was astonished to hear about Redbeard's death, but that astonishment quickly convened to anger.
'Where is he, Nick?'
'He was taken away by the officers.'
Find out where. I wish to see him.'
'Why?' asked Nicholas.
'Because I want to look on the face of the cur who killed Will Fowler.' Sarcasm took over. 'I want to pay my respects!'
'Stay well away, Sam. That is my advice.'
Ruff punched the palm of his left hand.
'If only I had got to him first!' he said ruefully. 'I hoped to avenge Will's death myself. Redbeard escaped me.'
'He came to a deserved end.'
'I wanted to plunge the dagger into him!'
'It is too late for that now,' observed Nicholas.
Samuel Ruff inhaled deeply and fought to control his temper. When he calmed down, he nodded sagely.
'You are right,' he agreed. 'I suppose that we should just be grateful that his wretched life is now over. At least we have no more to fear from the villain.'
'Not from him, Sam. But we still have a mortal enemy.'
'Who?'
'The man who struck Redbeard down. His accomplice.'
'Accomplice?' echoed the other in disbelief. 'That cannot be, surely? Why should he kill a friend?'
'Because that friend was no longer of any use,' suggested Nicholas. 'Indeed, he was starting to become a problem.'
'In what way?'
'Redbeard was too intemperate-we saw evidence enough of that in Bankside. If he was given free rein, there was always the chance that his wildness would lead him to make a serious mistake. And that would endanger the whole enterprise.'
'What enterprise?' asked Ruff with interest.
'The destruction of Westfield 's Men.'
The actor pondered. He found much that was plausible in Nicholas's line of reasoning. A name eased itself into his mind.
'Ben Creech!'
'What of him, Sam?'
'He was Redbeard's accomplice.'
'I think not.'
'He was, Nick,' argued the other. 'Ben stabbed him in the back. He paid Redbeard off.'
'No,' countered Nicholas. 'Ben Creech has much to answer for but he is not a murderer. He could never devise the sort of plan that lies behind all this. Ben is not shrewd enough. He had nothing whatsoever to do with Redbeard.'
'How do you know?'
'Because he could never control someone like that. Still less could he kill him off when the time was ripe.'
'I am not so sure,' murmured Ruff.
'Ben was working for Banbury's Men,' continued Nicholas. 'He was responsible for all the thieving. His task was to unsettle the company but he could only do that while he was a member of it. Now that he is gone, that threat has vanished.'
'Yet we still have an enemy, you say?'
'We do, Sam.'
'Inside the company?'
'No. He attacked from outside. With Redbeard.'
'Do you have any idea who the man is?'
'None,' said Nicholas. 'All I know is that he will be more dangerous than ever now.'
'Why?'
'Because he failed in what he set out to do. His intention was to cripple Westfield's Men and Will's murder was his first blow against us. But we survived.'
'Instead of being laid low, the company has prospered.'
'Exactly, Sam. Our appearance at Court is proof of that. But it is bound to stir up his envy even more. I believe that he will do his best to snatch that honour away from us.'
'Not while I have breath in my body!' vowed Ruff.
'We must be Vigilance itself,' insisted Nicholas. 'He will strike when it is least expected.'
'We must be armed against him!'
'I shall say as much to Master Firethorn. The whole company must be on guard from now on. Nothing must be allowed to rob us of our appearance at Court.'
'Nothing will,' said Ruff grimly.
Nicholas patted him on the shoulder and they strolled across the yard together. The book holder remembered someone.
'This news might be welcome in St Albans,' he mused.
' St Albans?'
'I was thinking of Susan Fowler. She will be interested to learn that her husband's killer has met his own death.'
'Interested and gratified, too.'
'Oh, Susan will take no pleasure from it,' said Nicholas. 'Here is not a vengeful nature. But I hope she may draw some modicum of comfort from it. Poor girl! She will need all the comfort she can get in the days that lie ahead. Susan will have to bring up her daughter without the love and support of a husband.'
'God protect them both!' added Ruff.
'Amen!'
*
Lord Westfield's Men continued their regular round of performances but it was their visit to Court which dominated their thoughts and their conversation. December came and Christmas hove into sight. Their excitement increased with each day that passed.
Goaded into creation once more, Edmund Hoode worked hard on the new play and delivered it for comment. The Loyal Subject was the inspiration of Lawrence Firethorn and it was tailored to the generous dimensions of his talent. He suggested a number of changes himself then disputed those that were offered by Barnaby Gill. The author reached for his pen again. When the final draft was ready, it was sent off to the Master of the Revels with the usual fee. It came back with the seal of approval.
The company committed itself wholeheartedly to the new piece. The prime advantage of a Court performance was that they were given excellent rehearsal facilities and a longer period in which to perfect their work. After the hectic compromise of their normal hand-to-mouth existence, the new dispensation came as a luxury. They were indoors, they were warm, and, moreover, they were about to cut a dash at Court.
The Loyal Subject was set in a part of Italy that was quintessentially English in every detail. Edmund Hoode had made his Duchess of Milan remarkably like his own sovereign and his play was a celebration of loyalty to the Crown. In the opening scene, the hero was arraigned on a charge of treason and condemned on false evidence. He went to the block but his loyalty was so great that it outlived him. In the person of his ghost, the loyal subject controlled the action of the whole realm for the benefit of his monarch, even crushing a threatened rebellion.
Richard Honeydew was overjoyed to be given the part of the Duchess of Milan. It more than made up for his disappointment over losing the opportunity to play Gloriana. The Duchess was another version of Gloriana and there was the additional thrill this time of portraying the character in front of its mirror image, Queen Elizabeth herself. The boy was determined to prove his worth. He brought willingness and enthusiasm to every rehearsal.
Nicholas watched it all with calm satisfaction. After one of the rehearsals, he chose the moment to take
