The Rogue's Princess (21 page)

‘That’s going to sound a fine excuse if this reaches the Star Chamber.’ Will put his head in his hands.

‘They’ll take one look at the idiot and believe him,’ said James, cuffing his little brother.

This return to normal fraternal violence gave Tobias leave to hope that the worst of the confession was over. Will sat up and drummed his fingers on the table to gain their attention.

‘Our course is clear. Unfortunately, we must make no move in public to help our brother. Kit has largely kept his distance, certainly from James and me, and that fact will now assist us. We must maintain that he has no connection with the family and that he is not admitted within doors. All must think he is of no account to us. If anyone questions your staying with him, Tobias, we will keep to a version of the truth: that you were living with the black sheep as a moment of youthful rebellion and now have come back within the family fold having seen the error of your ways.’

Tobias opened his mouth to protest, but Will held up a finger.

‘I say this not because I’m in any way ashamed of our
brother. He’s proved himself in this business a fine man and I’d be proud to own him, but we do him no favours if we draw more attention to him in the mind of Walsingham and his men by trying to use our influence to get him free. He has to do that himself by proving he is of no interest to the Crown, not when they’ve bigger fish to catch.’

If that was the correct strategy, then it seemed a cruel one. What would Kit think of them all? He’d had a basin full of rejection from the Laceys when he was little; were they going to repeat it now he needed their help?

‘But we can’t leave him in prison with none to comfort him,’ said James, giving voice to part of Tobias’s objections. ‘The Crown often takes months to lose interest.’

‘No, we can’t.’ Will sat back, hands spread open on the table. ‘Any suggestions? In sooth, I would welcome ideas on this.’

‘Burbage?’ offered James. ‘He’s cared for Kit like a father.’

‘But he’s in a ticklish position if two of his company have fallen foul of the authorities. Besides, Walsingham wants the theatres kept far out of this as they have too much influence to sway the mob.’

Tobias raised a hand. ‘I’ve an idea.’

Will cocked an inquisitive eyebrow.

‘His ladylove. No one will suspect his sweetheart of any ill intentions if she visits him.’

Sitting back, Will was about to dismiss the notion. ‘But if she’s connected with the company, she cannot help us – Walsingham won’t like any word getting back that way.’

Tobias smiled bitterly. ‘No fear of that. She has no connection with that crowd and is the least likely person to be suspected of supporting Catholic plots in the realm.’

‘You jest – she’d have to be a Puritan for that!’

‘I conclude my case, my lord.’ Tobias gave a mock bow as if to the judge’s chair. ‘It appears our brother was very far-sighted when he picked Mercy Hart for his sweetheart.’

Mercy was paying her daily visit to her aunt when Tobias found her. The two women had been making a cherry pie, taking advantage of the brief season when the fruit was abundant. She felt somewhat at a disadvantage in receiving a young noble, for her hands were stained red like a murderer thanks to the cherries she had just pitted.

‘Why, Master Lacey, what brings you here?’ called Rose cheerfully when she saw the gentleman hovering at the kitchen door. ‘If you seek Diego, he’s gone out for a ride with Lord Bergavenny and should be back by midday, and if it’s Master Porter you want he’s gone to Westminster to give a lesson.’

‘Nay, mistress, it’s your niece I wish to speak to.’

Tobias looked very sombre, not his usual mischievous self at all. A shiver ran up Mercy’s spine. Something was wrong.

‘Well, if it’s my niece you seek, then you’ve found her. Stay awhile and have some pie with us. I’m just carrying it to the oven now. It shouldn’t take long.’ Rose lifted it on to the paddle to slide it in to bake in the hottest part of the oven.

As soon as Rose’s back was turned, Mercy asked: ‘What has happened, Master Lacey? Is it Kit?’ She rinsed her hands in a basin, the red stain leaving a purple mark behind that she could not rub off.

‘Aye. Please, sit down.’ Tobias gestured for her to take a seat on the bench. That could not be good.

‘He’s … he’s sent you to say he doesn’t forgive me?’ she whispered.

‘Nay. This is far more serious than a lovers’ quarrel. He loves you still, don’t you dare doubt him. Mistress Hart, Mercy, I …’ Tobias gave a frustrated sigh. ‘I can’t think how to tell you. He’s been arrested. They’re saying it’s for debt, but that’s a lie. He’s got himself clear of anything he owed months ago, thanks to you.’

‘Arrested!’ squeaked Mercy.

Rose heard her exclamation. She swung round, bearing the paddle like a pike. ‘Who’s been arrested?’

Tobias held up hands in surrender. ‘Ladies, please, keep your voices down! This is a matter of the utmost delicacy – and danger.’

Placing the paddle by the hearth, Rose hurried to her niece’s side so they could huddle close around the table. ‘Tell us, sir, what’s going on?’

‘My brother Kit has been arrested. The official story is that he’s been put in the Marshalsea by his creditors, but the truth is he’s there for treason.’

‘Kit! Impossible.’ Mercy dug her fingernails into her palms.

‘Aye, it’s a mistake – and it’s my fault he’s there.’ Tobias tugged at his ruff, not liking this part of the confession. ‘I got into the habit of drinking with the wrong set earlier in the year. The reports made it sound as if it was Kit and he’s been taken in for questioning. I cannot tell you more of the matter without endangering you, but suffice it to say that my part was foolish rather than evil.’

‘So why can’t you tell the authorities this and get Kit out of gaol?’ asked Mercy.

‘Because the men behind the arrest are playing for the highest of stakes. They look for disloyalty near to the Queen. If I, or my brothers, try to gain Kit’s release, we would cast suspicion on ourselves and all associated with us, as well as give the questioners reason to think my brother is more than just a player going about his usual business of drinking in rough company. If he looks isolated from us, then their interest will die and he will probably be released quietly and without charge.’

‘I see that, sir,’ said Rose, placing her hand over Mercy’s clenched fists to calm her, ‘but what if you are wrong and they take this to trial?’

‘Then the Laceys will stand by Kit, of course, and do our utmost to exonerate him. But I trust my brother, the earl’s, judgement in this: charges of treason prompt the least rational process in the law. Any activity can be taken ill and we should only move from this position when all other courses have been tried.’

Mercy resented the young noble’s calm words when she wanted to run to the Marshalsea and kick down the door. ‘So why are you here, sir? To tell me to abandon Kit as you have done? For I won’t, you know!’

He had the grace to look guilty at that. ‘I have no intention of abandoning my brother, mistress, and I rather hoped you would feel that way. We want to support him, make sure his time in prison passes as painlessly as possible, but we fear to approach him directly as his defence rests in seeming to be cut off from the Laceys. We would like you to go between us and Kit, offering the comfort that we cannot.’ He placed a heavy money pouch on the table. ‘This is for him – and for you, for your pains.’

Mercy pushed the pouch away. ‘I need no pay for helping the man I love.’

‘Nay, I know that, but unfortunately you might need it more than you think.’ He looked regretfully at Rose.

‘How so, sir?’ her aunt asked.

‘What do you think your father will say, Mistress Hart, when you tell him that you are going to visit Kit in prison?’

Mercy hid her face in her hand.

‘Aye. I guessed he might be very angry, even to the point of making you choose between staying under his roof and Kit.’

Rose folded her arms. ‘Then she can come here.’

Tobias shook his head. ‘Think, mistress, as soon as your niece announces herself to the prison guard as being Kit’s lady, she will become a person of great interest to the Queen’s ministers. She will be followed – her least conversation judged for signs of conspiracy.’

‘What’s that to me? I’m her aunt.’

‘Yet you are keeping house for one who spent years in the Tower suspected of aiding Catholic plotters. You will draw Master Porter into this and he will be exactly the sort of character that the authorities would expect to trap.’

‘But he’s innocent!’

‘Aye, but this, as my brothers have so forcibly made the point to me, is not about true guilt and innocence, but about the appearance of either.’ He turned to Mercy. ‘You will have to cut yourself off from those who would be harmed by this, your aunt, your friends, the Belknaps, and stay only with those above suspicion. There must be some good Christian souls of humble status in your church who would offer you refuge
even if they disapprove of your choice, people who are so lowly that no one would dream that they had been dragged into any plots.’

Mercy drew a pattern in the flour still dusting the table. Would her father throw her out? And would anyone step forward to shelter her? She would not know until she put the matter to the test. Really, what was she waiting for?

‘Tell me what I must do.’

Tobias kissed her floury, purple-stained fingers. ‘You are a pearl without price, Mercy, and my family stands in debt to you.’

‘Hold, sir,’ interrupted Rose. ‘Is there danger for my niece in this?’

‘Very little we think.’ Tobias squeezed Mercy’s fingers then let them go. ‘Kit is famous for his attraction for the fairer sex; the authorities will most like consider her a maiden enamoured of his charms. When they look into her connections, they will discover a girl from an unimpeachable God-fearing background, well known to her church and to her neighbours. Her family’s relationship with the Laceys, as far as any can tell, is business only; as Mercy’s father handles half the cloth dealing for the City that is unlikely to raise any eyebrows. To suggest the Harts would support a Catholic-inspired plot would be absurd and rapidly dismissed.’

‘I know what I shouldn’t do.’ Mercy wrote Kit’s name in the flour. ‘But I do not know how to go about helping him.’

Tobias pushed the pouch back towards her. ‘Take him half of this money. Try not to be parted from it before seeing him. You may need to bribe the guards to get in to visit him, but that shouldn’t cost you more than a few shillings. If you are
allowed to be private with him, tell him what we have discussed, but only if you are certain no one can overhear you.’

‘And if they do not allow me to see him?’

‘Pay for better accommodation and food. Ask for the gaoler to give you a receipt to that effect or they will just pocket a foolish young girl’s money and forget the rest.’

Mercy brushed her fingers off on her apron and rose. ‘I can do that and I’ll go now. How long has he been in there?’

‘Only since last night. We were fortunate to receive word at once.’

She paused as she untied the strings of her apron. ‘What about the Theatre?’

‘Aye, we can’t have him ruined in his profession because of this. I’m going next to ask Master Burbage to hold his position in the company and explain to him that he had best keep clear of the trouble. Master Burbage is likely to feel as you do and want to rush to Kit’s aid, but I’ll counsel him against this course of action. It would be doing Kit no favours if he came out of gaol to find the authorities had closed down the Theatre because Burbage had shown himself too loyal to a suspect character.’

‘This is not fair!’

‘I know.’ Tobias sighed. ‘Fortunately, the players are about to go on summer progress; Kit’s absence will not be so obvious.’

Decision made, Mercy could not wait to go to Kit. ‘Do you have any message that you wish to send him?’

‘Aye, that I’ll take over his lodgings permanently if he doesn’t talk himself out of this quickly.’ Tobias winked. ‘So if he wants his things where he left them, he’d better put his silver tongue to good use.’

Mercy managed a wavering smile. Realizing nothing would stop her going, Rose hugged her and kissed her farewell.

‘You look after yourself, dearest one,’ her aunt said fiercely. ‘I’ll be here if you need me. Come back as soon as it is safe to do so – and before if you get into trouble you can’t handle alone.’

Tobias handed her to the door like a princess. ‘Mercy, you can also tell the rogue that we all love him and will move heaven and earth to make sure he is safe.’

She nodded bravely. ‘Aye, I can do that.’

Tobias rejoined his brothers and their horses where they waited incognito by the porch of St Mary Overie. He could see Mercy’s grey-clad figure hurrying back to her house to prepare herself for a visit to prison. Rose had insisted she take the cherry pie with her and Mercy had gone home to gather some other necessities for the prisoner: clean linen, more food, paper, ink and quill, if he were allowed them.

James followed his gaze. ‘Is that her?’

‘Aye.’

‘Did she agree to go?’ asked Will.

‘Wild horses wouldn’t keep her away.’

The earl shook his head. ‘She looks very young.’

‘And very innocent,’ added James. ‘Gads, perhaps we should come up with another plan? Gaol is no place for girls like her. Jane’ll have my ears for putting a maiden in this position.’

‘I think Ellie might go for something lower,’ sighed Will.

Tobias mounted his horse, eager to get on with the second part of his task: talking to Burbage. ‘Too late to stop her.
We’ve started that stone rolling. Don’t underestimate her: I have the feeling that Mercy Hart can produce a landslide to get her way.’

James gave a weary chuckle. ‘Perhaps then, brothers, we should thank God for small Mercies.’

15

‘Nay, young mistress, you cannot see him.’ The gaoler folded his arms and stood barring the door to the Marshalsea, a square block of a building with grated windows not far from the southern end of the bridge. The man was built like the prison he maintained: low and squat with not an inch of yielding about him.