could about the King's mistresses. But they were mostly servants in the King's household. And on my oath I was no spy, I was a lawyer then as I am now. And I have no connections with Richard Rich, no dealings with that man if I can avoid it. I thought it best to lay your—insinuation—directly before the Queen.'
'And I trust Robert.' The Queen's voice rose. 'Do you think me a fool, Matthew, not to be sure whom I can trust in my service, when I know what can happen to queens in this country?'
I looked between her and Warner, saw the anger in both their faces. I realized I had been wrong. 'I apologize most humbly, your majesty. And to you, Master Warner.'
The Queen turned to Warner. 'I wonder if there even was a letter.'
'I do not know, your majesty. I never heard anything, but I was not greatly in Catherine of Aragon's confidence. She knew or guessed by then that I was beginning to have reformist sympathies.'
I said, 'Either way, West lied about this man Jackson.'
He nodded stiffly in agreement. I looked back at the Queen. 'And there is still the question of Rich's involvement in the Curteys affair. There is a common link between the Curteys case and the Sussex matter—the feodary Sir Quintin Priddis, who was once a Sussex coroner. He is an old friend of Rich.'
The Queen considered. 'The death of poor Mistress Hobbey—you told Robert a man had been accused?'
'A local yeoman. He had been contesting attempts by Master Hobbey to enclose Hoyland village.'
'You believe him innocent?'
'Yes. There is no real evidence.'
'Is there any evidence against anyone else?'
I hesitated. 'No.'
'Then he will stand trial. The truth will be investigated there.'
'He is in prison now. I have offered to take up the villagers' case at the Court of Requests.'
'You have been busy,' Warner said sarcastically.
The Queen said, 'And the man found dead at Rolfswood, the father of your—friend—in Bedlam. What will happen there?'
'There will be an inquest. I do not know when.'
The Queen looked at me. 'Then that will be the time to ferret out the truth. As for Hugh Curteys, whatever corruption there may have been in the administration of his lands, if he does not wish to pursue the case, there is nothing to be done. Matthew, I know you never like to let a matter rest once you have taken it up, but sometimes in this life you must. These matters will have to await due process. And you should not be here. The French are coming, there could be mortal danger.' She raised a hand and pinched the bridge of her nose.
'Are you all right, your majesty?' I asked.
'Tired, that is all. The King slept badly last night and called me to talk with him. Often now he cannot sleep from the pain from his leg.'
'You do not know how difficult life is for the Queen just now,' Warner said angrily. 'Why do you think the King has left her here today? I will tell you,' he went on. 'Because if, which God forbid, he should be killed or captured in these next few days, the Queen will be Regent for Prince Edward as she was when the King went to France last year, and she will have to deal with all of them. Gardiner, Norfolk, the Seymours, Cranmer. And Rich.' He moved a step closer to his mistress, protectively. 'These last two years she has kept her patronage of you as unobtrusive as she can, lest the King remember your past encounter and be annoyed. And now you stay in Hampshire against her wishes, you come swaggering in here, making ridiculous accusations against me—'
The Queen looked up and now she was smiling faintly. She put her hand on Warner's sleeve. 'Come, Robert. Swaggering is something Matthew does not do. Leave us to talk, just for a few moments, then take Matthew out and he can make haste straight back to London.'
Warner bowed deeply to the Queen, then walked stiffly away without another look at me. The Queen nodded to the maids-in-waiting and they stepped to the shade of the doorway. She looked at me, the half-smile still on her face.
'I know you meant well, Matthew. But never forget that, as the Gospels tell us, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.'
'I am sorry. Sorry that I accused Master Warner, and sorrier that you have cause to be angry with me.'
She looked at me intently. 'Do you see that I have cause? After you disobeyed me?'
'Yes. Yes, I do.'
She nodded in acknowledgement, then looked down at her dog. 'Do you remember that day at Hampton Court?' she said in a lighter tone. 'The Lady Elizabeth was with us. She liked your answers to her questions, she told me later. I think you made a friend there. She does not like everyone, I can tell you.'
'I have remembered it too, these last weeks. You told me she was reading Roger Ascham's
'I have met Master Ascham. He—he is one who does swagger.' She laughed. 'But he is a learned man. The Lady Elizabeth has expressed a wish to correspond with him. She is such a remarkable child. Master Grindal is teaching her well, he is one of those who believes a woman may learn anything as well as a man. That is good. I often wish I had had a better education.' She smiled again, and a little merriment came to her eyes. 'Though I wish Elizabeth would not swear like a boy. I tell her it is not ladylike.' The Queen looked round the little garden; sunlight came through the trees, making patterns on the ground as the breeze shifted the branches. Birds sang softly. 'This is a peaceful little place,' she said wistfully. 'Tell me, what is Hugh Curteys like?'
'He is somehow—unreadable. But he still mourns his sister.'
Her face clouded again. 'Many in England may be in mourning before long. I wish the King had never—' she cut herself short, biting her lip, then reached out and touched my hand. 'I am sorry I was vexed, Matthew. I am tired.'
'Should I leave you, your majesty?'
'Yes. I may go to my chamber and rest. But I pray God we may meet again, safe, in London.'
I bowed and stepped to the door. I was full of gratitude for her forgiveness, and deeply sorry now for my accusations against Warner. I might have gained a friend in little Lady Elizabeth, but I had lost one, too. Then I frowned. Something was nagging at my mind. Something the Queen had said about Elizabeth. The maids-in-waiting moved aside to let me pass, dresses rustling. Inside, Warner waited, his manner still cold and hostile.
'Robert,' I said, 'I apologize again—'
'Come, you should leave, now.'
We went back up the stairs I had descended in such fear. 'Master Warner,' I said when we reached the top. 'There is one last question I would ask, if you will?'
'Well?' he asked roughly.
'Something you said to me at Hampton Court. You said the Queen was like Catherine of Aragon, utterly loyal to her servants.'
'Do not worry,' he said contemptuously, 'the Queen will stay loyal to you.'
'I did not mean that. It was something else you said, that Catherine of Aragon had her faults. What did you mean by that?'
'It is simple enough. She was another like you, sir, who would not let go when sense and even decency indicated she ought. When the King first said he wished to divorce her, the Pope sent her a message. That I did know of, as her lawyer. The Pope, to whom Catherine of Aragon's ultimate loyalty lay as a Catholic, suggested that in order to resolve the problems that were beginning to tear England apart, she should retire to a nunnery, which in canon law would allow the King to marry again without a divorce.'
'That would have been a neat answer.'
'It would have been the best answer. She was past childbearing age; the King would not bed with her anyway. She could have kept her status and honours, lived an easy life. And her daughter Mary that she loved would have kept her place in the succession rather than being threatened, as she was later, with execution. So much blood and trouble would have been spared. And the irony is Catherine of Aragon's obstinacy meant that England split from Rome; the last thing she wanted.'
'Of course. I see.'
Warner smiled tightly. 'But she believed God desired her to stay married to the King. And as often happens, God's will and her own chimed nicely. So there you are, that is where obstinacy may lead. Fortunately, our present
