She turned round then and to my relief she was smiling, if ironically, making those engaging dimples at the corners of her mouth that showed her age and yet were somehow charming.
‘Yes, I believe you are. You have done your work well, Master Shardlake. Some charged with the task you have been given might have come here bullying and blustering, and perhaps I would not have told them all I have told you.’ She thought a moment, then crossed to the little table and picked up a bible. ‘Here, take this.’
Puzzled, I rose and took the heavy book. She laid her hand on it, the long fingers pressed flat against the leather cover, and looked me in the face. Close to, I saw she had the lightest of down on her upper lip, making a momentary flash of gold as it caught the light.
‘I swear by Almighty God,’ she said, ‘that I have never discussed the contents of the papers relating to Greek Fire with any living soul other than you.’
‘And the duke has made no request to you to do so?’
She met my eyes firmly. ‘I swear he has not.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Will you tell the earl that I made this oath freely and of my own will?’
‘I will,’ I said.
‘And though you must tell him everything, I ask you to keep these - these difficulties with Gabriel and the duke secret.’
‘I will, my lady. I know the reputation lawyers have as gossips, but I promise to tell no one but the earl.’
She smiled, her old warm smile. ‘Then we may be friends again?’
‘I would like nothing better, my lady.’
‘Good. You caught me in an ill humour earlier.’ She nodded at the gold cup. ‘That arrived, together with an invitation to the bear-baiting tomorrow. Gabriel is making a party of it and I feel obliged to go.’ She paused. ‘Would you care to come as well? He said to bring whoever I chose.’
I inclined my head. ‘Would you really wish me to come? After my interrogation of you?’
‘Yes. To prove there is no ill feeling?’ Her look had something flirtatious in it again.
‘I will come, Lady Honor, with pleasure.’
‘Good. We meet at noon, at Three Cranes—’
Lady Honor broke off as the door opened and her young nephew came in. His face was red and angry. He was dressed for company, a purple slashed doublet and a wide cap with a peacock feather. He took off his cap and threw it on the cabinet.
‘Cousin Honor,’ he said petulantly, ‘please do not send me to such people again.’ He broke off as he saw me sitting on the cushion. ‘I am sorry, sir, I did not mean to intrude.’
Lady Honor took the boy by the arm. ‘Master Shardlake has called for a brief visit, Henry. Now come, settle yourself. Have some wine.
The youth plumped down on a cushion opposite me as Lady Honor fetched him wine. She gestured me to sit again. ‘Henry has been visiting Mayor Hollyes’s family,’ she told me. ‘I thought it would be useful for him to meet his children.’ She gave him a goblet of wine and returned to her chair, smiling at him encouragingly. ‘Well, then, Henry, what has happened?’
‘Those children are common rogues.’ The boy took a long draught of wine. ‘By God they are.’
‘The mayor’s daughters? What on earth do you mean?’
‘I had looked forward to meeting the girls, I heard they were pretty. There are three of them. Mayor Hollyes’s wife was there and the conversation was pleasant enough at first - they asked about life in Lincolnshire, the hunting. But then Madam Hollyes was called away and I was left with the girls. Then they—’
‘What, Henry? Come.’
He looked down at the floor, running a hand over the pustules on his face. ‘The moment the old woman left the girls became cruel. They —they began to mock my - my spots, asking if I had the pox. One said even a pocky whore would not have me.’ His voice shook. ‘Cousin Honor, I hate it in London. I want to go back to Lincolnshire.’ He hung his head again, greasy hair falling over his face.
‘Henry,’ Lady Honor said with a touch of impatience, ‘these things happen. You must be more robust—’
‘They should not happen!’ he burst out. ‘I am a Vaughan, I am entitled to some respect.’
‘It is a cruel thing to be mocked,’ I said.
Lady Honor sighed. ‘Go upstairs to your room, Henry. I will come and talk to you in a moment.’
Without a word the boy got up and, without looking at me, went out and slammed the door behind him. Lady Honor leaned back in her chair and smiled sadly.
‘You can see now why I fear Henry does not have the robustness to make his way in London. It was a mistake to bring him here. But he is the Vaughan heir. We had to try.’ She sighed. ‘Poor boy.’
‘Some boys feel slights greatly at that age. I did.’
‘Young girls can be cruel.’ She smiled ironically. ‘I could, myself.’
‘You, madam? I find that hard to be believe.’
‘You know how girl children are told how to behave down to the last detail? How to walk, how to sit, when to smile.’ She smiled sadly. ‘I wonder how many scream with frustration inside, as I did. And how many turn to cruel thoughts beneath sweet rosy faces?’