‘I think not. Sir Quintin is a man who even now likes his power, and secrets are power. Other people’s, that is; your own are a curse.’
I took a deep breath, then asked, ‘And Sir Richard Rich? What is his involvement in all this?’
A look of genuine puzzlement crossed Hobbey’s face. ‘Rich? The royal counsellor? I have never met him. I saw him for the first time when he came up to you at the Guildhall.’
‘Are you sure, Master Hobbey?’
He spread his hands. ‘Why would I keep anything back now?’
Dyrick too was staring at me in surprise. I realized neither of them had any idea what I was talking about. But then why had Rich been so agitated in Portsmouth? Why had he, as I increasingly believed, set those corner boys on me in London and killed the clerk Mylling? I thought hard, and then I understood. Again I had jumped to a wrong conclusion.
AND NOW I had to decide what to do. I looked at Hobbey’s desperate face, Barak’s angry one, then at Dyrick, who had begun to look uneasy and frightened. If it became known he had helped to conceal Emma’s true identity there would be serious professional consequences for him. I could never trust Dyrick, but for now he was in my power. I said, ‘This is what I am prepared to do. If Ettis is freed I will say nothing about David killing his mother.’
Barak sat up. ‘You can’t! He murdered her! What else might he do? And you can believe they’re not involved with Rich—’
‘They’re not. They never were. I think I see what happened now. But tell me, Jack, do you think David was of sound mind when he killed Abigail? Do you think his being put on trial and either certified as mad or hanged will do anyone any good? Who will it benefit?’
‘He may shoot someone else.’
‘That he never will,’ Hobbey said. ‘He may never even walk properly again. And I told you, from now on I will watch after him day and night – ’
I raised a hand. ‘I have three conditions, Master Hobbey.’
‘Anything – ’
‘First, you will ensure – I care not how – that Ettis is released. If he has to stand trial for murder in due course, very well, so long as I am there to ensure that justice takes its course and he is found innocent. And I want to let him know now, in confidence, that that will be the outcome.’
Hobbey looked at Dyrick. ‘We can arrange that, Vincent, I am sure. Sir Luke—’
Dyrick said, ‘What are your other conditions?’
‘The second, Master Hobbey, is that you do as you said, sell Hoyland – having confirmed the villagers’ title to the woodland – and take David to a place where you can keep him safe and watched.’
‘Yes,’ he answered at once. ‘Yes.’
Barak looked at me and shook his head. And though I doubted David would be a danger to anyone again, I knew I was taking a risk. But I believed Hobbey would do as he promised.
‘My last condition concerns Emma. I will ride back to Portsmouth, and if I find her there and trying to join the army I will get her out.’
‘No—’ Barak started.
‘He’d need to expose her as a girl,’ Dyrick said. ‘Nicholas, if he does that we could be done for after all. If she gets a lift on a supply cart she could be there already.’
‘If she has joined my friend’s company, or another, I do not need to tell them the whole story. Merely that a patriotic girl is impersonating a boy.’
‘I agree,’ Hobbey said. ‘I agree to everything.’
‘But I will not bring Emma back here. I will take her to London. And you, Master Hobbey, will sell Hugh’s wardship to me, as wardships are constantly bought and sold. Though, of course, the transaction will only be a paper one, I will give you no money. Master Dyrick here will organize it.’
Even now, after all the death and ruin, Dyrick took the chance to score a point. ‘You will make a profit for yourself – ’
‘I will see the Curteys lands sold for a fair price, and the money kept safe till Emma, as Hugh, comes of age. That will mean continuing the deception, so far as the Court of Wards at least is concerned. But there are a hundred deceptions there, though maybe none so dramatic as this. Again you will have to cooperate, Dyrick.’
‘But Emma just tried to kill David, and nearly killed us!’ Barak was proving hard to persuade.
‘She didn’t kill us, though she easily could have. And I don’t think she meant to kill David. She could have shot him through the heart as easily as she could us, but she didn’t. My guess is she will be desperately regretting what she did. I learned enough of his – her – nature when we were here before to understand that.’
‘Him – her – God’s nails!’ Barak shouted. ‘Are you going to take her home? Will you dress her in tunics or frocks?’
‘I will help her to find somewhere to live in London. What she makes of her future then will be up to her. This is the one chance I have of fulfilling my promise to the Queen and Mistress Calfhill, whose son died because he felt he had to help her. We owe something to Michael, too.’