“The only weapon of its kind, save those carried by Lord Rhoone and his men. Any wishing to kill her could have used the sword. What did Tancred say?”
“Lady Mary is murdered. Little else.”
“Has he admitted guilt?”
“He wept too bitterly.”
“Tancred is innocent.” Una was adamant. “Rather blame Montfallcon. Tancred has no habit of violence. His lust for it, in your name, is proof of that. His only experience has been at the Tilt, in mock-battle. He could not kill anyone. We have both of us always known that. It is why you made him Champion, you’ll recall.”
Gloriana nodded. “True.”
“The murderer’s one of Rhoone’s guard, with a passion for Lady Mary. You’ll discover he was there. Servants will be questioned. A guard. Certainly.”
“But murder should not happen at my Court, Una!”
“Murder has happened. The first in thirteen years. And public. Why, I doubt if there’s a Court in all the world could claim such an untroubled span.”
“By what effort, by what hypocrisies is this peace maintained?”
“By good will, by Faith, by a belief in justice, Your Majesty.” The Countess of Scaith was tired. “Honour’s but an invention of Man and by Man’s honour is maintained. Do not doubt that Gloriana’s Court is virtuous-”
“I spend too long about my own affairs, my own conceits, my own satisfactions.”
“You spend too little, my dear.” The Countess of Scaith stroked her friend’s sobbing head. It seemed to Una, in her heart, that all this had come about as a result of her irresponsible adventure into the walls. Since that day, when they had both discovered the secret nomads of the depths, Una had had the entrance to her passage bricked in. But still she felt as if, by breaking through, she had released a dark spirit into the brilliance of the palace proper-a spirit which had inhabited one of them (possibly Sir Tancred) and destroyed Lady Mary. Now, even if the spirit had fled, it had left an inheritance. It would be many months before life at the Court would recapture any of its old optimism.
A tap at the door.
The Countess of Scaith left her friend’s side and went to speak to the maid of honour.
“Lord Montfallcon was here, my lady, and left a message. Now Doctor Dee awaits outside.”
Una left the Queen’s room and closed the door. “I will speak to him.”
The dryad pulled back the door and in strode Dee, magnificent in mourning black, his white beard emphasising the dark dignity of his robes.
“The Queen rests,” said the Countess of Scaith.
“I have encouraging news,” Doctor Dee told her. “I am convinced of Sir Tancred’s innocence.”
“A witness?” Una moved towards the Queen’s door, to call the news.
“No.”
Una paused.
“Not exactly,” continued Dee. “I believe that a visitor of Master Tolcharde’s could have committed the crime. He came but recently, accompanying the Thane of Hermiston, who had been on one of his journeys to some astral plane. A ferocious creature this-a barbarian, with sword, axe and mace-daggers-in iron and polished copper, fur and horn-with some outlandish name I forget. Well, in short, he escaped the Thane and we thought him borne back by demons into his own netherworld. Now I believe he is somewhere in the palace.”
“But what proof have you, Doctor Dee?”
“I know Sir Tancred for a gentle, chivalrous creature whose love for Lady Mary matched his love for Albion.”
“His sword,” she reminded the sage. “Her blood on his armour.”
“From where he held her against him. I have visited him. Lord Rhoone has him in one of the older apartments-with bars and locks and so forth.”
“He is comfortable?”
“His physical needs are provided for. But he screams. He raves. He is possessed.”
“Possessed by your demon?” she said.
“Mine? My demon visitors are tame, I assure you, and their work is beneficial.”
“I say what others might,” she told him.
“Aye. You are a sceptic, my lady, I know.”
“Not a sceptic exactly, Doctor Dee. I differ so far as interpretation is concerned. But we discuss Sir Tancred.”
“I believe him sane. That is to say, I believe that he was sane until the moment he found her murdered corpse. Now he cannot believe what has happened. His mind seeks to escape the truth. Alternately, he weeps and then his countenance grows sunny and he seems to speak rationally, save that he refers to Lady Mary and how they are soon to be wed, and asks that she may visit him, and so forth. It is a sad madness he has. Not the madness of guilt, but the madness of grief.”
“So this escaped barbarian is the culprit?”
“I can think of no other who would perform such a bestial, such a meaningless deed. For it is not ordinary wickedness that inspired her death.”
“I think the same. But as for your barbarian…”
“I’ve set the Thane to finding him. Lord Rhoone’s men, too, join in the search, for Rhoone is with me in his feeling for Tancred’s innocence.”
“I do not think you will find him,” said Una, scarcely conscious that she spoke.
“Eh?”
“Yet I hope that you do, Doctor Dee. Has anyone else seen him, this one you suspect?”
“Not in the palace. The Thane, of course, and Master Tolcharde.”
“Such a barbarian would be noted.”
“Aye-save that we were all in disguise today. We’ll find witnesses at least.”
“If he exists.”
“You doubt…?”
“I doubt nothing save that he’s the murderer. I believe that he returned, as you first thought, to his own sphere. My instinct leads me to suspect an enemy within the Court.”
“Better to blame an interloper, surely?” Doctor Dee added a particular emphasis to his words.
“So as to calm the Court?”
“Aye.”
The Countess of Scaith put a hand upon her hip and nodded slowly.
“And we must save Sir Tancred,” added the alchemist. “He is surely innocent.”
“Save him by a lie? For expediency?”
“’Tis not a lie, but a speculation.”
Una’s smile was bleak. “A fine difference, Doctor Dee.”
“It ensures that the innocent shall not suffer.”
“’Tis bad logic and leads to worse.”
Doctor Dee shrugged. “I’m no politician. You could be right. Besides, the barbarian might yet be found.”
“Let us hope he is.”
“You’ll tell the Queen? You’ll give her hope?”
“If it pleases you, Doctor Dee.”
“You think me a fool, eh?”
“You have my respect, Doctor Dee. More than you shall ever realise, I think.”
“What?” Doctor Dee rubbed at his bearded chin. “You’re a mystery to me, my lady. It has surprised me you show such suspicion of my enquiries, when you have a brain so quick and flexible.”
“Possibly I merely argue with your methods of research, good sage.”
“Then we must debate. I am always willing-”
“This is not the time.”
“Of course. But you will reassure the Queen. I would not have her grieve more than she should. I know that Lady Mary was close to her.”
