk ...'

‘But the price is too high. To allow this monster to walk free after all the misery and suffering he's been responsible for? Unthinkable.'

‘Perhaps.'

The word struck me with almost physical force. Black Harry had used that same word to cast doubt on my allusion to the fate that awaited him. Now I began to see that the villain might have reason for confidence in his bargaining position. To someone like me who had first-hand experience of his vicious career, there could be no doubt the world had to be rid of him. But others who fought in the political arena marked out by compromise and moral variables might see him in a different light.

Morice added, ‘I know how you feel about this papist rakehell and I, too, want to see him pay the price for his crimes, not the least of which was his murder of Master Holbein.'

‘Then there's no more to be said!' I shouted. Passers-by stared as I lengthened my stride making Morice half-run to keep up. ‘I'll listen to no talk of deals. All I want to hear from you is that Black Harry is dangling at a rope's end.'

‘No, just stop and think for a moment,' Morice said. ‘Our noble German friend gave his life in uncovering a conspiracy against the archbishop and the reformed religion of England, It was he who led us to Ferdinand Brooke. If we allow Brooke to escape, Holbein's sacrifice will have been in vain.'

I struggled with the implications of what he was saying. ‘Sweet Jesu, man! You can't honestly think I should have accepted Black Harry's request to negotiate his release! '

‘I can see why you did not. He put you in a difficult position. You are a man of principle. He is a reprobate who has lost all understanding of good and evil. Believe me, Thomas, I do share your sense of outrage. His attempt to prey on your concern for your friend, Bart Miller, not to mention his readiness to betray his own nefarious colleague, places him beyond contempt. But—'

‘Aye,' I said angrily, ‘I knew there would be a “but”. “But” is a shovel word with which men bury good deeds and right thinking. I suppose you are going to tell me I should consider the “bigger picture”.'

‘Yes, I'm afraid I am. That's the picture I have to consider. It's the picture his grace has to consider. He is responsible for preventing England falling back into popery. If you knew the number of times he has had to ... stretch ... his own principles in order to safeguard a greater good, I suppose you might censure him. But, I tell you this, without someone like his grace at the king's elbow, the war against false religion would long since have been lost. It will still be lost if we do not crush his enemies completely.'

We retraced our steps to the inn in total silence.

As we stood on the threshold, I muttered, ‘Well, do as you wish. Thank God, I'm not a politician.'