‘Ay, I’m back at the Old Barge and glad to be. Essex is too quiet for me. All that countryside, that wide horizon, gives you a headache to look at it.’
‘I know what you mean.’ And indeed my sojourn at Lichfield had cured me of the desire for a country life. Walking around the parched countryside, listening as my father and his steward endlessly bemoaned the weather, had begun to grate on my nerves. And as Barak said, there was something in those wide horizons that was unsettling to the eye.
‘Our old master died two days ago. Did you know?’ His expression was sombre again.
‘Ay.’ I lowered my voice. ‘I heard the execution was bungled.’
‘It was. I saw it.’ His face darkened. ‘His head’s boiled and on a spike on London Bridge now, pointed away from the City so he cannot look on the king any more. But he died bravely, refusing to admit any fault.’
‘Yes, he would.’ I shook my head. ‘Those charges were ridiculous. Conspiring to make war on the king? If there was one thing Thomas Cromwell did faithfully all his life it was serve Henry Tudor.’
‘It’s not the first time treason charges have been cooked up when the king wanted rid of someone. When they arrested Lord Cromwell at the council table he cried out, “I am no traitor,” and threw his cap to the floor. Then Norfolk tore the Order of the Garter from his chest.’
‘And what of Norfolk?’ I asked. ‘Are you sure we are safe?’
‘Ay. I have friends in some of the less public parts of the king’s service. I’ve had word from Norfolk himself we won’t be touched. He’s terrified of a single word getting out about Greek Fire. I’ve dropped a hint that if anything happened to either of us there might be others who knew the tale.’
I looked at him askance. ‘That was a risky thing to do. For both of us.’
‘It’s insurance for us. Trust me, I know how these things work.’
‘Did you hear anything of Kytchyn? Or Madam Gristwood and her son?’
‘They are safe. They fled with the man who guarded their house as soon as they heard of Cromwell’s fall. I don’t know where they are.’
I nodded. ‘So I may resume practice.’
He nodded. ‘If that’s what you wish.’
I went and leaned on the parapet, for my back hurt after my long ride. He joined me and we looked over the river. I tried to avoid looking down towards London Bridge.
‘There hasn’t been the purge I expected,’ I said, ‘though Robert Barnes is to be burned today. I haven’t heard anything from Godfrey - I fear for him.’ I looked at Barak. ‘And three Catholics to die at Tyburn.’
Barak grunted. ‘The king will never go back to Rome, whatever Norfolk wants. He likes being head of the Church too much. The old arsehole,’ he added quietly. He looked at me with sudden intensity. ‘Could we have saved Lord Cromwell, do you think? If we’d guessed Grey was a traitor?’
I sighed deeply. ‘That question has tormented me night and day. I think he was so deep in trouble over the Cleves marriage he would have fallen in the end. Unless he’d agreed to abandon Queen Anne and reform, and he wouldn’t do that.’ I smiled sadly. ‘At least that’s what I tell myself, to comfort myself perhaps.’
‘I think you’re right,’ Barak said. ‘His principles killed him in the end.’
‘He killed many others for those principles.’
Barak shook his head, but did not reply. We leaned there in silence for a moment. Then I saw a boat turning in to the stairs, two faces I recognized. I nudged Barak. ‘I’ve arranged for some others to meet us here. They wished to see you.’
‘Who?’ Puzzled, he followed my gaze to the wherry. It pulled up and Joseph Wentworth stepped out. He gave his hand to a young woman in a dark dress and hood to help her out of the boat.
‘Is that—’
I nodded. ‘Elizabeth.’
She walked a little unsteadily, her head bowed low, and Joseph had to help her up the steps. I went to the head of the stairs and Barak followed.
Joseph took my hand warmly and bowed to Barak. ‘Master Barak, I am glad you are here. My niece wished to thank you both.’
Barak shuffled awkwardly. ‘I did nothing, really.’
Elizabeth raised her head. Her hair had grown again too, a few curly strands escaping beneath her hood. For the first time I saw her face properly, clean of dirt and marks. It was pretty but full of character too. There was none of the indrawn blankness or sudden ferocious anger I had seen before in her eyes, her gaze was full and clear though infinitely sad.
‘Yes, sir, you did.’ Her voice trembled and she clung tightly to her uncle’s hand but she spoke clearly. ‘You went down into that terrible well, you nearly died at my grandmother’s hands.’ She looked at Barak. ‘And when you spoke to me that day in the gaol, sir, you showed me how my silent suffering did no good, for me or my poor uncle. You made me begin to see things I had not seen before.’