‘Marchamount took the story to a mutual acquaintance of ours. Lady Bryanston.’
My eyes widened in surprise. ‘I met her only a few days ago. She invited me to dinner.’
‘Yes, I dropped your name at her table last week, when I was thinking of employing you to get the formula from Gristwood. That is good, you must go. Talk to her too.’
I reflected a moment. ‘I shall, my lord. But if I am to get to the root of this matter—’
‘Yes?’
‘I need to know more about Greek Fire. Retrace the steps from its discovery to the demonstrations you held.’
‘If you think fit. But remember, time presses. Barak here can tell you all about the demonstrations, he can take you out to Deptford to see where they took place.’
‘And I could talk to the monastery librarian. Perhaps visit St Bartholomew’s to see where the stuff was found.’
He smiled coldly. ‘You don’t believe in Greek Fire yet, do you? You will. As for Bernard Kytchyn, Brother Bernard the librarian as he used to be, I’ve been trying to trace him since Lady Honor first came to me. To make sure he kept his mouth shut too. But like half these ex-monks he’s disappeared without trace.’
‘Perhaps I could try the Court of Augmentations; he must have arrangements to collect his pension.’
Cromwell nodded. ‘That’s Richard Rich’s territory. But you could say it was in connection with a case.’ He looked at me sharply. ‘I don’t want Rich getting a whiff of this. I raised him to the king’s council, but he knows about the plots against me and will change sides in a moment to protect himself. If he went to the king and said I’d lost Greek Fire—’ He raised his eyebrows.
‘I would like to talk to Goodwife Gristwood again,’ I said. ‘I had a feeling she was keeping something back.’
‘Good, good.’
‘And finally, there is a man of learning I would like to consult. An apothecary.’
He frowned. ‘Not that black monk from Scarnsea?’
‘He is a learned man. I would only like to ask him, if need be, for advice about alchemy. I would not wish to involve him further than necessary.’
‘So long as he is not told of Greek Fire. There were rumours of its rediscovery three hundred years ago and the Lateran Council banned its use. They said it was too dangerous. An ex-monk might feel himself bound by that. Or might want to give it to France or Spain, where the monkish brethren still flourish.’
‘He would not do that. But I do not wish to place him in danger.’
Cromwell smiled suddenly. ‘I see this matter intrigues you, Matthew.’
‘I will bend my mind to it.’
He nodded. ‘Come to me if you need anything. But time is all. You must move fast. You’ll have Jack to help you. I’m setting him to work with you.’
I stared at Barak. What I felt must have shown in my face, for he smiled sarcastically.
‘I work alone these days,’ I said.
‘You need help with this. Jack will lodge with you. You’ll get used to his rough ways.’
I had already learned Barak did not trust me. It occurred to me that perhaps Cromwell did not either, not wholly, and was setting Barak to keep an eye on me.
I hesitated. ‘My lord,’ I ventured, ‘I must also give some time to Mistress Wentworth’s case.’
He shrugged. ‘Very well. And Jack will help you with that. But this business comes first.’ He fixed me with those hard brown eyes. ‘If you fail, all those associated with me will be at risk. Your lives could be at stake too.’
He rang a little bell and Grey stepped in from an inner room. He looked worried.
‘Grey’s been told. Keep me informed of progress every day. Any news, anything you want, send it via Grey. No one else.’
I nodded.
‘I can’t trust anyone now,’ he growled. ‘Not the people I raised to the council, not even my own staff, whom Norfolk pays to spy on me. But Grey’s been with me since I was a nobody, haven’t you, Edwin?’
‘Ay, my lord.’ He hesitated. ‘Is Master Barak to be involved in this too?’
‘He is.’
Grey pursed his lips. Cromwell looked at him.
‘Matthew can do anything that requires diplomacy.’
‘That—er - might be best.’
‘Jack can deal with anything that requires a strong hand, eh?’
I glanced at Barak. He was studying his master’s face. One again I caught that look of concern, and I realized that he feared deeply for Cromwell. And perhaps for his own fate too.
Chapter Nine
WHEN WE LEFT THE ROOM Barak told me he had things to collect. I went outside, fetched Chancery and led him into the front yard. From a little distance a murmuring was audible, and I heard a shout of ‘Don’t shove there!’ The doles were being distributed.